If you’ve ever been a manager, whether of a team or an entire company, you know how detrimental it is to lose a quality employee. Though most managers point to this or that as a explanation for why the employee left, the reality is that their leaving probably had more to do with the manager than anything else. If you’re a manager and you’re looking to avoid running off your star players, here are a few things you should avoid:
1. Failing to Give Praise
Whether their looking for it or not, it’s important to praise good work from your employees. When you do this, you motivate and positively reinforce strong efforts on the job. It boosts morale and gives others the drive to deliver simply because they know you’ll take notice. Failing to offer this simple pat on the back will eventually leave your employees feeling drained and under valued. If they think you can’t see how hard they work, they will stop working hard or find somewhere else to devote their energy.
2. Failing to Value Your Employee’s Time
When you’re in a position that you’re passionate about, it can be easy to work long hours without skipping a beat. Maybe you, as the manager, don’t mind working late or doing some after hours work from home but this is not something you should ask your employees to do. In fact, you should encourage them to be very conscious of their time off and make sure to use that time to check out of work and recharge. Ironically, if your employees know that you value their off time, they are more likely to work overtime should that occasion arise. It really comes down to caring about your employees and making a point to communicate that.
3. Failing to Develop and Add Value to Employees
As a manager it’s really your responsibility to keep an eye on how your teams are growing and improving. The truth is, your best employees are wanting to grow and get better at what they do. If you’re not giving them helpful feedback or helping them to grow through some other means, they will likely turn their loyalty to another endeavor that might provide more opportunity to progression. When you spot something that needs attention, whether an emerging skill or an area of weakness, address it right away with tact. This will help your people to know that you care and that you’re willing to walk them through the process of improvement. It also helps to removes the fear of ask for your help in that area of weakness.
4. Failing to Develop Your Leadership Skills
There is a difference between a leader and a manager. Often the two terms get confused, but they are very different. A manager has the capacity to maintain the course that was set by someone else. A leader has the capacity to change that course in a positive way and get others to follow them into it. Now you may not have the ability to change protocols or take the company in a different direction but you certainly have the ability to lead your employees into a more efficient way of getting things done. If you’re employees can feel the tension of the need for change but they see that you do not possess the capacity to handle it well then they will have a hard time following you into the future. Develop yourself as a leader and watch how your influence and employee loyalty will skyrocket.
