To transform an unmotivated employee's performance review into a game-changer, focus on open communication, clear expectations, and actionable goals. Encourage self-assessment and provide constructive feedback. Align their strengths with company goals, offer professional development opportunities, and recognize achievements. A personalized approach fosters growth, helping them regain motivation and take ownership of their improvement.

I’ve faced this challenge before, like during NASA's Space Apps Challenge 2023, my team didn’t make the top 100 locally, so we had to participate virtually while only the top 50 got onsite seats. This caused my teammates to lose hope, thinking if we couldn’t rank high locally, how could we compete globally? I motivated them by focusing on our 1% chance, which could be a game-changer. We redesigned our project, worked in an agile model, and kept everyone engaged without pressure. In the end, we became World Champions in Best Storytelling. In my opinion, the best way to motivate employees is by showing them a vision of success, praising their efforts, offering salary raises, and providing psychological support to boost energy at work.

It takes a delicate balance between empathy, clear communication, and attainable goals to transform a performance review into a game-changer for an unmotivated employee. First, take advantage of the review to identify the underlying reason for their demotivation. Ask open-ended inquiries to learn whether they are feeling unchallenged by their work, dealing with personal issues, or are unsure of their role and future with the organization. This will help you avoid focusing just on their inadequacies. After you have a better understanding of their viewpoint, change the focus of the discussion to one of development and growth rather than just criticism.

You should find out if the employee has any personal problems, or family or medical ones. Could be just laziness also, without any outside reason, or could just be bored about his/her work. Sometimes firing people also helps.

Sometimes, it's the little adjustments that can make the biggest difference in someone's motivation and performance. Highlight their strengths and contributions, no matter how small.