15 Feb Employee and Boss Relationships Can Improve
A work environment where there is tension between the boss and employees can be miserable. Luckily there are simple ways both managers and employees can improve employee and boss relationships.
Improving Employee and Boss Relationships
There are many ways that employee and boss relationships can be improved. There are some things that employers and managers can do and there are some things that employees can do. We’ll break them down below.
Tips for Employers
If you are “the boss” and manage employees in some form, then here’s how you can improve your relationship with them:
Learn How to Communicate
Communication is key for everyone in a workplace. As the boss, you need your employees to know you’re paying attention to the work they’re doing and you take their concerns and feedback seriously. If you are at the very top of the company food chain, people should still feel like you hear them.
Show Appreciation
This doesn’t mean you have to throw parties every week to say “thank you for doing your job.” But you should make sure they know you appreciate the work they do. Especially if they’ve just completed a big project or have been managing a difficult client.
Don’t Micro-Manage
Nothing makes employees more resentful than when they feel like you don’t trust them to do their own jobs. While there is a “chain of command” and people are managed, they should still feel autonomous in their tasks. There’s a happy medium between micromanaging and corporate chaos.
Take Time for One-on-Ones
If it’s manageable, take the time to have one-on-ones with your employees. These can be short meetings or calls. It helps everyone to have private facetime from time to time. It helps people feel connected to your business’s big picture.
Be Willing to Learn
To get to a place where you are considered “the boss,” you’ve probably had a lot of experience in your field. You know a lot about your job. But that doesn’t mean you know it all. Never stop learning.
Tips for Employees
If you have an executive, director, or manager overseeing your work, here’s how you can improve your relationship with them:
Learn How to Communicate
Oh, wait! Didn’t we say this was something for a boss to do? Well, it’s something employees need to do as well. Communication goes both ways after all. Learn how your boss communicates best. Also, learn when they’re most likely to respond when you need to talk.
Make the Boss Look Good
A great way to get on your boss’s good side is to make them look good. Don’t correct them in front of clients or other employees in meetings. If you think they’ve misspoken or made a mistake, address it in private.
Show Your Value
One of the best ways an employee can improve their relationship with their boss is by showing how valuable they are. They hired you for a reason, so speak confidently about what you do so they realize what you’re bringing to the table.
Look at Things From Their POV
Before you think poorly of a decision your manager makes, think about their side of things. Their goal is to keep things running smoothly and efficiently. They’re not looking for ways to make employees’ lives miserable. Think about the reasoning behind decisions and you might see them in a different light.
Get Feedback
Another way to improve employee and boss relationships is to seek out feedback from your manager. Don’t keep doing the same thing over and over without knowing whether or not it’s satisfactory. Always look for ways you can improve. Your superiors will see this as growth and ambition.
Be Friendly and Respectful
You should be friendly and respectful to your boss. And while you don’t need to be subservient to them, you owe them respect. Respect for the experience and knowledge they have. And just basic respect for them as a person. Just because they’re the boss doesn’t mean they are unfeeling.
Don’t Engage in Politics or Gossip
Most offices have some sort of underlying drama or politics. Show you’re boss you’re above that kind of thing by refusing to engage in gossip. Your behavior surrounding such things can set the tone for your relationships with coworkers and your manager.
Tour Pheasant Ridge
The space you work in can have a big impact on how you function at work. This includes employee and boss relationships. Make sure you find the right office space for you. Pheasant Ridge is Roanoke’s premier customizable office space, so you can be sure that our spaces will work for you.
If you would like more information on the features of our offices or our availability, reach out to our team and ask about availabilities! Our beautiful, modern offices are priced competitively, newly renovated, and conveniently located near downtown Roanoke. Come schedule your tour with us today!