Employees Don’t Leave Jobs. They Leave Managers.

Many organizations underestimate the power of great leadership in increasing employee motivation, engagement and retention. Over the course of my career, I have only had two good bosses. As I think back, this was the single biggest determinant of whether I stayed or left a company. It does not always have to do with the size of your paycheck, the length of your commute, or the everyday tasks you do – what matters most to workplace happiness are the qualities your manager brings to their job. A boss sets the tone of the organization.

Please don't get me wrong. Yes, motivation is intrinsic but dealing with a bad boss for 8-10 hours a day, 5 days a week, can even wear out the most loyal employees. According to an article published by World Economic Forum, 70% of employees consider themselves to be disengaged at work. The University of California found that demotivated employees are 31% less productive, are 3x less creative and 87% more likely to quit than motivated employees. There is mounting evidence that happy workers are more productive workers which translates into higher stock market returns. Maybe it's time companies invest more effort and resources into management selection and ongoing training. A manager's job is to facilitate a good working environment for his/her employees. Few things are as costly and disruptive as managers who kill morale. Many bosses can manage processes but they are not apt in leading people which calls for inspiration, vision and soft skills.

If management stopped demotivating their employees, then they wouldn't have to worry so much about motivating them. - Mark Graban

What Employees really want? It all starts with Strong Leadership.

10 Traits of a Boss who is a Strong Leader:

1. They genuinely care and put the interests of their team first.

2. They are not afraid to hire people smarter than they are. They aren't threatened or intimidated by the success of employees.

3. They are quick to share and give credit.

4. They empower employees. They set employees up to succeed.

5. They take responsibility. They don't shift the blame.

6. They are humble and welcome feedback even if it’s not positive.

7. They are fair and transparent. Their words and actions match. They walk the talk.

8. They have high emotional intelligence. They show empathy. They don’t take things personally, harbor grudges or easily get angry.

9. They are good at solving problems. They are competent at what they do.

10. They push employees to grow and develop. They coach and mentor employees.

A bad manager can take a good staff and destroy it, causing the best employees to flee and the remainder to lose all motivation.

A bad boss will intimidate, compete with and micromanage employees. The damage that can happen working for a bad boss is much more than just what happens by being mismanaged. Working for a bad boss can erode your self-confidence and increase anxiety and stress. They can even make work drudgery. A good boss on the other hand can make the worst of jobs tolerable and interesting. Life is too short to spend so much time under someone who frustrates and ill treats you. Employees are not asking for much. They spend over half of their lives at work. They just want to be in a healthy environment that supports and helps them to grow and develop. Build up employees and you build up the company.

When it comes to keeping employees motivated, there are a number of factors to keep in mind—from communicating goals and expectations to showing interest in your employees’ professional aspirations. You can have all the team building exercises, engagement programmes and perks, but the number one incentive to keeping employees engaged and productive is having a good boss. That is the best incentive of all.

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