Many studies have proven that the biggest factor that affect an employee’s job satisfaction level is the way how his or her superior treat them as subordinates. A number of employees who have tendered their resignation from their respective companies state that the main reason for leaving is their growing frustration and conflict with their bosses. If you feel that you’ve been losing the competent and reliable people in your organization, then it’s time to think and reflect on what you might be doing wrong. Here’s how you can achieve an engagement score for your employees:
1. Develop your people.
While you think that you are the boss, and you might know everything about the business, it is also a wise decision to equip and build up your employees’ knowledge, skills and attitudes at work. Employees who contribute their efforts and capabilities in the achievement of the company’s goals and objectives must be further developed and must not feel that they are only being “used” by the company.
2. Give due credit.
Employees who are recognised for a job well done have a tendency to grow more satisfied and pleased with their current role and responsibility. This means that if your people are feeling this way, then you can only expect the best things from them. This can be done by simply acknowledging the best employees during the staff meeting or in group chats or posting their achievements in the company bulletin board.
3. Delegate tasks.
When employees feel that they play an important part in any goal or undertaking, they feel more gratified and excited on how they can participate and share their efforts. At the same time, they will also feel that the company has confidence in their skills and capabilities and that they are a part of the team.
However, it is also ideal to balance everything because if you delegate too much to your staff and you end up doing nothing, then that’s not a good thing at all.
4. Focus on people, not on processes.
While it is a good thing to achieve a standardized process in doing things in the office, say the maximum number of days on accomplishing a specific task or assignment, leaders must also pay attention to the situation that each employee is currently in. If you think that an employee is falling short in meeting his or her required outputs, then it is best to take time and talk to him or her and get to know what’s causing the delay in the work. Then, if you can do something about it, don’t hesitate to lend a hand and make the employee feel that you care more about them and not on their delegated work.
5. Be compassionate.
Being in the same shoe as the employee will help you as a leader to be more aware of their needs and inspirations. It is thinking and feeling from the other end of the rope, and this technique will be helpful for you as you deal with them in both personal and professional manners. In this way, your employees will feel that you are not just the boss who gives them their salaries, but will look at you as a teammate and friend.
Being a boss is entirely different from being a leader. If you want to inspire your people to work happily for them to deliver their best outputs, then you must tell them to stop calling you a boss. Rather ask them to call you a colleague. And don’t forget, being a leader means being accountable for everything.