We recently shared tips on how to solve office conflicts by creating open communication, but what about avoiding confrontations in the first place? According to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 2 million Americans quit their jobs every month. What’s the cause of so many people calling it quits? According to an Accenture study, 31 percent of employees quit because they don’t like their boss.
While it is unreasonable to assume that you will become close friends with every employee, it is important to make your work relationships a top priority in order to hold onto your business success and development. Here are five steps to stay on your employees’ good side to keep good employees from walking away:
1) Find a new perspective
One of the best ways to avoid conflict and build a relationship with your employees is by making the effort to understand where they are coming from. While looking for ways to improve communication should be a given, it goes a long way if you remember that you are working with different types of people who may not see things the same way you do. Take a step back and try to understand their point of view. In an MIT study, they found that one of the key elements to good workplace relationships was communication:
“With remarkable consistency, the data showed that the most important predictor of a team’s success was its communication patterns. Those patterns were as significant as all other factors—intelligence, personality, talent—combined.”
2) Know your style
To improve relationships with your employees, you must know how you want to operate your business. If you don’t have a firm grasp on your work personality, consider taking a personality test. Once you have a strong understanding of how you work and communicate most efficiently, you can share that information with your entire office.
3) Praise your employees
Recognize your employees throughout the week. Whether someone in the office helped with a large project or something small, words of encouragement go a long way. The more generous you become with acknowledging the people who work for you, the more likely it is that your employees will feel valued in the workplace. By giving an employee a simple shout out, you are letting the entire company know about that you truly value employee accomplishments.
4) Be reliable
If your employees rely on you, you are ahead of the game. If they cannot depend on you, building strong relationships is almost impossible. Be that boss who goes the extra mile to assist in any way, especially when stress levels get high. Hold it together when everyone else is inclined to lose it. As the boss, you set the stage for what is expected and hopefully, admired. The more reliable and consistent you become at work, the more likeable you appear to your employees, and the more loyalty they are inclined to have to you and your company.
5) Be interested in your office
Move your focus beyond the bottom line and focus also on the people that make your business work. Do things that make the people in your office feel like you are invested in them. People typically open up and feel more comfortable if you regularly ask how they are doing. As you learn your employees’ interests, remember details so they become part on your ongoing conversations. The more you learn about your employees, the more apt you are to find a common interest with them, enabling you to connect on a deeper level.
In addition to these suggestions, it’s important for leaders of the company to be themselves! Sincerity and genuine relationships, paired with your vision, will positively impact your company’s growth and success.
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