Key Takeaways
- The relationship between a boss and their team is fragile and needs regular attention, not just occasional gestures.
- Rigid policies over small things like being five minutes late do more damage to trust than most managers realise.
- One person who thrives on office politics can quietly poison the culture for everyone else around them.
- Forcing sick employees to come in does not show strength, it shows poor judgment and spreads the problem further.
- Food at work is a small expense that consistently gets one of the strongest positive responses from employees.
- Knowing your team members as people rather than job titles is one of the simplest things a leader can do and one of the rarest.
Love is in the air, love is everywhere!!! It’s the Valentine’s month and what could be a better time than this to confess your feelings to your loved ones.
This lovable day is not just meant for couples, every individual who share a beautiful relation with someone can express their affection. Why not take this sweet opportunity to communicate your love to your employees?
Okay, before you jump to some weird conclusion, let’s make it clear. We are talking about the companionable love which makes your employees feel valued and cared. The relationship between boss and employees is unique and fragile, you need to take care of it frequently and whenever you get an opportunity to make this bond strong, just grab it. Your major task for the month of February should be to strengthen your connection with your employees. Expressing love certainly doesn’t mean to gift heart shape presents, Valentine’s greetings or chocolates, it should be something which would make them happier and appreciated.
Here are some ideas to make you employees feel contended:
Don’t follow unfavorable company policies:
Just because your employees came 5 minutes late, is it wise to cut their half day salary or deduct vacations? If you follow such kind of policies, you are surely going to appear as an evil person. You need to tackle with such problems smartly rather than being arrogant as any typical Boss.
- If any employee is clumsy, solve the problem directly with them
- Don’t yell at them or shoot the mail to everyone
- Tackle with their problems, personally as this will create a good image and your gesture would definitely be appreciated by your employees
Eliminate the browbeaters:
‘One bad fish can spoil the pond.’ For a lovey-dovey work environment, you need to eliminate employees who are bullies or play office politics.
- Some employees might be good at work but due to insane office politics they can just ruin all the harmony and affability present in the office
- It is better to get rid of them, however if you think, they really work well then you can suspend them and warn not to repeat the habit again
- If you want to take care of good employees then it is better to fire these foolish people
- And if these bullies are not good at work then what could be a better reason to expel them
Treat ill treat the ill people:
Since, you have human-beings at work, you cannot expect them to work as machines. In fact even machines breakdown then it is quite natural for humans to fall sick. Forcing employees to work even in bad health condition will definitely make them think that you don’t love or care for them. It is pointless to cut salary for sick leaves, nobody falls sick for their pleasure.
As a loving boss you should provide paid sick leaves. By allowing one sick person to work, you are making more employees fall sick.
To earn heart, satisfy stomach:
The love for food is universal. To express your love for your employees, more than better work and paychecks, food is much appreciable. According to a survey, around 60 % of employees believe that good food in office gives them a homely feeling. Bringing in food is small expense with huge benefits.
Be open and flexible:
There is no good thing in continuing the typical boss-employee relationship, you need to change the stereotype. Being friendly and sociable will employees will get you close to them. Remember friendly, not over-friendly.
- Do you what your most junior employee doing currently? As a great boss, you should know closely about each and every employee in your office, especially when it’s a startup firm or small business
- Understand your employees’ works, train, support and help them. This is the only way to build trust among your employees and convey how much you value them
- Excusing them half day leave whenever needed, not being harsh for arriving late to offices are some small gestures which will make them realize how much you trust and have positive feelings for you
Just because it is Valentine time, don’t be so affectionate. Follow this kind of warm behavior all the time so that you can reinforce the bond with your employees and move together to make the business successful. However, V-day can be a better occasion to start off with.
FAQs
Q: Why should Valentine’s Day be relevant to how a boss treats employees?
It is really just a useful reminder. The day is built around expressing appreciation for people who matter and employees absolutely fall into that category. Use it as a prompt to start doing things you should probably be doing year round anyway.
Q: What is the most meaningful thing a boss can do to make employees feel valued?
Pay attention to them as individuals. Know what they are working on, what they are finding difficult, what they are good at. That kind of genuine interest costs nothing and means more than most perks or bonuses ever will.
Q: Should company policies be relaxed on special occasions?
Not just on special occasions. Policies that treat adults like they cannot be trusted destroy morale quietly over time. Flexibility around small things like occasional late arrivals or a sick day signals respect and gets loyalty back in return.
Q: How do you deal with an employee that is poisoning the atmosphere?
Head-on and immediately. One person who is engaging in office politics or being a bully will have effects on those around them no matter if it happens to be seen or not. Talk to them about it and if there is no change, the best thing that you can do for your entire staff is to make a hard decision.
Q: Is bringing food into the office really an effective tactic?
Absolutely. Some 60 percent of employees state that good food at work can help make it a place where one actually feels like being. The investment is relatively minimal considering the reward that you receive and gives everyone a common cause that they need to meet each other halfway on.
Q: How can you foster true relationships within your team while respecting professional boundaries?
Simply be there for your employees, listen to them, and be consistent. You don’t have to stop being professional in order to be friendly but just be warm and respectful on a daily basis.
