In March, I talked about creating value for your employees. Recap: as employers, we should remember that employment is a two-sided business transaction – just as we are purchasing our employees’ time, they are choosing to sell it to us. We should also give them a chance to move forward and improve while working for us. Finally, we should deal with them as people, not as property. Showing personal care and investment in their lives creates loyalty and value in the workplace.
This month, I want to talk specifically about some rules of engagement for setting the stage to achieve winning relations with your team.
- Remember, your first job is to be their employer. You can be friendly with your staff, but it’s best not to be close friends. By this, I mean it’s probably better to not share relationship drama with your team. There’s a big difference between being friendly and being friends. Being friendly with them is great and makes them comfortable around you. Being friends can lead to some hard times for you as an employer. Example: you become friends with an employee who is having relationship problems, and then all of a sudden, her relationship ends and she’s calling in sick because she knows you’ll feel sorry for her.
- While you don’t have to be authoritarian, remember to set the tone for respect. Our teams know that they can joke around with us and have fun around us (they don’t feel on guard); but, they do know that we are the bosses and when we’ve spoken, that’s it.
- Give them every chance to succeed as employees. Evaluations should be honest and often, and offer a chance for two-way feedback. If you are clear about your expectations and let them know where they stand, they’ll never have to wonder how they’re doing or how you feel about them.
- Create a friendly environment, but keep it professional. You can have a casual relationship with your team, but remember that the priority is work and any time you’re together you’re their boss. Probably best to avoid going to the club and drinking together.
- Take an interest in their personal lives, but don’t become a part of it. We make sure to ask our team members about what’s going on in their lives (internship, future work plans, etc.) and do what we can to help them. By showing we care about them, they’re much more wiling to be valuable parts of our team.
Remember: when establishing relationships with your team, you get to set the tone. We suggest a comfortable open-door relationship with staff, but you should always do what you’re comfortable with. Best of luck in leading your teams well!
Remember: when establishing relationships with your team, you get to set the tone.
