Hiring and retaining great employees is challenging, even when you’re doing everything right as a manager. But if you’re doing something wrong, you’ll likely see retention rates drop. The hard truth is that your management style might be costing you your best employees, especially as corporate culture evolves and industry leaders are looking for more from their managers. Here are four things great managers do that many of the top talent in your field expect from their leadership.
Focus on Employee Engagement
With a new generation of creative and independent workers on the rise, an emphasis has been placed on creating a more engaging and valued work experience in many corporate cultures. If your leadership style does not take this into account, it’s worth rethinking your approach. Take employee engagement seriously by offering staff chances to provide feedback, pitch new ideas, and take ownership of their projects. Your staff will be more motivated to work efficiently and with a renewed commitment to the corporate mission.
Understanding the Value of Work-Life Balance
Similar to engagement, there is an obvious shift in the value of work-life balance across many industries. More employees are opting for flexible work schedules and more vacation time, even at the expense of higher wages. Employees look to their manager to set the tone of the team’s approach to work-life balance. Your staff will more likely than not follow your lead and appreciate a more balanced lifestyle, and work harder to meet corporate goals and objectives because of it. But that also means loss of morale and frustration as they sacrifice their work-life balance to keep up. This is a clear recipe for burnout and eventual loss of your best employees.
Clarity of Values
Good leadership is able to not only communicate, but also inspire buy-in regarding your corporate goals and overall mission. If your corporate mission statement isn’t clear or conflicts with day-to-day activities or interactions, you lose clarity and your leadership is undermined. While you may be clear on areas such as the mission, vision, values, and identity of your company, the conflict often arises where the rubber meets the road. It really doesn’t matter how many presentations or newsletters you release, if the message isn’t landing within your own company, the clarity simply isn’t there.
Linking Tasks to Business Goals
It is important as a manager to communicate to your employees how each task or project helps deliver on the corporate mission statement and meet long-term business goals. Including lower-level employees on the strategic methods and long-term thinking that is required in the successful leadership of your company helps them better understand their importance within the overall corporate structure. Employees feel they are truly making a difference in the day-to-day proceedings of the company, and they recognize you are a true and effective leader.
Looking to give your ag team a boost?
We’ve all heard the phrase, “employees don’t quit their jobs, they quit their managers.” We’re here to help you to build an all-star team to manage effectively. For more tips on how to grow and inspire your team, contact the experts at Ag 1 Source today.
