Employees look to their leaders for guidance and support. As a leader, you need to know how to provide the kind of support that your employees need. Here are some ways to do that:
Build Relationships
Most of your employees will want to have a relationship with you. Relationships help to build trust and make work more meaningful. Relationships can be started by simple check-ins or “hellos”. Continuing a work relationship is harder. You need to make sure to keep your promises and be open and honest about what you expect from the other person. This will help to build trust both ways.
Show You Care
A big part of support is showing someone that you are there for them. When Employees come to you with concerns, try your best to address those. If you can’t do anything about their concerns, offer sympathy and compassion. Share your own concerns when appropriate. Being flexible can also show your employees you care. Be willing to allow employees flexible options when in difficult times, if possible. Doing these things will show your employees that you care and earn their loyalty.
Be Transparent
When things are difficult, nobody wants to be left in the dark. If a difficulty or challenge comes up in your company, you need to communicate directly with your teams. Share with them important information that will help them to do their jobs better. Holding back information can make your employees concerned and less productive. Share all the information you can to make your employees comfortable and efficient.
Give Encouragement
People need to be encouraged and uplifted to do their best work. There are lots of ways to encourage your employees. You can do it by sharing uplifting content such as a favorite quote or a funny video. You should also spend a little more time praising your employees’ work directly. This will help your employees to have to motivation to do better work.
Use this advice to better support your employees in good times and in challenging times.