Estimated reading time: 3 mins
If you run a company, there’s every chance that you employ a team of people. Being the boss isn’t easy, but there are lots of ways you can improve if you think you could do better. If somebody asked your employees what their boss was like, what would you want them to say? If there’s room for improvement, here are some helpful hacks to help you do more.
Being present
As the boss, you don’t necessarily need to be around every second of every day, but it really helps to maintain a presence in the office. If you spend time getting to know your workforce, this will strengthen relationships and help to build trust. If you’re around, you can also keep an eye on how things are ticking over, and you can remedy any hiccups as swiftly as possible.
Being approachable
There’s a fine line between being approachable and being over-friendly. You don’t need to be everyone’s best buddy as the boss, and it’s probably wise to try and avoid this scenario, but it does help if employees feel able to talk to you. If they have problems, they should be able to turn to you for advice. It can also be hugely beneficial to create an environment in which people feel comfortable sharing ideas and opinions.
Focus on Mental Wellbeing
The mental wellbeing of staff is critical in order to keep them motivated, productive and creative. This starts by making sure that your own mental wellbeing is in good shape. We’re not born with the skills to be sensitive in this space, and it’s something that develops with practice and experience, so if you feel that this is a weakness, then ask for training opportunities to learn. It will pay off – a mentally stable boss will be far better positioned to look after the mental wellbeing of their staff.
Encouraging progression
Every employer should want to get the best out of their team, and this often means encouraging them to aim high and supporting them when they try and hit new targets. There are lots of ways you can encourage progression and promote development, from researching courses like those available from Training Connection and rewarding hard work to offering the chance of promotions and giving people more responsibility. If you hold people back or you avoid giving them the opportunities another employer could, you may end up losing your star players.
Listening
One of the biggest mistakes a boss can make is failing to listen to their employees. If somebody comes to you with a problem at the end of a hectic week, you may be reluctant to try and resolve it, but if you don’t listen, you’ll never learn. Take feedback on board, encourage people to give their opinions, and ask people questions about the company, their day to day job and the way they feel when they’re at work. If you have a staff questionnaire, for example, and a number of people raise the same points, this should send a clear signal that there is room for improvement. If issues arise or people have ideas, use this as a stepping stone to iron out problems in the future and make changes, which will benefit both you and your team.
If you’re the big boss, you may have a lot on your plate. Keeping an eye on the balance sheets, meeting clients and colleagues, and keeping investors on board may take up a lot of your time, but don’t lose sight of the importance of having a stable relationship with your employees. If you can hold your hands up, and admit that you’re not the best boss, hopefully, this guide will come in handy.
