Photo Credit: fauxels, www.pexels.com

It’s a business truism that good staff are your most valuable resource.  What some employers fail to understand is that good staff are created by good management practices.  Yes, employing the right people is part of the solution but ultimately, it’s how you treat those employees which will determine how effective they become as members of your team.  Showing trust in your employees is a crucial way in which to build their self-esteem and loyalty.

Be prepared to be flexible

This is not to be confused with being a pushover.  You are the boss and you are ultimately responsible for the success of the business.  Employees are there to serve the business and not the other way around, but within those parameters you need the confidence to accommodate staff requests when they do not adversely affect the operation of the business.  Simply saying no because it’s not been done before is unreasonable and contributes to corrosive staff resentment.

Honesty and communication

Recognise that people in junior positions may well be every bit as able as you consider yourself to be, so do not treat them as fools.  Take the time to communicate and explain, be prepared to listen but also make it clear that managerial decisions are not discussion topics.  Employees will respect honesty, problems that arise are ultimately your responsibility, so accept that responsibility and earn your employees’ respect in the process.

Rewards and recognition

Rewards tend to be monetary and recognition usually takes the form of an accolade, both are important forms of motivation for your employees.  Taking the time to recognise work well done is vital in building a cohesive team and developing trust.  Fairness is subjective and you won’t always satisfy everyone, so ensure that your reward and recognition system is based on clear criteria and not on how you happen to be feeling that day.

Financial autonomy

There will be times when employees need to spend money on the company’s behalf, they should never have to do so out of their own pocket.  Demonstrate your trust in them by providing them with a prepaid company card.  The card can be loaded with a specific budget so you can differentiate between junior and senior staff.  Employees use the card like a normal credit card and photograph receipts and tickets to upload via the app.  You can track their spending in real time with desktop software or a mobile app if you are on the go.  You can also adjust budgets or impose spending limits under specific headings.  Your staff will value the convenience of the system and you can feel confident in the financial security it provides.

Be approachable

Never be too busy to see people.  Grievances or problems which are left unresolved, fester and become much more difficult to deal with.  If your staff feel they can talk to you, they are far more likely to demonstrate loyalty and commitment.