Many workers don’t leave bad jobs, they leave bad a boss. HR surveys of employees reveal that many people value recognition for the work they do more than small financial raises or bonuses, which is telling for those who have ever been stuck with a bad boss.
While being a boss is tough task, responsible for leading a group of people and balancing personalities, backgrounds and experiences, it’s important to stay positive and motivate in order to keep resolve high. There are several ways to becoming a better boss — like providing more employee recognition — so here are some keys ways to doing that in order to build confidence and trust among team members.
Understand The Value Of Recognition From A Boss
Employee #1: “Ron said you were doing a great job in his department.”
Employee #2: “Really? I thought he hated me.”
How does this type of common workplace disconnect occur? For the boss out there, if you’ve never told your employees that they’re doing a good job, they don’t know you think that. Ask yourself when the last time was that you gave each of your employees positive feedback. If you haven’t, don’t be surprised if they think you have a negative opinion of them. Positive feedback also reduces subordinate anxiety, work stress and paranoia.
General Feedback Vs. Specific Feedback
It’s easy to give general feedback such as, “Good job!” or “Keep up the good work.” That type of feedback is positive, but, after some time, it doesn’t inspire staff members. As the boss, if you don’t give specific feedback, your general compliments can start to sound self-serving and insincere. Make sure you provide specific, positive feedback to employees.
Examples of specific feedback include compliments like, “That was a great opening in your proposal. You really got to the point quickly,” or “Your PowerPoint presentation was really well-organized. I liked the revenue charts.”
Put It In Writing
Let your staff know when you’ve noticed their work via an email, text or hand-written note on a document they’ve submitted and you’re returning. Employees will remember a written compliment much longer, and it will have a bigger impact than if you just gave praise as you pass someone in the hallway.
Make It Public
When possible, give employees shout-outs at staff meetings, in the company newsletter, via a group text or blast email or when you drop by the break room and see your subordinates chatting. Think how you feel when you’re recognized in front of your peers. Getting praise from a boss privately boosts a person’s confidence and job security. Getting praise in front of peers boosts confidence and identifies as a feeling of placement on a team.
Add The C-Suite
Don’t just limit feedback to personal compliments. Let staffers know what the executives at the company thinks, too. C-suite officers don’t have to compliment staff members by name to provide recognition. Any time higher-ups compliment any department, share that with staff to help them feel like their hard work is recognized by the higher-ups.
Recognize Your Department And Teams
Don’t forget to recognize an entire department or team. If a department is small enough and there’s money in the budget, take them to lunch every once in a while, especially after a project. If lunch is too expensive, tell the team you’re all going out for a group lunch and the company is paying for the appetizers. Think about paying for pizza or a small lunch yourself.
If you want to get promoted, your company is going to want to know what your staff thinks of you, and they’ll eventually interview your subordinates about you. Be sincere in your praise — don’t try to buy your employee’s loyalty with a trip to Applebee’s. But, if you do it right, treating employees to lunch can be a sincere acknowledgment that shows appreciation of a job well done.
Evaluate Your Feedback Skills Each Quarter
Each quarter, write a list of the people who work for you. Can you remember the last time you praised each one? Have you complimented each employee in writing during the past 30 days? Have you complimented each one in front of another staff member or the whole team? You don’t need to compliment each employee in person, in writing and in front of others every 90 days, but a quarterly review will let you see if you’re going for long stretches without providing employee recognition.
Make that this type of a review a regular part of evaluating yourself as a manager and you’ll build a better team, get better results and get noticed by your bosses.
Lead image via Getty