3.
It’s not enough to put in eight or 10 hours at the office.
You make them answer emails or phone calls at night
and on weekends.
You don’t think they need a day off.
In a survey by NPA, 41.5% of workers say they were
motivated to change employers because of issues like
job travel and hours. -
4.
you make mistakes, so it’s much better to let someone
else take the fall if something goes wrong. You’ve got
much more at stake, you believe.
5.
You’re always quick to offer advice on how an
employee can improve, but never give a shout-out
when they are doing something well, like handling a
difficult customer or completing a project ahead of
schedule.
6.
Raising your voice may be your way of getting
someone’s attention and signaling your passion for the
work, but to the employee being yelled at it is
humiliating.
7.
A David Alpin Group survey found that one of the top five
reasons employees leave is because the company or
managers lack honesty and integrity.
Keep in mind that employees pay attention to what you
say – and don’t say – when they judge your worth. Actions
that hint at deceit or underhanded tactics will prompt
employees to lose respect for you and look for jobs
elsewhere.
8.
All jobs have boring aspects to them, but employees
are willing to put up with them as long as they feel
their careers are being developed in other ways.
Once employees are bored with their jobs then trouble
begins: The Alpin survey finds that 50% of employees
say once they start thinking about leaving, they put in
less effort.
9.
Employee unhappiness is often triggered by what the
workers perceive as unfair pay (such as when a new
employee with less experience earns more than seasoned
workers.)
The Alpin survey finds that insufficient pay or unfair pay
practices is the No. 1 reason they would leave their jobs. At
the same time, 61% say they would trade their base pay for
more time off.
10.
If you fail to keep employees informed about what is
going on or don’t actively solicit their input on a
regular basis, then they become disengaged.
Gallup finds that the 30 million engaged employees in
the U.S. come up with the most innovative ideas,
create most of a company’s new customers and have
the most entrepreneurial energy.
11.
Mood swings, moving targets and random decisions
make employees feel like they’re in the land of Oz.
If you’re going to change policies or procedures, give
them advance warning and plenty of time to
understand what you want. As for your mood swings?
Call Dr. Phil and don’t inflict them on workers.
12.
Whether you’re showing favoritism to certain
workers, taking credit for work that you didn’t do or
are arbitrary with bonuses, not being scrupulously fair
can sink morale and force employees to begin dusting
off their resumes.
14.
Don’t be a jerk. If you yell, disparage people, get
defensive, shoot the messenger, or publicly berate staff
members, it’s a safe bet that you’ve landed in jerk
territory.
And remember, good people have options, and few of
them will want to work for a jerk, so this behavior risks
losing your best employees.
15.
One of a manager’s most important responsibilities is to
communicate clear, concrete goals and make sure that your
staff knows what success in their jobs looks like.
Here’s a good test: If you and one of your employees were
both asked what things are most important for him to
achieve this year, would your answers match? If not, it’s
time to do a better job of articulating clear standards of
success.
16.
Do what you say you’re going to do, in whatever
timeline you committed to – whether it’s giving
feedback on a project, liaising with another
department, or making a raise come through.
(A subset of this is being responsive. If people have to
follow up with you to get a response, you’re not being
responsive enough. It only takes 30 seconds to write, “I
won’t have time to look at this until next week.” If
nothing else, let people know where things stand.)
17.
Great bosses tell people where they stand, no matter where on the spectrum
it is.
They’re clear with each employee about what they do well and where they
need to improve, and they’re also clear about how the person doing overall.
Employees should never need to wonder what you think of their work. Of
course, that means that you need to be honest about performance problems.
While talking about performance problems isn’t pleasant, it’s far worse for
employees if you don’t care enough to tell them about areas they need to
improve in. Even if you’re convinced such a conversation would be fruitless
and the employee can’t change, he deserves to know—because maybe you’re
underestimating him, or maybe it would be useful for him to understand the
ways in which he’s a bad fit for this work, or maybe he just deserves a chance
to see the writing on the wall so he can start looking for other positions.
If a manager has complaints or concerns about an employee and the
employee doesn’t know it, the problem is at least as much with the manager
as with the employee.
18.
And make it safe for people to be honest with you.
Ask for input on everything from how people think last
week’s event went to how your department could
function more effectively.
And if you don’t like what you hear, don’t get
defensive.
You want to create an environment where employees
aren’t afraid to say that something is a bad idea or that
a deadline is unreasonable.
19.
Don’t have rules and policies for their own sake; make
sure each is connected to an actual business need, and
be willing to explain that purpose.
Also, be willing to bend the rules if it makes sense
overall; don’t get so committed to rules and
regulations that you lose sight of the larger goal: to get
great work done.
20.
There’s no overstating the value of a manager who
knows how to make things happen, whether it’s
expediting a production process, adding a new staff
position, or replacing that incompetent assistant.
21.
A good manager minimizes drama, rather than causing
it.
If your team lurches from one crisis to another, with
interpersonal conflicts and gossip arising regularly,
you’re not doing your job!
Model a no-drama approach for your staff, and instill
that ethos in your culture.
22.
This could range from training and better equipment to
the elimination of a counterproductive policy.
Or you might find out that people want you to
intervene with a problem coworker or another
department, advise them on how to handle a sticky
situation, or give more targeted feedback.
23.
Even in the hardest moments, like letting someone go,
treat all your employees with kindness and dignity.
You have more power in this relationship, and that
comes with the responsibility of exercising it with
reason and decency.
24.
Remember that you can’t give too much positive
feedback, as long as it’s sincere. Giving positive
feedback is like handing out chocolate; people will
always appreciate it. Take a minute each day to send a
positive email or make a positive comment. That email
will be read over and over. You can make someone’s
day with only one minute of your time.
