search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube instagram Spotify Podcasts Apple Podcasts Spotify Podcasts Apple Podcasts
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
  • TOPICS
    • Cool Roofing
    • Event News
    • Latinos in Roofing
    • Low Slope
    • Legal
    • Metal
    • Project Profiles
    • Roofing Supply Pro
    • Roofing Safety
    • Steep Slope
    • Sustainable Roofing
    • Technology
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Best of Success
    • Contractor Profile
    • IRE Show
    • Roofing Contractor of the Year
      • Enter Roofing Contractor of the Year
    • Top 100
      • Enter the Top 100
    • Young Guns
    • State of the Industry
    • Century Club
  • MULTIMEDIA
    • Videos
    • Podcasts
    • Interactive Spotlights
    • Roofing Quizzes
    • IRE Videos
    • Webinars
    • Photo Galleries
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Products
    • Featured Products
  • COLUMNS
    • Editor's Note
    • Exit Planning
    • Legally Speaking
    • Safety Advice
    • Technical Details
    • Guest Column
  • EVENTS
    • International Roofing Expo
    • Webinars
    • Best of Success Conference
    • Industry Events
  • DIRECTORY
    • Associations
    • Distributors
    • Manufacturer/Supplier
    • Business Services
    • Get Listed
  • MORE
    • Roofing Contractor eNews
    • RC Store
    • Roofing Supply Pro
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • Market Research
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Company Spotlights
    • Classifieds
      • Auctions
      • Business For Sale
      • Business Opportunities
      • Equipment For Sale
      • Positions Available
      • Products
      • Safety
      • Software
      • Services
      • Training
    • Contact Us
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Advertise
      • Media Kit
      • Editorial Calendar
      • Contact
    • Archive Issues
  • SIGN UP!
Columns

Nine Ways to Demotivate Your Employees

By Monroe Porter
Demotivation
A lot is written about motivation, especially when it comes to employees.
June 5, 2017

A lot is written about motivation, especially when it comes to employees. “You are what you think about.” “In order to succeed, we must first believe.”  “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” While all of this is quite nice to read, rarely does it really impact folks’ lives. In fact, if you’re busting your butt digging a ditch or nailing shingles, someone saying this kind of trite stuff is more likely to make you angry than encourage you. Rather than focus on fluffy quotes, let’s talk about some of the things bosses do to demotivate.

1. Avoid the collective “We will take care of it.”

Years ago, one of my first bosses was famous for telling people that he rarely helped with anything and mostly played golf. We would take care of it was code for, ‘I am going to play golf and my staff will work themselves to death to do this because I told them to.’ He took credit for being part of the team and never played a single down. Be careful of talking about ‘we’ if you’re not going to pitch-in yourself. Give credit where credit is due. Simply say, “The accounting department (or whatever is appropriate) will look into this and take care of it for you.” 

2. Try to minimize busy work.

Good employees have a strong sense of purpose. Making people do busy work destroys that purpose. Forcing people to haul shingles up onto the roof when it could have been preloaded or forcing people to dig something by hand rather than excavating can be demoralizing. The trick is to explain to people why it has to be hand loaded or dug by hand.   People aren’t stupid and if you make them do stupid things without an explanation, they become disenchanted. 

3. Don’t play seagull.

Seagulls show up on the job, squawk, dump on people and leave. Visit jobs, but do so because people are making you money and you appreciate their efforts. Workers care about your money if you do. If they never see you on the job, they assume they’re doing great and there’s plenty of money to go around. Point out what’s right as well as what’s wrong.

4. Avoid comparisons.

Never compare yourself to your workers or compare other workers to one another, it creates an unhealthy environment. Strong people will perform. Weaker people need to become more self-confident and be supported.   

5. Lack of performance feedback.

Contractors are notorious for not providing career and growth goals for employees. Few have an official HR department and many are too busy working to take the time to communicate. I recently spoke to a contractor who had just lost a long-term employee who will be sorely missed. I asked the contractor why he left. He said that the disgruntled employee complained he never had a review or feedback on how he was doing. I asked when the last time he spoke with him about performance was and he couldn’t remember. People like to know how they’re doing and that what they’re doing matters. Be careful of taking good employees for granted.

6. Ignoring underperforming family and friends.

An employee’s job is his or her livelihood. If you have favorites or family members who are underperforming, good employees will ultimately leave. They understand that blood is thicker than water and don’t want to place their job in jeopardy. Remember, employees have family and your job feeds that family. Just because you see your business as a family dynasty doesn’t mean they have the same long-term vision. 

