5 Tips to Re-Energize Your Tenured Employees

Nearly every business has them: employees who have been at the company for years—employees who know the ins and outs of the organization, the industry and their roles. But oftentimes, employees who have been at their workplace the longest are the ones who feel the least motivated. And it’s not hard to see why.

Imagine showing up to the same place to do the same thing day-after-day, year-after-year. Yes, maybe you’d become a well-seasoned expert in your field, but it sounds a little draining, right? Yep. Tenured employees can be a company’s greatest asset, but only if they’re engaged and using their talents well. In fact, these employees outperform their peers by 18%. So, to help ensure your long-term employees are at their very best, we’ve included a list of time-tested tips to re-energize those who might be feeling a little stuck, bored or apathetic.

Look to them as leaders

Long-time employees are filled with knowledge. They’ve likely been through some ups and downs with your company, know how to work efficiently and know what’s effective and what isn’t. Ask them to mentor a more entry- or mid-level employee, or manage a team, and put their valuable experience to good use.

Help them avoid monotony

Like we mentioned before, doing the same exact thing every day for years can be less than exciting. Help tenured employees switch things up to avoid burnout. Maybe they’d like to try working from home one day a week, or helping on a project that’s not in their wheelhouse.

Connect with them

After an employee has put in more than a few years at their place of business, it can be easy to overlook them. Maybe they keep to themselves, or maybe they’ve been working at your company longer than even you—and talking with them feels intimidating. But many times, employees with a long history somewhere can start fading into the background without even trying. Ask them to share their thoughts, feelings and insights with you. You’ll be amazed by how motivated a well-worn employee usually feels when leaders make an active effort to form a relationship and learn from them.

Encourage development

The fact of the matter is, most employees get bored when they’re not challenged. And if you’ve been doing the same work for years, the chances you’ve mastered it are pretty high. But that doesn’t mean you can’t keep learning and growing. Recognize all the hard work your tenured employees have put in over the years and let them know you’d love to help them keep growing. Is there a special course you can offer to fund? Or an exciting new project that might keep them on their toes? Ask how your tenured employees might like to be challenged and do what it takes to meet their needs.

Appreciate, appreciate, appreciate

After years of applauding an employee for his or her work, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking you’ve said ‘well done’ more than enough. But going out of your way to make sure that tenured team member feels recognized, will keep them performing. Employees who feel valued, whether tenured or not, are much more likely to feel a sense of loyalty to their work and their organization.

Did you know keeping employees motivated and engaged is crucial to the health of your organization? It’s true. If you’re ready to develop a plan of action tailored to your team, attend our Culture of Engagement workshop.