As an employer, you’ll know how difficult it is to juggle everyday business life. There is so much to think about – daily tasks, monthly schedules, meetings, paying staff, hiring staff, maintaining the premises – amongst many other duties.
It’s important of course that you prioritise these for the benefit of your business, but it should not be forgotten how vital caring for your staff is when weighing up your concerns as a boss. This doesn’t just mean making sure working conditions are fair, or that staff get paid on time, which should just be a given – but also things like, keeping an open door policy, or listening to your staff’s suggestions.
Here are some top tips for shaking off a “bad boss” status:
Give staff little surprises: As Business News Daily suggests, surprising your staff with unexpected treats like group lunches or a shortened workday can really boost staff morale.
Be open and honest: You need to keep an open relationship with your staff. Keeping people informed goes a long way toward making them feel involved and part of the bigger picture. It creates a ‘we’re in this together’ environment. So, email round and tell them what’s happening – make the effort to stop and chat in the corridor.
Feed them: Whether it’s a late night pizza if people are working overtime, or fresh fruit delivered straight to the office each week, make sure you feed your staff. Not only will staff feel appreciated, but the fresh fruit idea has many other benefits, too. Fruitful Office, who deliver fresh fruit to businesses around the UK, say that fresh fruit makes staff more productive, more alert, and more inclined to put in the extra effort for a deadline. What more could you want?
Source: fruitfuloffice.ie
Encourage feedback: Your staff know how your business runs from the level up, and so encouraging their feedback can help you make more informed decisions in the future.
Events: Christmas parties, project parties, social drinks after work on a Friday – whatever it is, encourage staff to be social so they make friends with one another. This encourages a better work/life balance for them and higher staff morale. Thinking and pulling together as a ‘team’ can happen more easily if the staff know each other and enjoy each other’s company.
