As a manager, boss, director whichever your title may be you have taken on a responsibility to direct the hard-working people that come to work every day. You have asked to take on running your business or workplace and make sure everything runs smoothly. You are in charge of paychecks, daily take from behind the scenes and you have asked to take on staff meetings, meetings about issues, meetings about the meetings. You ate probably working a 9:00 to 17:00 job hours because you have earned those hours.
However when you took on that position you also took on those hard working people and what they bring to the table. You are now in charge of them and making sure they’re doing the job properly and to the best of their ability. You have every type of personality possible working for you and you have to know how each person functions to be able to interact with them. You should know that one sits at her computer and every day says she’s fine but the other coworker my loudly laugh when you asks her.
Now for the managers I have a question for you….How well do you know your personnel? Did you know that Trish was crying in her car right before shift because she was up all night with her mother who is ill with lung cancer and only had two full hours of sleep? Did you know that one of your supervisors is going through a ugly divorce and isn’t fully there but can’t call out if work because she feels like she needs to be at work? Are you aware that you have someone sitting right next to you in a staff meeting that has been struggling connecting with the new work environment.
When is the last time you pulled your employees into a one on one conversation just to make sure they are doing ok? To be able to connect with you employees you need to know what they are going through even if it’s a “hey step into my office and let’s have a cup of coffee and talk” chat. Once you understand your employees then they will start producing amazing work and work you all can be proud of!
Next time you walk into your shop, center, store, building and you see an employee that you think might be struggling or you haven’t seen in a while ask the for a short meeting. Express to them that it’s their time and they can talk about what ever they want. Just make sure they know you are their for them because I assure you when they know you care they will start producing better quality work!
The Anxious Gent 