When you’re a boss, you can’t ensure (or just assume) that jobs are going to be done correctly if your employees aren’t happy. You want to be able to rely on them when completing tasks in a smooth and efficient manner, without having to doubt their ability or skill, and this can’t be done if you haven’t got a good rapport with each and every person individually. This will not only benefit the business as a whole, but you’ll be creating a lovely, friendly environment for yourself and your staff to work in.
Here’s how you can do just that.
Feed them
It may sound rather silly, (or obvious!) But make sure you’re providing your employees with something to nibble on to keep them going throughout the day. This doesn’t mean adding a fancy cuisine to the office with a personal chef to cater to everyone’s hunger – but investing in a fridge that can hold anyone’s lunch is smart. Or even always making sure there’s some fresh fruit available will not only save your employees time and money, but will create a healthier, and generally more pleasant atmosphere to work in.
Give them a title
It happens all the time. Employers will hire an array of different people with various skill sets, but they will be used here and there; dabbling in contrasting roles. – This is just what happens, and although there’s nothing wrong with using what you have, employees can feel a little lost sometimes, not knowing what real purpose they have. You can easily avoid this by giving out name badges. Each person (no matter what they do) should be given a fancy looking badge with their name and their job title. Something so simple can give an employee so much more importance, and that can mean everything.
Positive reinforcement
It’s always nice to hear a little positive feedback, whoever you are. But being able to understand how to go about giving it out correctly is where you will make a big difference. If you think someone has done well in a certain area or task, don’t just say “well done” or “good job” – that’s generic, and is so overused that is loses its meaning entirely. So instead, praise someone and tell them why you think they did so well. By doing this, you will let the individual know that they have done their job awesomely, and encourage them to keep it up.
Get their feedback
Just because you’re the boss, doesn’t mean you don’t require feedback. There may be problems that an employee has in the workplace, whether that be because of you as a manager, the other staff, appliances and systems not working correctly, or maybe just something that is getting them down. You want your staff to feel comfortable enough to come to you when there is an issue. Regardless of whether you like or agree with what they’re saying – you should take it in and discuss how the problem can be resolved or improved. Happy employees – happy workplace.
