Resolving to be a better boss is a good start, but following through on being the best manager possible is no easy feat. Here are a few ways you can offer more to your employees while motivating them to improve the quality and efficiency of their work.
6 Ways to Be A Better Boss
1. Listen to Your Employees
First and foremost, listen to your employees. What do they like about the company and their job? More importantly, what don’t they like, and how can you try to fix their problems? Have an open-door policy, and make your employees feel like they can talk to you, whether it’s chatting at a coffee shop or just in your office.
2. Recognize Employees’ Accomplishments
Your employees work hard at their jobs. From time to time, take the opportunity to celebrate their accomplishments, recognizing the work they put in. You can give them employee gifts such as branded tumblers, gift sets, or a camp mug with everything needed for s’mores. Make it fun and something the employee will be proud to display or use, and it will motivate them to keep working hard.
3. Motivate Your Employees
Speaking of motivating employees, lift them up as much as possible. Whether it’s as simple as being supportive through words or putting up motivational posters, your employees should want to help the team and company succeed. Whether you do this by recognizing their accomplishments or encouraging friendly competition for monthly prizes, your employees will be more productive and want to turn in quality work.
4. Play to Individual Strengths
There is nothing worse having skills and training that are not put to use. Talk to your employees and find out what they are good at that they are not currently doing and try to incorporate that into their responsibilities. Employees are more motivated when they know they are an asset to the company instead of a warm body in a seat.
5. Get to Know Your Employees
What are your employees’ hobbies? What are their families like? Do they take their spouse and kids out on the weekends, or do they enjoy volunteering? It may seem like it has nothing to do with the job, but getting to know your employees is important. It makes them feel engaged, valued, and know that you care about their well-being, and you should—it creates a bond between you two, and that motivates an employee.
6. Let Employees Work Flexibly
Be flexible with your employees. Maintaining a work-life balance is hard enough if they know they can’t take time off to take care of personal issues. Instead, let them work remotely or make up time when needed. Micromanaging their schedules only serves to make employees feel stifled and resent you as a manager. If you trust them to get their work done in their own way, their performance improves. They should not be judged by their in-office presence, but by the quality of their output.