Can Your Employees Talk to You?

How approachable is your upper management?

If there is a gap between employees and management, that can mean a lack of communication. No organization wants that, as communication is one of the most important working aspects within a company.

Don’t inhibit your core goals. As soon as communication ceases to exist between employees and management, the company will stop functioning properly in achieving such goals.

Allowing open communication and having management that is approachable can help the organization prosper. Looking at two extremes of the spectrum: you would not want to become everyone’s best friend, but if you take the role of a dictator, you will only create resistance to you and management from your workforce. When employees don’t feel heard, they feel undervalued. And people who feel unimportant are less likely to work efficiently and effectively.

Don’t allow for any underlying resentment due to miscommunication, and keep valid issues in the forefront. Complaints or criticism should never be pushed under the rug, but addressed in a diplomatic manner. If something goes wrong within an organization, employees will want to know about it before it has time fester and get worse. Transparency is a key element in today’s work culture.

If employees are afraid to express themselves due to a fearsome managerial style then problems will never get solved, resulting in more issues to pile on top of the ones already present. It’s important to address any employee issues immediately to prevent future displeasure within the organization. Also, employees who are client facing may discover issues within procedures or applications that could be affecting the company’s customer service field or worse, sales pipeline. Creating an environment where an employee feels secure in voicing their ideas and critiques is vital to keep your machine running at top speed through your industry.

That’s why working on developing relationships with your employees can only benefit you. Being accessible is a necessity in developing such relationships.

Running a company with fear or intimidation as the base is not going to be successful. Instead of trying to control, take a chance and do something different…

• Smile don’t frown. Even something as small as keeping a smile on your face can change people’s perception of you.

• Open up and talk with your employees. As stated earlier, don’t exclude your employees. Ask for their opinions and explain to them what your plans are. You hired your highly valued workforce because you trust them with the brunt of your company. Utilize that by returning the favor: be trustworthy and transparent.

• Watch your body language. If you always stand with your arms crossed, it’s like standing behind a wall. It makes you come across tense and distant.

• Try approaching others. Instead of always calling people in, try going to them every once in a while. Sitting behind your desk, in your huge chair makes you seem intimidating. Try standing on common ground with everyone and see what you can learn about your workforce.

• Take interest in employees. Simple things like making note of birthdays or special events in someone’s life can show that you don’t just think of them as a number, but as a person.

• Build employee confidence. Instead of going out of your way to point out wrongdoings, make an effort to point out the accomplishments.

• Be confident but not cocky. Being a leader doesn’t make you omnipotent. It’s great to be confident in making decisions, but don’t forget that sometimes others can see things you might miss. Be humble and consider what others have to say.

• Respect your employees. You might be the boss, but that doesn’t exclude you from treating your employees with dignity. If you want respect, you must prove you deserve it.

Keep sight of your goals and those of the people around you. As upper management, making a constant effort to be approachable and communicate with your employees is extremely important. Take a chance and see just how much of a difference you can make when it comes to the success of your company.