Checklist: Employee Responsibilities for Staying Motivated in Poor Economic Times

The responsibility for motivating employees to survive a poor economy with high spirits and a productive job performance doesn't all fall to the employer. There are several actions employees can take, too. According to BlessingWhite, employees should be encouraged to:

1. Know themselves. It is more important than ever for employees to know themselves as people and as contributors to the organization. Understanding what motivates can help in riding out the rough seas.
2. Create a plan for weathering the storm and define who needs to be involved in that plan (e.g., colleagues, boss, customers, etc.).
3. Communicate openly with managers, peers and associates. It may also help to schedule more formal discussions with management or associates to sharpen the employees' focus and ensure everyone is on the same page.
4. Learn and experience all that you can. Downtimes allow employees to try something they may not have had the chance to during periods of growth.
5. Choose whether your lens will be positive or negative.

Reprinted with permission. © CCH