Are you the best boss you could be? Many of us might think it, but if you were a fly on the wall in your staff room, you might learn something different. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to please everyone all of the time, but there are a few things that can help.
So, whether you have a clash of personalities with a particular member of staff or not, if it’s just business, it shouldn’t matter. Being a great employer isn’t about making a lot of friends. I this guide, we’re going to take a look at some of the many factors that will differentiate a great boss from an average one.
You Care About Health & Safety
If you don’t care about the health and safety of your employees, then you are making a big mistake. Not only will you end up getting a bad reputation, but you could also face legal issues, too. Injury at work, illness developed because of your practices and many other things could result in you ending up in court. Make sure you have rigorous health and safety checks in your workplace and have everyone trained correctly.
You Care About Your Employee’s Welfare
If your employees are having problems in their private lives, there’s a good chance of it spilling into their work. That’s not good for you because it means less productivity and more chance of aggravated situations. But it’s also bad for them because they could conceivably lose their job – which might be the one thing they have going. If you can show compassion and empathy towards your staff, they will perform for you. Sure, there will be the odd one or two that milk it for all its worth, but in reality they are few and far between.
You are fair
Regardless of your relationship with your employees, it is essential that you are fair to all of them equally. Favoritism in the workplace does not go unnoticed. Treat everyone with the same respect and understanding as you would to your star performer. A staff handbook is a great idea, and will keep everyone on the same page. There is some great info here in this Standard Legal employee handbook guide. It gives people a set of rules and boundaries that if they cross, they know they will be dealt with. If they don’t, however, then you should leave them to get on with their business.
You give employees opportunities
Everybody wants to better themselves, whether through financial reward, promotions or training. Giving your staff these kind of opportunities can go a great way towards making you stand out from your competitors in your industry. Show them there is a clear path from their position to one at the top. Support them if they want to train and sharpen their skills. Not only will you help them, but most will pay you back by working better for your business.
As you can see, there is a lot you can do to to become a better boss – this list is just the tip of the iceberg. However, it’s a great starting point for any person that wants to be a fantastic employer. And, it will help you develop a workforce that would run through walls for you.
