Better Boss Behavior for a Fairer Workplace

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Being in a position of authority is a responsibility. Better boss behavior can change how employees interact with you and even the success of your business. But how can you improve relationships? From showing more empathy to trusting your employees, here are some ideas.

Learn to Do it the Right Way

Very often, people are thrown into leadership positions without being prepared, trained, or skilled enough. Having the right attitude, being friendly, leading by example, and staying on top of things will help you become a better boss. Coaching skills training through seminars and online courses will prepare you for most of what you need. These can teach you the core skills that can prepare you for management-type situations that inexperience will make worse. 

Showing  Your Human Side

We've probably all thought of our bosses as inhuman, and it's possible your employees see you in this way, too! Of course, most employees won't be aware of the tough decisions you have to make on a daily basis or how you need to show authority to be respected. However, there needs to be a good balance between being authoritative and human. Seeing things from your employees' perspective helps them see you as a person, therefore increasing trust and loyalty.

Better Boss Behavior Includes Helping

We can all remember a boss that we wouldn't approach. There are many reasons for this, but one of the biggest is that workers believe they are simply unwilling to help. One survey found that 40% of workers think their boss is unwilling to shift on a situation such as asking for personal time off, and therefore won't even ask! Helping staff with things like planning when they need it shows your better side in the workplace by showing mutual respect rather than fear.

Trust Employees and Delegate

There are some bosses who get their roles because they are very hard workers. Some try to do it all either through a lack of trust in employees or even disdain for their skills. This is a major mistake when you are in a position of authority, from CEO to floor supervisor. There are two main reasons for this; you have a team for a reason, and you will work yourself too hard! Teams want to be assigned jobs as it shows respect, and working too hard will only lead to burnout.

Praise and Recognize a Good Effort

It's all well and good; rewarding excellent work when a team pulls off something big. Hitting sales targets, pulling in a big client, and finishing a large project early. These are good examples and should be rewarded. However, your teams also put a lot of effort into the work, even if they fail to meet goals. Instead of scolding your team and making everyone feel bad, consider thanking employees for the time, effort, and personal sacrifices they put into the project.

Summary

Learning to manage and coach your teams will help you learn better boss behavior you can then use to propel your team forward. This also includes helping workers when they need it with time off or a lesser workload. Praising the solid effort your team puts into a project also helps.