In any workplace, the relationship between team members and their manager is a key component to success. When team members feel appreciated and valued by their manager, they are more likely to be productive and put in extra effort to help the team and company succeed.
One major component to this relationship is strong communication and feedback.
As a manager, when seeking feedback from your team members, make sure you actually listen and consider whatever they might be saying. It is absolutely pointless and a waste of energy to hold weekly meetings if you are not listening to your team’s concerns. You need to take the concerns of the team and figure out a way to help them.
Feedback, Fairness, & Trust
To have a productive and positive workplace, you as the manager need to establish trust with your team members. This can be achieved by being honest and open, being fair in the decision-making process, and also providing feedback–both positive and negative.
Employees who feel that they can trust their manager are more likely to feel comfortable when asking questions. A positive relationship between manager and employee creates a productive and enjoyable work environment.
If your team doesn’t trust you, they will work around or even against you. It’s time to break down the walls and remove the roadblocks when it comes to your team communicating with you. The more human you appear, the deeper the connection you will have with your team.
The fact of the matter is, employees want timely feedback from you.
They need to know what they are doing well, as well as what they could be doing better. Receiving feedback allows employees to improve their work performance and gives them a sense of satisfaction knowing that they are contributing positively to the company.
If your goal is to ensure better retention and relationships with your team, then honest, positive feedback must happen regularly. Having a feedback system in place which allows you to effectively communicate with your employees is a must. It is crazy how much ineffective feedback is out there in the workplace.
The final thing employees want from their managers is a sense of fairness. Your team needs to feel that they are being treated equally and fairly. This includes being given the same opportunities as other team members, and being judged on their work performance rather than personal biases.
If your workplace struggles with fairness and your workforce knows it, problems will be created between team members and their managers within the company.
Let’s Wrap This Up
Managers don’t have an easy job but the job isn’t impossible. Create systems that allow you to communicate with your team members. When communicating, make sure you are listening. Allow your team members to be engaged in discussions and in the decision-making process. The core of your company culture is going to start with you. It’s all about the manager.
Need help creating a great workplace culture?
Contact Jellison Group Ohio we can set up a Culture Audit to reveal what the current issues are in your workplace and then develop a plan moving forward to make it a great place to work.
