Every business is built on relationships. Relationships with potential customers, relationships with vendors, and even relationships with the government. What is commonly forgotten is the relationship between managers and their employees. While the former can show an immediate impact to the bottom line, the latter is often overlooked because of the difficulty in quantifying the result. The manager/employee relationship is critical to the bottom line. A bad manager can create high turn-over, poor or no company and employee loyalty, or worse, increased legal liability.
Almost everyone has a “bad boss” story, often first-hand. Fewer have a “good boss” story. The primary difference between the bad boss and the good boss is how he or she relates to their employees. Nobody wants to deal with a boss they are scared to talk too. Employees who are afraid to communicate with their manager can lead to mistakes that can cost the company time and money.
A manager’s job is to inspire and instill company loyalty in their employees. The manager can accomplish this by building an appropriate relationship with their employees. As a manager, you can start today by getting to know your employees and what they want to do in their professional career. That professional career may not include what is relevant to your business or department, but you, as their manager, may be able to find out what motives and encourages them. Understanding your employees’ motivation will give you insight on how to build loyalty and increase productivity.
As a manager, are you doing everything you can to create an appropriate, professional relationship with your employees?
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