The most effective way to create a positive work environment is to build a rock-solid connection between workers and all members of the management team. Doing so also boosts morale, productivity, and long-term job satisfaction for everyone in the company. Managers who know how to make employees feel understood have a much easier time motivating them in all sorts of projects. Consider the following techniques for making a strong connection with your employees.
Walk the Talk
Managers who live by their own rules tend to be much more successful as leaders and motivators. Workers who see their superiors playing by the rules and practicing what they preach have more confidence in the long-term viability of the company and in the competence of their managers.
Be Wise With Rewards
It’s imperative to reward team members for a job well done. The trick is to calibrate rewards and bonuses so that they suit the achievements of individual workers. For instance, tie group rewards to group efforts and individual bonuses to solo work. Be aware that individuals value the recognition of a reward as much as they do the reward itself, even when it’s cash or time off.
Invest in Employee Development
People grow and change as they learn their jobs. However, it’s essential for managers to give individuals opportunities to take advantage of special classes, training sessions, webinars, and in-house tutorials on technical topics that they can’t access elsewhere. Offer paid training for those who demonstrate the desire to learn and advance in their careers.
Encourage a Collaborative Attitude
Be vocal and enthusiastic about your desire for workers and teams to collaborate with each other. Let everyone know that they have plenty to gain and nothing to lose by working together, avoiding office politics, and assisting each other whenever possible.
Practice Being Empathetic
Face the fact that not everyone is naturally empathetic. If you have trouble seeing things from another person’s perspective and understanding their emotional state, practice empathy in non-threatening situations. Let employees speak their minds, and then try to restate, back to them, what they said. It lets them know you heard them and value their opinions.
Communicate Like a Pro
If you’re not a capable communicator, ask for help from another manager or take formal training to bolster your skills. Learning effective communication techniques is not brain surgery, but it is something you need to do to acquire the basics of the skill. Practice giving constructive feedback, stating your thoughts in simple language, and explaining the “why” behind important decisions.
Be Generous With Feedback
Team members thrive on feedback. What you say to them about their performance is the only way they have of knowing whether they’ve done an acceptable job on a given project. Set specific times and days to offer constructive, detailed feedback to your team members. Mix positive and negative, being sure to offer ways they can overcome missteps.
Use the above ideas as needed to build strong connections with your team members. The results may include higher productivity, more thoughtful engagement, and a positive, happier workplace.’
Published by: Nelly Chavez