7. Don’t preach or lecture people.

Communication is a two-way street. Rather than lecture people, ask questions. This is particularly important when addressing attitude or behavioral problems. Employees know what time they need to come to work, lecturing them doesn’t work. Instead make it clear they will lose their job and what they can do to ensure they will be on time in the future. 

8. Avoid pay injustice.

Too many contractors pay based on seniority, with tenured employees possibly being overpaid and high performing newcomers not getting paid in proportion to what they’re contributing.  If you have rapidly advancing employees, make sure you’re compensating them based on performance, not length of time with the company.

9. Poor one-on-one communication.

Employees work for their direct report. Make sure your supervisors are communicating with their employees. Many foreman and superintendents aren’t very good at this. To each employee, the person above them is the company. If you have supervisors who aren’t good communicators, somehow you must overcompensate for this. 

Finding and keeping good employees is a challenge. Make sure you’re keeping in touch with your organization and not inadvertently demoralizing them.

KEYWORDS: employee relations

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Monroeporter
Monroe Porter is the president of PROOF Management Consultants. He can be reached at 804-267-1688.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Roofing Contractor Group Publisher Jill Bloom

    Physics, the Power of Authenticity and You

    In February's Publisher's Note, Jill Bloom describes a...
    Editor's Note
    By: Jill Bloom
  • The Family Food Fare supermarket in Midland, Mich.

    ‘Rooftop Ninja’ Discovered Living on Roof, Inside Grocery Sign

    A bizarre tale out of Midland, Mich.: a woman dubbed the...
    Roofing News
    By: Bryan Gottlieb
  • A before and after heat measurement comparison

    How Hot is Too Hot in the Attic?

    If the ventilation is working, how hot should the attic...
    Steep Slope Roofing
    By: Paul Scelsi
You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Subscribe For Free!
  • eMagazine Subscription
  • Sign Up for the eNewsletter
  • Online Registration
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Roofing Contractor audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Roofing Contractor or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • An overhead view of a residential block
    Sponsored byCBIZ CompuData

    From Spreadsheets to Strategy: How Roofing Companies Can Transform Financial Operations

  • Snow Guard Solutions for Metal Roofs by S-5!
    Sponsored byS-5!

    Safeguard Your Building: How Snow Guards Prevent Costly Roof & Property Damage

  • A hand holding a wooden block that reads 'EVOLVE'
    Sponsored byWatercress Financial

    Embracing Change: A New Era for the Roofing Industry

Popular Stories

QXO closed its acquisition of Beacon Building Supply on April 29, 2025.

QXO Closes Beacon Acquisition, Rebrands Immediately; Jacobs to Ring NYSE Bell

New executive orders signed by President Trump will likely further constrict an already tight labor market for the construction industry.

New Executive Orders Will Further Squeeze Labor Force

A bill under consideration in the Louisiana State House would bar roofing contractors from helping homeowners file or negotiate insurance claims.

La. Weighs Banning Roofers from Assisting with Insurance Claims

Roofing Contractor Webinar

Events

May 22, 2025

Remote Teams 101: The New Way to Hire

Our industry experts will guide you through what remote hiring and outsourcing should look like, how it can help you grow, and why it’s easier (and less scary) than you might think. If you want to save time, find great talent, and grow your business, this is one session you don’t want to miss!

December 3, 2025

The Premier Roofing Conference: Best of Success

Join roofing professionals from across the nation at the 2025 Best of Success conference, the ultimate destination for roofing professionals seeking the latest industry insights and networking opportunities. Pick up strategies for critical challenges like workforce shortage with innovative solutions, explore the latest advancements in roofing technology and sustainable practices, and gain valuable insights from industry leaders on navigating the evolving roofing landscape.

View All Submit An Event

Related Articles

  • More Ways To Prevent Employees From Stealing Your Calls

    See More
  • Protecting your business

    8 Ways To Protect Your Business Against Owner Illness and Other Setbacks

    See More
  • measuring up

    Six Ways to Keep Your Roofing Company Fresh

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • business.png

    How to Succeed With Your Own Construction Business

  • 51ZWZgSymnL._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

    Accidents Waiting to Happen: Best Practices in Workers' Comp Administration and Protecting Corporate Profitability

  • gco.png

    Contractor's Guide to Change Orders

See More Products
×

Be in the forefront of the roofing industry!

Join thousands of professionals today. Shouldn’t you know what they know?

JOIN NOW!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • X
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing