Employee Motivation

A considerable amount of space in the business world is allotted for lists of reasons why it’s important to be a good employer, supervisor or manager. Good leadership affects every aspect of a business, but it should go without saying that everyone in that role wants to do a good job. No one starts a business thinking they’d like to make their employees miserable, drive down productivity and sap motivation. However, all these things can and do happen to people with nothing but the best of intentions. How does one avoid accidentally becoming a bad boss? The details that comprise a business’ operations are many and lists of what to watch out for could be volumes thick. They all tend to boil down to one important suggestion; paying attention. A good boss notices the mood of his or her employees, the general atmosphere of the office and slight shifts in productivity. By picking up on the details, one could identify potential problem areas long before they manifest. For example; a once exuberant employee has come to work for several days looking exhausted. He or she has stopped chatting with coworkers and smiles far less. This should prick the senses of any good manager. Perhaps a look at the employee’s records will show that he or she hasn’t taken a vacation in quite some time and they may simply need a break. An intuitive leader can suggest some time off before an employee reaches a breaking point. Simply paying attention to one’s staff and surroundings can put a manager on the path toward being a great boss, which will ripple across the entire business creating productive happy employees. One need not bother with books and books of tips and tricks; just notice what’s around.