Do you regularly communicate with your employees? And if so, how do your employees respond to you?
Improving everything from how you talk to your domestic workers to the tools you use to communicate should be one of your top priorities this year. Doing so could improve your employees’ productivity and happiness. If you’re not sure how, here are three suggestions:
1. Be transparent
A Dale Carnegie Training study revealed that 84 percent of employees want their managers to admit when they’re wrong. Yet, just over half of leaders take responsibility for their mistakes. We understand that managers want to save face (everyone does), but lying or not holding themselves accountable certainly doesn’t win brownie points with employees. In fact, it can be downright detrimental to an entire staff.
Be transparent with your domestic workers. Openly discuss processes that work and ones that don’t, and talk about the strengths and weaknesses of the team, including you. Finally, evaluate your performance, and don’t hesitate to tell your employees how you’re trying to improve as their manager.
2. Be empathetic
We’re not suggesting that you have to start sending your employees birthday or holiday cards (although that’s not necessarily inappropriate), but we do believe it’s crucial you inject some personality and empathy into your day-to-day interactions with your domestic workers. They’re people too, and the more you treat them like such, the happier they’re likely to feel.
Furthermore, this personable approach could work in everyone’s favor during one-on-one meetings. Employees may be more transparent with you about problems they’re having at work if they believe you’re more likely to help them solve their issues than reprimand them.
3. Be open to change
As we mentioned, many companies have failed to adopt new forms of communication, and instead have purely relied on archaic types, such as email. You’re not a company – we understand – however, you are an employer, and you may fall victim to these old processes that frustrate all employees.
If you haven’t employed an estate manager – who would normally communicate regularly with workers – it’s critical you stay on top of new communication trends. This could help keep your employees more engaged, productive and happier.
How important is it to improve communication?
Joe Hart, CEO of Dale Carnegie Training said in a statement, according to Business News Daily, that employees are happier when managers display certain virtues.
“Employees are more satisfied with their job and more likely to stay when their leaders are honest, trustworthy and true to their beliefs,” said Hart. “As the war for talent only gets more competitive, it is critical for leaders to develop positive behaviors that will inspire employees to stay and do their best work.”
Employers who are transparent, empathetic and open to change when communicating with their domestic workers often portray the types of virtues Hart describes. If you’d like to develop your lines of communication, the suggestions in this article act as great launching points.
If you’re interested in hiring domestic staffing professionals to complete domestic jobs around your home, talk to a domestic staffing agency. Contact Colonial Domestic Agency today!