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Being a Boss vs Being Bossy

Being a Boss vs Being Bossy

Post By: Celeste McLaughlin, Ergonomics Manager
Produced by: Solutions Northwest, Inc. (Ergonomics Experts serving Washington, Oregon, and California)


Management Tips: Being a Boss vs Being Bossy
“50% of 7,200 adults surveyed left a job to get away from their manager” Gallup Poll 2015

Whether you’re a new manager or seasoned supervisor, it is important to know the difference between being the boss and just being plain bossy. The workplace can be a stressful place, there is no reason to contribute to your own stress or the stress of others on the job.

In fact, it will benefit your workplace productivity if you treat your staff right versus bossing them around just because you can.

Know the consequences of being a bad boss

The stats are in, “50% of 7,200 adults surveyed left a job to get away from their manager” according to Gallup. Poor leadership can create a poor working environment, which leads to employees fleeing the job. As a supervisor, admin, or owner, it is important you create a positive work environment for your subordinates.

According to 5Dynamics, “happy employees have been shown to be up to 20 percent more effective in the workplace than unhappy employees. The NY Times has indicated that both employees and managers are spending more and more time working in collaborative teams than working individually, showing the value of creating strong, positive team interactions.”

Give credit where credit is due

As a leader, it may be tempting to take credit for all of the work your team is doing, but if you don’t properly acknowledge your team’s hard work, then your success may not last very long.

Studies reveal that “79 percent of people who quit their jobs cite ‘lack of appreciation’ as their reason for leaving. People don’t leave companies. They leave bosses,” according to Forbes.

This means that lack of recognition is a huge deal. As the boss, it is important that your team knows that you appreciate and value them.  You play a large role in whether or not they stay with the company, a survey from Accenture shows the top reasons employees quit: “1) They don’t like their boss (31%), 2) A lack of empowerment (31%), 3) Internal politics (35%) and 4) LacErgonomics Consultants | Solutions Northwest Inc.k of recognition (43%).”

The trick is to find passion in your work

Whether you work in an industrial plant, an office, or retail store, it is important to love what you do. You don’t have to have a dream job, you can start just by focusing on short term goals at work. Hustle to achieve goals, encourage team work and positive communication among your staff, and realize that if you put passion into your work, you will begin to love your work.

When you love what you do, it becomes easier to give credit to your team and lead by example. Your positivity as a leader will become infectious in the work place and you will find it much easier to create a happy staff, which we now know leads to a more productive work place.

In Conclusion

If you’re to be a good supervisor or great manager, it is in your best interest to keep your workers happy, for the good of your state of mind and for the good of the company. If you push your team around, over work them, or fail to recognize their hard work, then you will find yourself on hard times.

Hopefully these workplace tips can help keep your workplace a positive and safe work place. For more guidance on all work related health and occupational issues, visit SolutionsNW.com or Contact Us for more information.

Be sure to subscribe to our blog for more ergonomics tips from Solutions Northwest Inc., ergonomics consultants located in Washington State, Kent, Renton, Arcadia, Northern California, Oregon, Seattle, Olympia, Tacoma, and Portland.

 

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4 Tips for Success for First-Time Managers

4 Tips for Success for First-Time Managers

Post By: Celeste McLaughlin, Ergonomics Manager
Produced by: Solutions Northwest, Inc. (Ergonomics Experts serving Washington, Oregon, and California)

4 Tips for Success for First-Time Managers

It can be an intimidating time when one is transitioning from being an employee to a manager of employees. While it is something to be proud of, it is also going to require the proper skills to succeed in this new role.

Here are a few 4 tips to help make your new management role a bit easier:

1. Get to know your team
Everyone’s personality on your team will be different. It is important to understand your staff on a person by person basis, which will allow you to come up with ways to play to people’s strengths instead of trying to mold them into something they may not be.

HR Analyst, Laura Handrick, suggests that you get to know “who they are as people, their personality type, how they prefer to communicate, what drives them to do a good job. If you know these things, you’ll be much better prepared to step into the management role.”

2. Don’t micro-manage, be a leader
As a first time manager, it may be easy to fall into the trap of micro-management. However, while micro-managing things can have certain benefits (control), most people will respond poorly to a controlling management style.

According to Steve Motenco, an executive business coach, “micromanagement can kill motivation, employee creativity and job satisfaction, and yet it remains the biggest beef workers have about their boss… complaints about the boss drive most people out of organizations,” says Steve.

Instead of controlling employees through micro-management, try and position yourself as a leader, not just a boss. Help everyone on your team as much as you can, serve the team’s best interest, and allow for freedom. Freedom in the workplace will encourage employees to work to a higher standard.

3. Look out for your employees
Make the job easy for everyone on the team. If employees know you have their back at work, they’re likely to have yours. “My favorite tip is that your job as a manager is to buffer your employees from the ‘crap’ that rolls downhill. It’s your job to provide tools, remove barriers and help clear obstacles so your workers can get their job done,” says Laura Handrick.

“That may mean you ask for help from HR to ensure employees are paid properly or have the right office chair. When corporate drama or company miscommunication occurs, you interpret it for your employees to reduce their stress. Your job is to manage the ‘human capital’ by working with each person, not as an automaton, but as a human being with goals and skills, but also with stress, family and fears,” says Handrick.

4. Seek outside advice
You may be the manager now, but you’re not expected to automatically know it all. Don’t be afraid to get outside help.  Don’t be afraid to sign up for extra business classes or seek the advice of seasoned veterans. Don’t understand ergonomics workstation assessments? Hire a consultant or make friends with a mentor that can share advice.

In Conclusion

Never stop learning and don’t fear change. Be proud of your accomplishment and continue to work hard at bettering your skills. You’re obviously doing something right, so don’t be afraid and enjoy the work ahead.

For more work place tips, visit SolutionsNW.com and subscribe to our blog.

SolutionsNW.com  provides work place and ergonomics tips from Solutions Northwest Inc., an ergonomics assessment provider located in Washington State, Arcata, California, Oregon, Seattle, Olympia, Tacoma, and Portland.

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