Whether this is your first experience as an employer or your 10th, you want to be the best boss you can be to your staff. If you're not, you won't have any employees left. In order to keep both you and your workers comfortable, try the suggestions below:
1. Show your employees respect
Your workers want to feel like the work they're doing matters. If you don't tell them you appreciate what they're accomplishing, your office morale is going to drop dramatically. LinkedIn suggested employers be sincere in their comments. If you notice that your worker is doing a great job, let them know. If there's something that needs to be improved, don't be afraid to tell them. People always appreciate criticism, as long as it's constructive and not just criticizing.
2. Don't pressure them
Unless it's a project with an approaching deadline, there's no reason to insist your employees do anything. If it's not related to work, they're not required to do it, Inc. said. Group drinks and team bonding mean nothing if they feel like they're forced into it. Provide your workers with options, but don't coerce them into sharing information about themselves or committing to a non-mandatory event outside of work. If they want to participate, they will.
3. Avoid peer evaluations
There is nothing worse than your boss asking you to grade yourself and your coworkers on your performances. You probably hated doing it with your former boss, which guarantees they'll feel the same about doing it with you. Peer evaluations can cause awkward situations for your employees, Inc. explained. While you might think those reports are private, there is always a way for your employees to find out what was said about them – gossip and rumors are bound to happen. To ensure a happy workplace, keep the evaluations at a minimum unless you're the one doing them.
4. Leave work on time
If you stay at the office late, there's a good chance that your employees will feel obligated to do the same, according to Entrepreneur. There's always a project or task that needs to get done, but handle it during actual working hours. Schedule out your day so everything that needs to be done gets accomplished. That way, you'll leave on time and your employees won't feel the need to stick around to help you. While you might appreciate your workers staying overtime, those extra hours might not fit into your financial plan.
Overseeing an entire staff can be a trying ordeal, but if you show your employees respect and make them feel comfortable, they'll happily work under you.