7 Ways to Show Your Employees You Care

Managers expect a lot from their team members, but team members also expect a few things from their managers. What should managers do to show that they care for their employees?

A manager doesn't only manage the task list and other work-related matters; at the end of the day, they are dealing with people. Everyone has their own list of needs and wants, inside and outside of work. 

When we put employees first, we can make them more productive, efficient and engaged.

Here are the seven ways for managers to support their employees and help them achieve their career goals:

1. Wellness benefits

Most of the time, managers don't understand the concept of wellbeing in the workplace. One cannot manage or establish wellbeing in only one place. Take care of your employees outside of work if you want them to feel great at work. 

Wellbeing is about these four:

• Healthy food,

• Socialising,

• Learning and practising new skills, and

• Ample rest.

Managers should look out for their staff's wellbeing consistently and have a system in place. You should not start caring for them only when the mood in the workplace is dropping. 

Here are the ways to promote healthy living culture in the office

2. Challenge employees creatively

Having a great work-life balance is also about having a job that is engaging, creatively challenging and makes us feel valued. 

Not all jobs are like that, but it does not mean you cannot make them more engaging. A manager needs to think a little outside the box and study more about employee engagement.

Some of the ways include:

• Reward employees' input, not their output,

• Use honest and valuable recognition methods, and

• Find new ways to challenge employees creatively.

3. Conduct regular one-on-ones with staff

It is almost impossible for managers to care for their staff's careers if they don't ask them about it. 

A manager should regularly check in with all employees to identify their needs and determine if they are being challenged too much or not enough. 

It will provide them with the necessary data to become a great manager. You cannot manage employees you don't know.

4. Provide mental health resources and support

Instead of focusing on what's happening around us, employers should look more into what's happening inside us. 

The mental health stigma is finally dissolving, but we all have our part to play. A manager doesn't need to become a therapist. They will only need to provide support, such as allowing mental health days and understanding the impact of one's mental health on their work.

An employee deserves a manager who can help them access mental health services if required, even if it's just pointing them in the right direction towards a phone number.

A manager should be the one to guide their employees towards their goal.

5. Allow remote work (if possible)

It's still a hot topic: should employers bring staff back to the office, even if they were as productive working from home and happier?

Most of the time, the office is not the one doing all the work; it's the employees. If you can, let your employees decide where they perform best.

6. Encourage breaks

A manager should care about employees who eat at their desks (unless they prefer it that way, not because they had to). Employers should always prioritise employees' breaks. 

Employees are entitled to breaks. Are there too many tasks to be done to take a break, or are there not enough staff to handle the workload? Or is it just poor planning skills?

An employee should always take enough breaks. It will be easier for them to do their job when they get back to their desk, and they will also feel better and less drained. 

When taking annual leaves, an employee should feel encouraged to take the leave they're entitled to without jumping through hoops and answering hundreds of questions. 

7. Have clear boundaries with employees

There's always an employee who will be online and working, but that doesn't mean they need to respond right away. The manager should make that as clear as possible.

A manager should put boundaries on what employees can expect from one another. It can be as easy as putting up guidelines on how quickly to respond on a channel or not allowing people to send messages outside their working hours. 

Some employees need these rules so they can shut off, and it allows everyone to take the break they deserve.

We hope this guide helps your organisation to move forward and retain your best employees at the same time.