The world of work requires dynamic relationships between employees and bosses. It’s a complex human interaction to have every day because essentially, you as the boss are physically just the same as every one of your employees. However, your job is much more accurate, and your role in the workplace is to drive forward an army of people who all have different personalities.
That old saying is still relevant to this day; ‘it’s people that make a company successful.’ Your employees are the ones who interact with customers and industry clients on a daily basis. They are a reflection of you, but it takes time for the relationship to build to the point where you’re both aligned to the same goal word for word. If your employees understand you as a person, they’re more likely to be motivated and see the world through your point of view. You can get them to be your very own special forces group because they will execute your plans to the letter if you have that unique bond. There are certain guides to improving the human aspect to the workplace environment.
Don’t dress like a peacock
The barrier we all keep up at work exudes from our clothes. If you as the boss, walk around the office in expensive clothes such as a suit, you’re making a statement. It shows that you’re different to your employees, and command authority when you’re in their eyesight. This is a tactic that should be used sparingly to show ‘who’s boss’ but all your employees will be wearing normal casual clothes. Because they are, doesn’t mean they’ll be giving you any less effort to achieve the company goals this month. Try and wear whatever your employees are wearing, so you can blend into the herd. The invisible wall is then broken down, and it shows that you’re not worried about status. It will express that you’re comfortable in your own skin and want to inside the workers’ circle.
Give promotions and incentives
The staff which have shown themselves to be consistently focused on the task at hand and worked really hard should be given more responsibility. Of course, throughout offices in the world, there are only a certain amount of jobs which hold positions of power. However, you can split these roles into tiers, giving employees the chance to start climbing the ladder. If you have a section manager role that’s already filled, you can split it further by having an assistant to the section manager role, and junior assistant manager role. This way, employees know that there is more than one way to get more responsibility and earn a higher salary. You also put your faith into the workers to do more for their pay, as each person you’ve hired, is demanded to work harder. When employees finally have added responsibility to make sure standards are met well, you give them your trust; which improves their trust in you.
Seasonal bonuses
Who doesn’t like more money at the end of a quarter? You can build a feisty team atmosphere if you offer your employees more money for increased performance. You can motivate them by having ‘floor bonuses’ which means, each section is responsible for its own performance which will determine if they are eligible for a bonus. It also creates strong group dynamics, because each section is given its own goals, but they are essential, competing against each other. You as the boss, become the lion tamer, working with different kinds of people in your business, who are all charged and fired up to outperform their rivals within your business. They will all want to please you and receive praise from you for doing a good job. Psychologically, this is very important, because your employees don’t see you as somebody who’s in their way, but the individual that can make them happy.
Keeping track of individuals
Nobody wants to be treated like a robot, or as someone who’s just another cog in the gearbox. Therefore, you should treat your employees as individuals and show them this with a great human resources department. With the aid of brilliant HR consultants, you can keep track of their holidays, and listen to their concerns in a face-to-face manner. Email complaints can stack up and feel very impersonal, so with a section of your business dedicated to hearing cases of bullying, theft from the offices, and bad employees that are harassing someone, you don’t leave them out in the cold to fend for themselves. It can be an awkward moment to hand down a punishment as the boss, so if you need to hold a disciplinary meeting or an appeal to one, good HR teams can do them for you. If you want to be the one who deals with these things personally, HR services can coach your beforehand, so you’re calm and even-handed.
Have a fun day out
Bosses are often locked away in their office, while the employees run around doing the tasks that make sure the business is working properly. You can surprise your employees by having a work day picnic or a company outing on a weekend where you’re all together, but with zero pressure. This can create a relationship between boss and employees, which shows the human side to yourself. You can show your funny side and bond with the spouses and children of your employees. A day out such as this can turn into a real party atmosphere, and happy memories can be made. Becoming part of their private world, allows them to think of you as a friend and not just their superior.
Bonding with employees takes time because, in order for your authority to remain intact, your staff have got to fear you. However, when you can communicate and relate to your employees on a more human level, it’s possible to cultivate that fear into long-lasting respect. You’ll need to show consistency, and a serious will to make a connection with the people who work to please you. However, this is entirely possible because breaking down barriers is just as easy as putting them up.
