Managers have a very important role to play in guiding and motivating employees to achieve their best at work. It’s a huge responsibility but when it’s done right, great things are possible. Great managers understand the balance between keeping workers on task and treating them with care and respect. This requires multi-tasking and interpersonal skills, along with healthy doses of kindness, a sense of fairness, and empathy. In this article, we reveal the top 6 secrets used by great managers to be successful in their roles.
Top 6 Secrets Every Great Manager Knows
1. Treat your employees with respect
Managers earn respect when they treat their employees respectfully by listening and advocating for them. That means being approachable and fixing employee issues brought to their attention. It also means offering as much flexibility as possible to accommodate people’s personal needs. For example, one employee may have a child they need to drop off at school at a certain time. Allowing them to start their day around that schedule – within reason – will create loyalty.
2. Help your employees succeed
When your employees are succeeding at their jobs and as a part of a team, that reflects well on the manager. This means that it is in the manager’s interest to help their employees succeed. There are several ways that managers can help their employees be great at their jobs, including:
- Help them with time management skills so they can get their work done efficiently.
- Support cooperation among teammates by setting up an environment that minimizes toxic competition and encourages team unity.
- Step in and cover for an employee on a day they need some support.
3. Ask questions and keep the flow of communication open
Successful managers do not bark orders at their employees all day. Instead, they take an active interest in how, what and why their employees are doing during the workday by asking questions and getting involved. They ask questions about what they can do to make the work environment better and encourage employees to talk to them about their needs through an open-door policy.
4. Provide thorough training and set expectations
Even employees who have potential to be great workers will flounder without thorough training and an understanding of the expectations for their job. Great managers ensure that new-hires are onboarded and trained in a well-laid out process that gives them all the information they need to succeed at the job.
5. Great conflict management skills
Inevitably, some conflicts will arise in the workplace. A great manager does not ignore conflict; they deal with it head on by treating everyone involved with fairness and coming to a rational solution. Managers also need to be comfortable making tough choices when it comes to their employees, up to and including termination if that is the appropriate action.
6. Know how to motivate employees
Yes, employees like tangible incentives like cash bonuses, gift cards, or an extra day off but that approach isn’t always practical. A great manager knows how to get buy-in on company goals by showing how the goals benefit employees. From there, they create goals that the team can work together to achieve.
Partnering with Makai HR
Managers need the support of the business to offer the kinds of benefits that can help keep employees loyal to a company. If you’re a growing small business, this is the perfect time to look into HR outsourcing with a professional employer organization (PEO)! When you partner with Makai HR you can get on with the business you are trying to grow while we take care of your employee needs from payroll to taxes, health insurance/benefits and worker’s compensation. You also gain peace of mind that you are compliant with all of Hawaii’s employer laws (if you’ve ever looked you know that the list is very long and changes happen). When choosing a PEO to partner with, there are many things to consider including cost, services, and technology solutions.
With the cost of doing business in Hawaii at record highs, we know how important it is to keep labor costs in line with revenue. Our plans are priced competitively and include value-added services like time-in/time-out systems. Our three tiers of PEO service plans are tailored to the size of your business and specific needs. We offer a 100% paperless solution which means that your employees can manage their needs through a computer, tablet, or phone. We can truly improve your employees’ work benefits while freeing you up to run your business.
What are you waiting for? Companies that partner with a PEO benefit from 7-9% faster growth, 10-14% lower employee turnover; and they are 50% less likely to go out of business. Contact us today to get started!