75% of employees say that their boss is the worst part of their job. It has been proven that bad management leads to reduced productivity and a low rate of staff retention. Being a good manager isn’t easy though – not only do you have to motivate and look after your staff; you still need to make sure that, ultimately, the work is being done in a way that is efficient and cost-effective. The only way that you are going to do this is by taking responsibility. Before you actively seek a management role or take on employees in your own business, you should consider all the things that you need to be responsible for, and ask yourself – do you really want to be the boss?
Keeping employees safe
Before they even think about the day-to-day work that needs doing, a good boss will need to first ensure the safety and wellbeing of their employees. Whether you are in an office environment, in a hotel, or out on a building site, it is important to arrange workers comp insurance to cover your business financially if anything happens at work. You will need to arrange regular risk assessments to ensure that the health and safety processes that you have in place are effective. Teaching good working practices to your employees is essential as a manager.
Finding the right people for the job
A company’s employees can be its best asset, but only if you have the right people doing the job in the first place. As a boss, it is your responsibility to make sure that this happens. You have to find staff that are experienced in your field of business – or offer them the right experience if you feel that they have potential. If you place someone in a role that they are not suited to, it will ultimately be detrimental to both your employee and your business.
Motivating staff
Having dealt with the practicalities and essentials of being a boss, you must then consider how you are going to organize getting the work done so that the company can thrive and make a profit. The best way to do this is by keeping your staff motivated enough that they actively contribute to the process. They are an important part of moving your business forward, and investing in their future with training and motivational schemes is worth the effort.
If you want to be the boss, you need to take responsibility for many aspects of a business. It is only by doing this that you can make the company a success. Consider all the elements required to be in charge, and think about whether this is a role you’re ready to embrace.