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The Habits that are Driving Your Employees Crazy

Do you know that one reason behind the failure or stunted growth of your business might be your harsh treatment towards your employees? Did you ever realize why your employees are not getting the required motivation and energy to work? The problem might lie with you! It’s time to reconsider your behavior towards them.

You might possess excellent entrepreneurship qualities and even work hard to help your business grow. But one thing that might make or break your company is how you see your team members. Think about why your employees find you an extremely difficult boss who is not easy to please.

Your employees are your valuable resources whom you must treat considerably and generously to avoid losing them. Also, remember that your employees might admire your business idea, mission, and your efforts.

However, that doesn’t mean that they will be able to work with the same motivation as you if you don’t give them reasons enough to do so. Don’t make the mistake of assuming that your employees are happy and satisfied with you simply because you have a great idea or even good opportunities for them to grow.

Remember that it is your business vision and not theirs. They continuously need to be motivated about their work. Moreover, you need to make your workforce realize that they are satisfied with their job. Otherwise, it will just be a 9-5 job for them, with no energy, passion, and commitment among your team players, thus reducing their productivity. And you cannot blame them for that!

If you wish to be a better and more agreeable boss to work with, you need to change your habits. Be honest and check whether you have the following bad habits being an entrepreneur.

1.  Not Understanding and Empathizing With Your Employees

This is the most crucial habit that is upsetting your employees. So, before delegating your day-to-day tasks and projects, you must understand them. The best way to realize their needs is to communicate with them and to hear them out.

It’s not right to make realistic expectations from your employees, especially during this COVID-19 crisis. Analyse their strengths and weaknesses and think whether they would be able to fulfill the tasks allocated. Also, determine how long they would take to complete it and avoid overburdening them.

Treat your employees as human beings and avoid exploiting them. Let them do only what they can and never force them into doing anything. Such habits will only reduce the longevity of your teams.

Whenever possible, train your employees and avoid playing the blame-game in case an issue arises. It is your responsibility to motivate your workers and help them grow with you. Never make your employees feel that you are not considering their preferences and problems, and not taking good care of them.

2.  Contacting them After Office Hours

For example, you might expect your employees to receive your calls or answer your emails and texts at any time of the day, thinking that since your employees are working from home, they will be available round the clock. Even if they aren’t working from home, you have the tendency to call them or contact them otherwise after office hours, expecting a reply soon.

Understand your team members and what they expect from you. You must realize that they have a world outside the office, and they wait patiently the entire day just to go back home and spend time with friends, family members, and loved ones. They have their personal life outside of the office, and they want to leave their work at work itself, and never take it back home.

If your employees are working from home, try to make them begin and complete their work within a fixed timeframe to let them have their own time after work. And make it a habit not to call them outside office hours! All your employees need is a good night’s sleep and some personal life.

Just because your employees need personal life outside of work doesn’t mean you will not respect or value them. Learn to empathize with your employees and try to realize their limitations and capabilities before assigning any task or making any expectations.

3.  Not Appreciating Your Employees

Hard work needs appreciation to motivate teams to work more productively. And let their hard work be paid off appropriately, not just in word of mouth, but also in terms of appraisals, rewards, or other tangible tokens.

Also, another common mistake is to point out every other mistake your employee makes. After all, they are humans and are susceptible to committing errors, often unintentionally. Avoid making an unnecessary fuss over each of those. Learn to let go at times. Instead, appreciate them for their good work.

If you find any activity or behavior of any employee unacceptable or against your business policies, talk to them in person. Don’t let them down in front of others. Try to learn about the reason that caused them to behave differently. Maybe they have a reason, or maybe they have done it unintentionally. Try to sort out any issues right away instead of being rude or harsh on your employees.

4.  You Don’t Listen!

Being the boss doesn’t mean none other than you would do the talking. In fact, your employees are the voice of your business! Listen to what they have to say and whether they are facing any issues at work.

Create a friendly and comfortable environment for them so that they can speak up more freely. The key to being a great leader is to listen rather than talk. Communicate with them more often to understand their needs and pleasure points. Try to make them happy by offering them more individualized facilities and opportunities.

Also, never limit your employees’ activities as long as they are complying with your policies and are on the right track. Let them give their inputs and listen out for their ideas or approaches. Let them feel important and comfortable in their positions and help them grow.

Speak their language and try to learn whether they need any additional resources to accomplish a particular goal or task. Try to offer them those resources or help them learn how to make the best use of the available ones as long as it is feasible.

5.  Micromanaging Your Employees

Yes, installing a CCTV camera is necessary to monitor your employees’ performance. But that doesn’t mean you will watch out for every action or movement that they make! Your team players need some space to work efficiently and not be watched over all the time. It reduces their energy and enthusiasm to work, thus hampering productivity.

Trust your team members and have faith in them. They are trying to give their best and help your business grow. Never make them feel stifled or try to look for perfection at every step. It’s essential to leave certain things up to them and focus on other core business processes instead!

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