pat@silkbow.com.
Best regards
Pat Brill
http://www.BoomersInMotion.com
Are You A 'People-Friendly' Manager?
A "people friendly" environment reduces stress, decreases
turnover, and supports higher levels of performance with
employees. Organizations today are addressing the "people
friendly" environment with additional programs that support
work-life balance. And..that is great.
It's a good idea to ask yourself if you are a "people
friendly" manager. Managers have good intentions and try
their best to support their staff, yet it can be easier to
manage the business vs. managing employees.
My focus in is to stop you long enough to reflect on your
interactions with your staff...when you are managing your
employees, how do you treat them.
What does a "people friendly" manager look like?
-Treats all employees with respect - no matter what level
an employee is at in their department, they always try to
do their best in this area. Yes, mistakes happen, but the
core value of "respect" is intertwined with all of their
interactions.
-Sensitive to work-life balance - even in the busiest of
times employees have pressing needs outside of the work
environment. A "people friendly" manager gets this and
focuses on solutions that work for both employee and the
department.
-Communication - They are open with their employees and
engage them in the process of building a better department.
-Training - insure all employees know how to do their job.
-Trust - encourages employees to take suitable control over
their deliverables. Gives them room to make decisions on
"how" the work is done. When an employee develops a
sense of "ownership" for their work, the manager has hit
the "jackpot."
You are probably thinking that with all the work you have
to do, it's difficult to spend a lot of time with
employees. Like exercising your body, once you make it a
priority to do it, you exercise regularly. It's because
you have decided to focus your attention and energy on
taking care of your body. Well, the same holds for
focusing on your employees.
A "people friendly" manager lets go of the need to control
everything an employee does. Instead, they replace control
with the desire to "always do their best" to support their
employees. The manager doesn't expect to be "perfect,"
rather "always does their best" at any given time is their
intention. Their best may change given the day, yet the
value that their employees are important doesn't.
Take a few minutes to mull over the question "are you a
"people friendly" manager? The well-being of an employee
should be par with the well-being of the bottom line. A
manager that understands this will create a successful
department and will live with a lot less stress...create
your own well-being.
----------------------------------------------------
Pat Brill is the author of the blog "Managing Employees"
http://www.ManagingEmployees.net . You can reach her at
pat@managingemployees.net.
