Top Tips for Managing Employees

If you have started your own business, you will inevitably wear many hats, one of them being a manager. Being a manager isn’t easy, because you are not just responsible for yourself or your work, but the wellbeing, motivation, and workload of your team now, too.

It is not enough to just run a team, you have to equip them with tools and knowledge to do their job well, teach them time management and efficiency, gain their trust and respect, maintain leadership and authority, and importantly, lead and inspire your team to be their best.

Here are 5 top tips for managing employees. 

#1 Establish positive relationships

Managing a team effectively can only be done if you have established a positive relationship and build mutual trust and respect for one another. Take time to get to know your team members on a personal level, as well as a professional level. Not only will this give you valuable insights into how they prefer to work in the office, but it can also help build a better rapport and atmosphere within the office.

#2 Good communication 

The foundation of any working team is maintaining good communication. Communication comes in many different formats and directions, from ensuring that you are transparent and upfront with your employees on issues, company updates, goals, and deadlines, as well as ensuring there are sufficient means of communication available to everyone to suit their preferences. A good manager will also ensure they are approachable and available to be spoken to, while also communicating constructive feedback to ensure the team continues to develop and grow. 

#3 Make decisions

An effective manager must be able to make decisions for themselves, and the team. It can be particularly frustrating for employees when a manager is neglectful of their needs and does not help or make decisions. This not only creates a bad team atmosphere but can also hinder the performance of your team and in turn, your business growth. As a good manager, you need to be able to assert your authority and make decisions with confidence. 

#4 Make your team feel safe 

You must make your team feel safe, both physically, and psychologically. Safety will enable your team to perform better, take more decisive risks, be more authentic, speak up and communicate more openly and more. There are many ways you can create a safe environment for your team. 

Physically:

• Security cameras 
• Security alarms 
• Door access control system 

This will ensure they feel the office is a safe place to be everyday, especially if they ever have to work alone or late at night. 

Offer Them the Best Training Opportunities

If you want to not only get the most from your employees but also make them feel a part of what you’re trying to achieve with the business, you should spend time and resources on training them properly. With the right approach to employee training, you can help them progress and improve their output for the business. It’s a win-win for everyone.

Psychologically: 

• Show your team they are valued 
• Make your team know it is okay to make a mistake 
• Enable your team to use their voice to make an impact 
• Take time to listen, understand and engage with your team 
• Avoid passing blame

This will ensure your team is able to be themselves, learn and perform their best. 

#5 Avoid micromanaging 

Micromanaging is a term used to describe managers who are too involved in their team, to a point where it becomes unproductive. A micromanager typically displays behavior such as:

• The need to approve every task and detail 
• Does not delegate 
• Does not trust employees or give them freedom 
• Aware of employees whereabouts at all times 
• Need to be cc’d on every email 

If you allow micro-managing to dominate your management style, you risk increasing stress and employee turnover, and decreasing mental health, creativity, productivity, and trust. 

It will take time to find your own style to manage your staff, but it is important to start as you mean to go on. If your team succeeds, everyone succeeds.