People generally don’t start a business thinking that they’ll one day be a boss. They’re just thinking about making their company as good as it can be; indeed, they largely just want to know that they actually have a viable venture. However, at some point, it could be that they need to bring employees on board if they’re going to grow.

And at that point, they’ll have a couple of different paths to take. They could be a bad boss or a good boss. It’s much better for everyone involved if they’re a good boss. In this blog, we’re going to run through some signs of a good boss. If you follow all of them, then you’ll get to enjoy all the benefits of being a boss that people like, including improved productivity, higher employee retention, and the joy of knowing that you’re doing the right thing.

A Warm Welcome

You can learn a lot from initial impressions. If your employee has a positive impression, then they’ll be more likely to have a favorable view of your business. If they don’t, then they may well raise some eyebrows. Think of it like this: if you went into someone’s home and they gave you a warm welcome, you’d think they were probably a decent person. If they didn’t, then you couldn’t think that, because you’d have no idea. So make an effort to personally welcome everyone that starts with you, no matter how big your company grows.

Open Doors

Everyone wants to feel like they can approach their boss and talk through any issues that they have. The problem is that many people don’t feel that they can do that because their boss is closed off and unwilling to participate in conversations. As such, it’s a good idea to consciously work on making yourself more open to discussions with your employees. This is normally something that people need to work on; it’s not a natural gift for many. There’s an added bonus to setting your ego aside and allowing your staff to voice their opinions, too – it’ll make your company better.

More Than a Task

You’ll have hired your employees to do a specific job for your company. However, it’s important that you don’t view them simply as their role. They’re more than their job: they’re a human being! A good boss takes their time to get to know their employees. If you don’t know if they have a family, any issues they’re going through, or what they want from their career, then you don’t know enough. Of course, you shouldn’t be friends with your employees – but that doesn’t mean that you can’t be a decent human being and show that you care.

Extra Mile Safety

Another way to show that you care: invest in their safety. You have several obligations to your team, but the number one obligation is that they can work in a safe and hazard-free environment. What that looks like will depend on various factors, most notably the type of workplace that you have. It’ll be different if you run a factory versus running an office, for example. If you’re running a factory, then making sure appliances work correctly, making sure the space is organized, and investing in items such as used industrial dust collectors will all help to make the space as safe as possible. Remember, it’s about doing much more than just the bare minimum. You need to ensure that nothing can go wrong.

Invest in Their Career

Some bosses see their employees as just a means to the company’s end. But if you’re going to be a good boss, then you’ll need to recognize that your staff will have their own objectives. They won’t solely be interested in making money for your business. They’ll have goals and ambitions of their own. While you’re not necessarily obligated to do so, it can be a good idea to invest in their career, be it by sending them on educational courses, to conferences, things like that. The chief aim should be to help them with their career, but there’ll be an advantage for your business too – the more capable your staff is, the better the company’s performance will be.

Avoiding Micromanagement

Your company is your baby. And as such, there’ll be the temptation to oversee every small detail and make sure that it’s done exactly as you would have done it. Yet, while you can do that, it’s best not to. One thing that always turns employees against their bosses is micromanagement. In any case, it’s not even as if managing everything will make the work better. If you’ve hired correctly, then you’ll have a talented squad of employees on your side. But if you’re controlling everything, then you won’t be making the most of their skills. It’s unlikely that you can do their role better than they can!

Getting Involved

There’s always a problem with bosses who think that just because they’re in a superior position, they don’t have to chip in and help out. A good boss will always be the first one to give a hand. If you begin to think that a role is beneath you, then it’s worthwhile taking a look in the mirror. Plus, more broadly, just hard work is admired.

Ongoing Encouragement

It’s worthwhile looking at how you speak to your employees. If you’re full of negative comments, then there’ll be an issue. No one wants to work in an environment where they’re just blamed for everything all the time. So be sure to celebrate victories both large and small. It can provide that little bit of encouragement that people need to keep on pushing forward.

Conclusion

If you’ve found yourself in a management position, then be sure to take what we’ve outlined onboard. If you do, then you’ll have created a positive environment in which people are more than happy to work. And that can have far-reaching consequences for everyone and everything involved, including the prosperity of your business!