Read the following article about how to treat your staff and then try the exercises which follow.
How to Treat Your Staff
1.
Sometimes it is easy for a busy management team to forget the basics when it comes to treating their own staff. While the client or customer is usually seen as the most important factor in a company, the staff is sometimes neglected. However, reminding yourself of a few basic principles can mean the difference between a happy workforce and a team of resentful and cynical staff whose loyalties might easily start to drift. Why not try a few of these steps and see how the working environment can improve almost immediately?
2.
You could start by saying “Good Morning” to everyone who crosses your path on your way into the office. This might seem obvious, but do you always remember to do it? And if you don’t, what signals are you sending out? That your receptionist is not important? Or worse, that she does not exist?
3.
The next point is related to decision-making. Are you sure that the decisions you make are based on shared criteria and not just on a personal whim of your own? It is human nature to try to get your own way in things but in the workplace a preference that is good for you might not be the best for the company. So, listen to people and ask for as many opinions as possible.
4.
Besides sharing in decision-making, staff should also participate in external meetings and in travel opportunities that are sometimes restricted to the management team. Everyone has something to offer. Remember, you probably chose these members of staff in the first place, so remind yourself of 'why' and show them that you trust their judgement and value the contributions that they make to the overall running of the company.
5.
Another common cause of complaint amongst the workforce is that they are sometimes unable to trust the information that they receive from their managers. This is particularly true in times of change when it is important for everyone to be on top of things. Try to be consistent. Avoid saying one thing and doing another. Sending out contradictory messages leads to confusion, distrust and even lack of confidence in the company’s directorate.
6.
Finally, never forget the importance of a few words of gratitude. Everybody responds to a pat on the back. You can work with people once and once only or you can work with a person once, show them that you value their contributions and efforts, and then work with this same person again and again. We should never simply use a person and then discard them when they have fulfilled their use.
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