Study after study reveals that “a bad relationship with the boss” is the number-one reason employees jump ship. Improve retention by becoming a better manager. Here’s how:
- Communicate in all directions. But don’t think only in terms of hierarchy. You do have to communicate with leadership, fellow managers, and your staff. In all of these situations, however, the best managers both express and receive. Value listening equally with speaking, and you’ll have a view of the company and your team that will allow you to get better results.
- Expect the best. Start by demanding excellence from yourself, and then demand it of your team. Your standards should be high, but not unattainable. Make it clear when an employee has reached them by offering public praise or recognition. Once the team sees that you hold yourself to a high standard and that their excellence is acknowledged, they’ll strive to measure up as well.
- Clarify the focus for your team. Your staff have day-to-day tasks that are essential to the company’s success – but they may not see the connection between their work and the “big picture.” As a manager, your job is to make this connection and to ensure that your team has real, measurable objectives that line up clearly with the bigger goal.
- Give your people what they need to succeed. Stress results from lacking the resources you need to address a problem when it happens. Reduce team stress and improve results by asking your staff what they need and then providing it.
- Trust your people to handle the work… Once your people have what they need to do the work, step back and let them do it. Keep your door open to field questions or lend a hand, but give your team the space to solve problems on its own.
- …while you look for opportunities. When you free up your own time by delegating and standing aside, you gain the perspective to stay flexible and to adapt. You can keep one eye on the overall goal, helping you see immediately where a new opportunity fits into the plan.
- Protect your time. Time is every manager’s most valuable resource. Preparing your staff well is one way to free up your time; another is to work with an experienced recruiter who can handle many of the preliminary tasks surrounding hiring and long-term staff planning.
- Choose the best people. A better team leads to better teamwork and better results. Your recruiter can help you find better people in less time, so you can focus on leading them.
At ExecuTeam, our recruiters help our clients find and keep better talent. Contact us today to learn more.