Motivation should be at the top of every manager's agenda. It largely determines the success of your team. Stress is often mentioned as the main cause of problems, but high work pressure does not necessarily have to lead to burnt-out employees or high absenteeism. As a manager, inspiration and motivation are an underestimated weapon in the fight against work stress. Can you achieve the 'flow', or will your team burn out?

Do you know how to achieve the flow?

We all know the word. “He's in a flow” is often used to describe someone who is completely in his or her element. Someone who is full passion, interest and is working extremely successfully. It is comparable to the top form an athlete can be in.

According to Hungarian professor Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, who has been studying motivation, work experience and the top performance of individuals for decades, you can also get into a 'flow' at work. Employees in a flow attract success. They are fun, positive and energetic to be around. Other people like to be around such people. Arnold Bakker, professor at the University of Utrecht, indicates that only about 12% of people meet this profile. So you can understand that such people have great influence within your company.

Csikszentmihalyi developed a model that makes it clear what the ideal combination of factors is to get into a 'flow', and what the dangers are when individuals fall outside the flow.

It's all about the right challenges and skills. As a manager you are crucial in this. You determine the challenges that an employee must solve. In addition, you must be able to properly assess his skills. Giving someone many responsibilities and challenges when he or she is not ready for them causes anxiety and stress. On the other hand, it is also not wise to offer few challenges to someone with many skills. This causes boredom and apathy, a completely different type of work stress. It may therefore be smart to let go of team members who can no longer really grow within the company (for whatever reason) and where the risk of boredom or apathy is therefore very high.

When an employee is in the flow, and therefore has the right combination of skills and challenges, a little tension or routine can do absolutely no harm. Your team members perform optimally in the flow. It is therefore not a problem at all if your team temporarily has to work a lot of overtime or really needs to get the most out of its capabilities. Or if it is a bit quieter for a while with a lot of routine chores. It's all part of it and is easily manageable for team members who feel good about themselves. However, both extremes should not last too long. Within a team that is always on its toes, tension grows into a loss of control and therefore real stress. Conversely, a team with a lot of long-term routine work loses its interest and therefore its sharpness.

How do you get into the flow?

Burned out staff, you don't want that. This causes poorer performance and absenteeism. In short, every manager naturally wants his or her team to get into a flow as much as possible. As a manager you certainly have influence on this. For example, by putting the tips below into practice.

Confidence and challenge

A clear job description is important. And of course there should be sufficient challenge. Try to make a really thorough assessment of a new employee's capabilities before assigning him or her tasks. If you do that, don't commit TOO much. The perfect job description makes the tasks clear, but also the challenges and opportunities. Provide space for development and provide confidence.

Appreciation and compliments

Employees, especially young employees, are often unsure about their work and qualities. Especially if you have given them a lot of responsibilities and challenges. Then make it clear that you appreciate this. This does not always have to be 'official' and extensive. A simple 'good job' or 'thanks' can make a world of difference. And, also put the employees in question in the spotlight in front of the entire team. Appreciation and compliments are one of a manager's most powerful tools to get people into the flow, and yet this technique is rarely (or not sincerely) used. After a compliment you can almost literally see your employees grow.

Give a little, take a little

Everyone walks on their toes sometimes. Everyone has STRESS. Someone who works just a little too hard for months, even though that person is in the flow, will notice this. That is very normal and does not have to be taboo. As a manager you can recognize this and, above all, acknowledge it. Has someone in your team been working overtime for a few weeks? Then give him or her a day off 'from work', or consciously leave the person in question out of a project or meeting. Protect your employees so that the flow does not turn into stress or boredom.

Restaaaaagh!

So everyone needs some rest every now and then, even your most motivated employees. In fact, employees in the flow sometimes have to be protected from themselves because otherwise they may not realize that they are working themselves over the head. Everyone has his or her own way of relaxing. For some this means attending a football match, for others it means suffering in the gym. It is your job as a manager to recognize when your employees need a moment of rest, and what that moment of rest should be.

How do you ensure that your team gets into the flow? Do you use the methods described in this blog for this, or do you have any other tips? Let us know!