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We all dream of a workplace where managers and employees work collaboratively toward achieving organizational goals; a workplace that is safe and secure, where employees trust their managers, and managers can rely on their team to achieve organizational success. All this might even sound far-fetched and fantastical, but organizations that have a work environment that fosters trust, mutual respect, and an inclusive culture do exist in the real world.
Developing and maintaining a positive work environment is a challenging task for any organization. And in bringing about these progressive changes in our workplaces, managers often forget taking care of themselves.
To be an effective manager, you are supposed to model the kind of behavior you want your employees to live by. However, you should ensure that no work becomes too important that you to start ignoring your own health.
Care tips for Managers
Managers achieve organizational goals by working to effectively manage individuals and teams. Organizations have a preference for MBA graduates when it comes to filling managerial and executive roles because of their skills in critical thinking, solving complex problems, and teamwork.
To be an effective manager, therefore, requires that you have the right set of knowledge and expertise.
- Acquiring the right skills
Managers skilled at managing people and with enhanced interpersonal communication stand a cut above the rest. Usually, these are qualities that are developed practically, after years and years of trial and error, but the right type of degree, suited to your career needs, can easily fast-track your progress.
For managers, an MBA degree is the obvious choice, since it equips them with the required skills, that are usually developed over decades of practice, in a matter of a few years.
With the flexibility now available to us through online education, it is easier for working managers to enroll in an online MBA program, and start their very own MBA journey from the comfort and convenience of their own home.
- Working on Self-awareness
As a manager, nothing is more important than exercising control over your emotions. You should know how to go about channeling your emotions in a healthy way.
Knowing yourself is not enough. You need to ask your employees for feedback on how they perceive you as and how they think you act in certain situations.
By looking at yourself from the outside and through someone else’s perspective, you can get a clearer picture on how your communication and managing style affects those around you.
For example, you might not even realize that you overly criticize people and are stingy with praise.
Therefore, you should regularly work on yourself and look for areas of improvement based on the feedback you get from others and also as a result of your own introspection and self-awareness.
- Take care of your physical and mental health
The job of a manager is stressful, and it could take its toll on your physical and mental health if you do not take proper care.
Instead of venting stress in unhealthy ways, you should work on reducing it in your daily routine. A good night’s sleep and a healthy diet should be indispensable to your routine.
You should take short breaks from work to stretch out your legs or even to take a walk around the block. You could also pick up a hobby after work, or simply spend quality time with family and friends to reduce work-related stress.
Meditation is another way you could ensure your mental health stays in good shape. Once you are feeling your best, both mentally and physically, you can focus more of your energy into work and facilitating employees.
- Avoiding pressure
The role of a manager can be demanding at times, but you cannot be all things to all people. You should be available when your employees need you, but this does not mean you should take on more than you can actually deliver.
Instead, you should remain flexible with the changing situation. You should prioritize yourself and find peace by spending some quiet time to yourself.
When managers work on improving themselves, they are more likely to do the same for their employees.
Care tips for employees
A positive workplace atmosphere lets loose the creativity and increases productivity. Good workplaces also have dedicated and loyal staff with high job satisfaction levels that contributes to good customer service.
Here are some tips to take care of your employees:
- Encourage open communication
Having an open-door policy at work allows employees to find it easier to bring their troubles to their managers, any time. They can share their ideas openly without the fear of being judged.
You can also make an effort to check in with the employees regularly to encourage or praise them. This helps in building deeper connections at workplace and also creates a culture of trust between the managers and employees.
- Invest in career growth
You can keep your staff motivated and performing their best by enhancing their knowledge and skills through trainings, courses, seminars and mentorship programs.
Employees often find career advancement opportunities rewarding and stay loyal to the company for longer.
- Offer competitive remuneration and rewards
If you want your employees to feel valued, you should offer competitive remuneration packages. These packages include take-home pay and other benefits, such as health insurance, flexible working hours, retirement plans, and paid time offs.
You should offer bonuses and salary increments for employees who perform exceptionally well. These monetary benefits improve productivity and succeed in retaining the best talent.
- Schedule social time to get to know your employees
You should plan for staff outings to help employees relax and bond. You can plan social gatherings, such as company picnics, department dinners, or team-building outings.
- Show your employees you trust them
Allow your employees the freedom to complete projects and tasks on their own. Let them take more responsibility because if you do allow them ownership in their own work, they will feel more valued. Regularly ask for their input when making important decisions.
- Provide honest feedback
You should provide the employees with honest feedback about their performance. Encourage them to perform better. You should also be honest with the employees about the company’s performance, whether it is going well or not.
When you are honest with your employees, it fosters an atmosphere of trust, which often leads to long-term professional collaborations and relations.
Conclusion
An effective manager knows that his success is dependent on his team’s success. Creating a culture of trust and mutual respect at work boosts productivity. By encouraging open communication, offering competitive remuneration, and investing in the employees’ career growth, you can foster organizational growth and success.
