It is fair to say that business owners and people managers are not short on challenges right now. It has been a rollercoaster of a couple of years, and even though it seems like we are finally on the other side of the major issues that 2020 gave us, it is clear that things are going to be difficult in the months ahead.
The markets are going to continue to be unpredictable. The rising costs across the board are going to hit consumers and businesses alike. What’s more, everyone is going to continue to need to be there to support our employees.
The last two years or so have been a crash-course in management training for anyone who has had to look after a team. The challenges that we have faced have forced us to learn about how to employee mental health concerns, and to be a lot more flexible when it comes to where and when our employees work. But the lessons are not over yet, and everyone needs to look for ways that we can improve. Here are a few tips to help you become a better boss this year.
Embrace Flexibility Where You Can
One of the biggest stories of the last couple of years was the question of whether or not businesses would ever go back to the office. The move to remote working was relatively smooth for some businesses, while others found it to be a seismic shift. At the time, it was assumed that we would all go back to the old way of doing business sooner rather than later, but it has become abundantly clear that remote working is going to be here to stay for a lot of companies.
Now, it goes without saying that there are some companies for whom remote working is simply not an option. However, the surveys have consistently shown that a huge proportion of workers prefer to avoid coming into the office. If you want to continue to support your employees, think about what you can do to offer flexibility where you can. Could you look at a hybrid approach? Would flexible working hours help those who need to come into the office? Make this question something that you discuss with your employees, instead of making an arbitrary ruling that they have to abide by.
Look For Ways That You Can Offer Progression
You will remember the stories about the so-called Great Resignation last year. One of the biggest reasons for so many people leaving their jobs is that they felt that they had hit the ceiling. If you do not demonstrate to your employees that there are routes to progress and develop at your company, they will ask themselves if they really want to be there. Now, it is not always easy to think of the best way to implement this. In an ideal world, there would be a clear path for every employee, and an easy way to make sure that they can continue climbing the ladder.
However, with the market the way it is, budgetary issues can make this tricky. It is also true that the way that we do business has changed drastically in recent years, and the pivot to digital has meant that so many new skills are required. As a result, many of the staff members who may have been expecting a progression may have found that they do not currently possess those necessary attributes. This is where an internal talent mobility expert can really help. The team at Randstad RiseSmart can help you to create a plan to find paths forward for your team so that you do not lose your most valuable people. Get in touch with them to find a solution that works for you and your business.
Know When To Delegate
It can be so tempting to take on as much responsibility as you can. There is something inherent in the DNA of entrepreneurs and self-starters that tells them that if something is worth doing, then it is worth doing yourself. However, it is so important to remember that one of the biggest reasons why you surround yourself with talented people is that you trust them to do their jobs.
If you are taking on every single responsibility yourself, then you are actually slowing down the workflow and you are running a greater risk of something getting missed and mistakes being made. If you want to be a better boss, then a big part of that is knowing when you need to delegate. Sit down with your team leaders and look at the hierarchies and decision-making chains that you currently have set up. You need to ensure that you are not losing time waiting for someone to greenlight something that is clearly ready to go.
Support Mental Health
Everyone has learned a lot about mental health over the last couple of years. But the fact that the crash course of 2020 is over does not mean that we can rest on our laurels and go back to the way that things used to be. The simple fact is that there are going to be a lot of things weighing on people’s minds in the months ahead. The cost-of-living crisis is impossible to ignore, and there are still an awful lot of people at risk of burning out. If you have yet to come up with a concrete plan to support the mental wellbeing of your employees, this needs to be a priority.
You need to ensure that you are committed to providing a healthy work-life balance. Emphasise the importance of signing off on time at the end of the day and ensure that no one is getting work messages out of office hours that they are expected to answer. Talk to your HR manager about what you can do to make your employees feel more comfortable coming forward with their health issues. You could also think about adding mental health support to your employee health packages. There are plenty of counselling services out there that are getting more and more accessible, and your employees may like to hear about them.
Take The Climate Crisis Seriously
Speaking of issues that your employees are going to be worried about, you will have seen the stories about the climate crisis in recent years. If you want to find a way to help your business and help your employees, then you can think about ways that you can get more proactive about reducing your carbon footprint. It is well worth remembering that we are all getting a lot pickier with the businesses that we use based on how sustainable they are, so doing things like using recycled and/or recyclable packaging is an excellent business decision. This is especially important as so few UK businesses are delivering on sustainability goals right now. Stressing the importance of recycling around the office is also important, but why not think bigger?
Offering to help subsidise public transport fees for your employees will encourage them to get out of their cars and will help save them money on fuel. You should also look at what green charities and initiatives you could contribute to or collaborate with in your area. Think about working with them on team-building exercises. Everyone wants to feel like they are working towards something positive with this issue and making your employees a part of your plan can really help.
