Building strong relationships with employees for the benefit of all

There are many factors that contribute to business success, from having an innovative business idea to attracting and retaining the right talent, understanding your target audience or brushing up on your leadership skills. But one aspect that is not talked about enough even though it plays a crucial role in the equation is the relationship you establish with your employees.  

It is often said that a company is only as strong as its people, since they represent the biggest asset. But employees can only thrive and reach their full potential if the environment allows it.   Therefore, as an entrepreneur, making sure that you build a healthy work relationship with your employees and create a positive work culture should be high on your agenda. 

That’s certainly a lot easier said than done when you have to juggle a million tasks and responsibilities on a daily basis to keep your company moving forward. Besides, nurturing any type of relationship requires time, patience and perseverance. So, if you want to start off on the right foot and set the foundation for great employee relationships, here are a few important aspects to consider. 

Have an open-door policy

Being caught up in their own issues and always running short on time, managers often seem distant, unapproachable and out of reach to the average employee. That can make it difficult for your team members to open up and initiate conversations when they have something to communicate. Without open communication, it’s not possible to build a healthy work relationship with any of your employees. 

Since you’re the one holding a superior position, it’s your responsibility to make the first move and make sure your employees know that your door is always open and they can come to you whenever they feel the need to ask questions, report an issue or share their ideas and concerns. That’s why establishing an open-door policy is so important. This will give everyone the opportunity to speak freely, encouraging openness and transparency in the workplace. 

Provide feedback

Being willing and open to listen to your employees can help a lot when trying to establish good work relationships with them, but keep in mind that communication is a two-way street and listening is only half of it. It’s just as important to express your opinion on the topics they’ve brought up and provide feedback or advice, depending on the case. 

Feedback should not be regarded as an opportunity to point out flaws and criticize employees for their shortcomings. On the contrary, it should represent a way to offer assistance and support, and help your employees evolve professionally. When your feedback is genuine and delivered in a sincere and empathetic manner, it shows your team members that you actually listen and care about them, and you want to help them grow. Giving them the chance to respond to your feedback is also necessary as it encourages communication and collaboration. 

Show your appreciation

Employees that show dedication in the workplace and work hard to fulfil their tasks deserve to be rewarded and appreciated. A pat on the back or saying good job is nice, but it doesn’t really serve as an incentive for good performance, but small gestures of appreciation can do that. Thoughtful details like giving your team members personalised mugs on their birthdays or other special occasions, or upgrading their tools and equipment to make their jobs easier and more comfortable can make a positive difference to your relationship.

Obviously, the best way to recognise employee merits and show how much you value them is by offering financial rewards, appreciation gifts or by promoting them when you think they’re ready to take on additional responsibilities. 

Provide growth opportunities

Praising your employees, celebrating all of their victories, whether big or small, or offering them customised gifts are nice gestures that will be greatly appreciated, but you know what’s an even better way to strengthen your relationship? Giving them the chance to grow and evolve as professionals. 

Lack of advancement opportunities is one of the main reasons employees leave their jobs, so if you don’t want to lose your best workers you need to support their growth goals. Providing free access to learning resources, tools and platforms, training programs, and webinars can be extremely useful in this respect. You should also strive to advance employees to higher positions when they’ve proven they have the right skills and knowledge for it to ensure a dynamic and flexible work environment. 

Spend time with your employees

No relationship can be built overnight, and work relationships are no different. It’s simply not enough to ask your team members how they’re doing every now and then or assign tasks and wait for updates. If you want to establish a solid bond with them, you need to go beyond formal meetings and brief interactions and prioritise direct experiences instead. 

It might be difficult to squeeze in one-on-one conversations with each employee in your busy schedule, but doing so will allow you to spend more quality time together and get to know them better. Also, getting on your employees’ level also gives you the chance to see for yourself the issues they’re dealing with and understand their perspectives.  

Practice what you preach

As a manager, chances are you’ll get along with certain employees better than with others, and you might also have a few favourite workers in your team. But it’s important to treat everyone equally, avoid favouritisms, and practice what you preach. If you want to keep all your employees close and build a relationship based on mutual trust and respect, you need to be fair and ensure the same rules apply to everyone, including yourself. 

The relationships you establish with your employees can make or break your business. Therefore, striving to maintain a good relationship with all your team members and learning about the best practices in this respect is a must.