HOW THE BOSS TO EMPLOYEE RELATIONSHIP CAN IMPROVE WELLBEING AND ENGAGEMENT LEVELS

Leaders have never been under so much pressure.  Navigating the COVID-19 crisis has taught us all so much, whether it be how we deal with a sudden change and imposing risk, or how we adjust our leadership style to support the challenges faced to ourselves and our colleagues.  Leaders have been somewhat forced to balance the strategic pressures of the organisation, against keeping customers and employees safe.  

This will arguably be a defining moment in many of our careers, as we reflect, many of us will be proud of what we have achieved, and it will be the foundation to the next stage of our careers.  To move forward, organisations need to prioritise leadership development, wellbeing and employee engagement.

If organisations invest in leadership development, wellbeing and employee engagement, then job satisfaction should ultimately increase.  It is the increase in job satisfaction that will likely lead to a more engaged and high-performance workforce, thus creating a return on the investment.  

When it comes to employee happiness, leaders, managers and supervisors play a much bigger part than one often expects.  The relationship between management and staff is the most important factor relating to employees’ job satisfaction.  If we can get the employee engagement levels right, it is likely that the wellbeing of our staff will be at the right level also.  However, we must appreciate that it does not always follow and there may still be work to be done.  

Whilst it stands to reason that managers would play a crucial role in their employees’ workplace happiness, there are obvious challenges.  Firstly, the organisational culture must be supportive of enhancing the relationship between managers and staff, this is likely achieved through having high levels of trust.  Secondly, the workplace can be a highly stressful environment and can contribute to mental health conditions, therefore managers need to understand how to deal with and manage emotional health in the workplace.  Finally, employees need to feel empowered, the culture should promote positive conversations and feedback from both customers and colleagues. 

Culture plays an important part in organisational development.  Whilst organisations have a vision of what the culture should be and feel like, it requires a collaborative effort to achieve the ideal culture to drive forward the aspirations of leaders.  The environment needs to feel safe, teams should exist for common purposes, working towards common goals and to celebrate achievements as a team rather than by individuals.  An effective culture will support higher levels of engagement, increased wellbeing, higher levels of performance, lower absenteeism and managers will be in a position to allocate more resources to their workers.

Shifting the behaviour of an entire cadre of leaders and managers might seem a very daunting proposition.  On one hand, the organisation needs to provide the tools and education for leaders and managers to adopt a culture of supporting the wellbeing and employee engagement of their staff, whilst on the other hand you need employees to engage in the process and want to build the desired relationships.  Senior leaders will be pivotal in this process, they are likely to act as critical change agents by embracing a servant leadership style approach, whilst embedding support for staff across the organisation.

It is well-defined that managers would play a crucial role in their employees’ workplace happiness.  So, what makes a good workplace?  Arguably, this is line managers having direct control, whilst providing workers with the context, guidance, tools and autonomy to minimise frustration, thus making their jobs meaningful.  It is also concerned with psychological safety; this is the absence of interpersonal fear as a driver of employee behaviour.  With workplace stress and anxiety on the rise, leading to increased ill health and absenteeism, the emotional health of the workforce becomes particularly important and a critical priority.

The sizeable role a boss plays in employee satisfaction and organisational performance provides an intriguing contrast with the simple measures needed to improve it.  The fundamental elements are the same as with any other human relationship: mutual trust, encouragement, empathy, and good communication. These attributes create a supportive environment where employees can feel psychologically safe and satisfied and deliver their best work.  Even though managers’ organisational context can blunt their incentives and restrict their actions, there are, nevertheless, simple changes bosses can make to improve the workplace happiness of the people who report to them.  Whilst many will perceive that initial large-scale changes will be required, arguably micro-actions often count more than larger, structural changes.

A manager needs to genuinely care about their employee’s wellbeing, they will need to possess empathy and compassion.  The manager needs to gain the trust from the employee, allowing them the opportunity to raise issues and concerns, whilst feeling safe to do so.  If problems relate to the workplace, solving them together and encouraging initiative taking can give the staff member a heightened sense of agency, in turn which should reduce stress levels.  Curiosity and compassion typically go hand in hand.  A sense of compassion could be defined as committed to the happiness, well-being, and quality of life of others, in addition to our own.  When employees receive compassion or kindness from their leaders, they become more loyal to them, loyalty in turn will feed better performance at work.

Gratitude is one of the simplest acts, being thanked is the easiest way to make people feel valued. Additionally, celebrating just small achievements helps people and teams face larger and more complex challenges.  However, there is a danger, all of us have built-in radars for fake expressions of emotion and recognise when bosses and senior leaders are simply following a script without actually meaning what they say. To make their gratitude count, managers need to hone their ability to feel genuine thankfulness and use this emotion to express their appreciation in a heartfelt way.

Giving positive feedback is another way to build employee confidence and this reinforces beneficial behaviours.  Unconditional positive regard, the practice of validating feelings, withholding judgment, and offering support, this bolsters motivation and fosters authenticity.  Positive regard is also a key contributing factor to developing an individual’s sense of autonomy and self-competence, which will also likely increase happiness and wellbeing.

Being a supportive and compassionate manager is easier for people who are themselves aware of and at peace, with their own inner state of being.  Leaders must first relate to and help themselves, before attempting to help others.  Managers who prioritise their own wellbeing can better help and support others.  It is therefore paramount that the organisation promotes a self-care culture amongst all staff.  Whilst self-care will vary between employees, for instance some will rely on meditation and mindfulness, whilst others will use exercise and hobbies to maintain their wellbeing.  If the organisation can promote and support self-care and wellbeing practices, then the organisation collectively will become more resilient.  

In a hectic and demanding environment, wellbeing and employee engagement has become even more important.  Employee engagement and wellbeing must be a top priority for any organisation, it needs investment, and it needs to be the driver for future success of employees, managers, leaders and the organisation.

Mark Horton

www.engage2perform.co.uk