Successful businesses rely on best business practices, which start at the top and are modeled by all other employees. In short, excellent work ethic is the result of excellent management. Below are several strategies to step up your management in order to ensure the best workplace possible.

#1 Communicate Effectively 

Communicating your visions, goals, expectations, and feedback to employees is paramount to your success as a manager and to the health of your business. Employees cannot be expected to perform to standards that are not made clear to them, and they cannot improve without ample, effective communication in regards to their performance. Communication should involve topics both broad (how does the company impact society?) and specific (what days of the week will meetings occur?) and should happen consistently through various mediums. For example, employees should expect regular written and verbal communication: via e-mail, during meetings, and in annual reviews, for example.

#2 Use a Personal Approach

While you should always maintain professional relationships with your employees, you must remember, first and foremost, that they are human beings and should be treated with the utmost respect. Every employee is a unique individual with his or her own personality, interests, idiosyncrasies, strengths, etc. Getting to know your employees and communicating with them sincerely and attentively will go a long way in boosting overall employee morale. Moreover, try to be empathetic and kind in regards to personal issues (employee or family illness, for example) while still being mindful of company policies and protocol.

#3 Advocate for Your Best Employees

Your best employees will see your business into the future and should therefore be valued properly. Ensure that they have all of the necessary tools with which to perform their jobs optimally, and ensure that their positions evolve over time in order to keep them challenged and happy. As such, advocate for them in regards to fair, competitive salary and benefits. Retaining ideal employees saves significant money long-term and should be a central goal of any business.

#4 Engage in Constructive Criticism

One of the most essential qualities of a good manager is the ability to provide constructive criticism to employees. A manager must be able to tell an employee when he or she has made a mistake, has missed a goal, is in need of improvement in a particular capacity, etc., but a manger must also do so without being (intentionally or unintentionally) demeaning. A manager who does not give enough constructive criticism will lead a team that under-performs while a manager who gives too much will create conflict; constructive criticism is therefore a fine balance that the most capable managers are able to strike.

#5 Lead Confidently but Humbly

Employees naturally need and want strong leadership, but they also must be able to relate to their most immediate bosses on a basic, humanistic level. Mangers who can admit their own mistakes, reflect on their own processes, and continue to improve themselves, serve as great models for all employees. A good manager must confidently believe in his or her decisions and executions, but must be also be open-minded to feedback and willing to shift gears when necessary.  A dynamic manager leads a productive team.

Looking for an ideal manager for your company or the ideal managerial position for yourself? Contact us today and let CPS, Inc. partner with you in your search for the perfect fit.