Owning or managing a business isn’t a task for the faint-hearted. It requires a strong stomach for work, conflict management, and pressure. However, managing a successful and efficient team is incredibly rewarding, especially when your business is thriving because of it.
Although, managing employees certainly has its ups and downs, as well as all of its own challenges. Not knowing how to manage a tough crew or a stressful business will break most managers and send them running for the hills. However, some simple research and practice are all that’s needed to get things on the right track.
Effective Tips for Managing Employees
What do you do when two employees are fighting? What if someone calls in sick and no one is answering your phone to cover their shift? How do you make your employees like you, but listen to you?
These are all very important (and common) questions managers ask themselves. Keep reading for all of our top tips on successfully managing employees and creating a positive work environment.
Be Clear About What You Expect from Your Employees
First, you must be 100% upfront with your employees about what you expect from them. This includes their work ethic, attitudes, and how they treat one another.
You may want to consider creating an employee handbook to get everyone on the same page. The handbook could also cover all questions employees may have about employee benefits, sick days, vacation days, overtime, scheduling, dress code, etc.
If you choose not to have a handbook, however, you need to hold an employee meeting where you can share your standards and expectations with all of your employees and get any important feedback.
Encourage and Demonstrate Good Communication
Part of managing employees successfully means learning how to implement solid communication skills throughout the entire workplace.
As the manager, it falls on you to make sure you’re a good communicator. People shouldn’t have to guess about what needs to be done, whether or not they’re doing a good job, or how business is doing.
Secondly, you need to make sure employees can openly, but positively, communicate with one another. They also must feel comfortable coming to you with and ideas, opinions, problems, or issues.
Find a Happy Medium Between Guidance and Micromanagement
Managing employees in a helpful way require you to walk a fine line. You must keep an eye on the day to day operations, correct people when necessary, and make tweaks and changes here and there. However, you must do so without micromanaging your employees.
When an employee feels micromanaged, they assume you don’t trust them. It also makes it more difficult for them to relax and do there job right with you breathing down there backs. Micromanagement rarely works and is a good way to lose employees.
Encourage a Positive Work Environment
Earlier, we mentioned that you should let your employees know right away about what you expect regarding their attitudes. Attitudes are like odors – they have a way of spreading around a workplace and effecting everyone in their path.
You’ve probably seen it dozens of times before. Someone shows up to work in a sour mood and soon, everyone is knocked down a peg. On the flip side, a cheery person can often make an entire room feel a little bit lighter.
You can’t expect people not to have emotions, but you can demand that they not take their emotions out on everyone around them.
Learn How to Delegate
Next, successfully managing employees means learning how to trust them. Give them some extra duties, especially if you’re drowning in all the work you’re trying to do by yourself.
Delegating important tasks will help some employees rise to the challenge and show strengths you might not know they possessed. It will also help them feel trusted and appreciated.
Be Kind, Yet Stern When Necessary
Managing employees and maintaining a happy work environment doesn’t mean you need to be everyone’s best friend. However, there’s nothing wrong with getting to know employees on a personal level and even forming bonds or friendships with them.
However, you must remember how to be their boss. You can show favoritism or take it easy on a slacking staff member because you’re friends. Additionally, don’t be the boss who is so concerned about what people think that you let people walk all over you.
Be Genuine and Consistent
Being genuine is a vital part of managing employees. People aren’t unaware of obtuse. They’ll see right through you if you’re trying to put on a show or wear a mask that’s unbefitting.
You must also be consistent. Don’t enforce rules, standards, or policies unless you’re going to do so 100% of the time. Don’t let your management style go from hot to cold depending on the day, employees need structure.
Recognize and Reward Good Work
Next, it’s important to let employees know you appreciate them. Whether it’s because you’ve hit record numbers or because everyone had a tough week. Sometimes a simple “good job today” can go a long way, especially coming from the boss.
You can recognize employees by giving everyone extra time off for lunch, throwing a pizza party at the end of the week, ordering everyone engraved name badges, or incorporating an employee of the month award.
Realize Each Employee Is Unique
Finally, while you can’t play favorites, you should still recognize that each employee is a unique person. They may respond differently to your management style than others. They may need you to explain things in more detail or let them know they’re doing a good job more often.
Some people need extra validation due to insecurities or nervousness at work. Others can be told what to do one time and go off on their own for the entire day. Get to know your employees and their individual needs and work styles.
Any More Questions?
Managing employees successfully and creating a happy and positive work environment takes time and effort. However, by reading this article, you’ve already shown that you care and want to be a better boss. There’s no reason you shouldn’t be killing it in the managing arena in no time.
However, if you’ve got any more questions, feel free to check out the rest of our articles about everything business-related before you go!