Caring management 101

Your customers and employees want to feel cared about, don’t they? They want to be supported by a caring management. Especially during challenging times when everyone is struggling to navigate forward. 

Today, we see a lot of companies facing devastating losses. And the most critical loss your business can face is the loss of your best employees. Your business is nothing without your employees’ hard work and commitment. Therefore, it’s vital for you to make sure your people have everything they need to stay positive and productive. 

We’re living in uncertain times which leads to increased anxiety. For example, it’s hard to answer questions like when things will get back to normal or whether to reopen economies or not. In such circumstances having a toxic work environment can take a toll on your employees’ mental health. 

As a manager or business leader, how do you take care of your employees? Do you have any strategy to ensure a healthy organizational climate? Are you a caring manager? 

In this post, we will talk about caring management, why your company needs it, and what you can do to be a caring manager. 

What is Caring Management? 

Caring management is all about how an organization treats its employees. Is management at your company caring? Or, are you a caring manager? 

It’s critical to answer these questions because how you treat your employees has a direct impact on your reputation and bottom line. 

Organizations now experience increased scrutiny from customers, media, and other stakeholders for hidden organizational practices. They have access to key information like your sexual harassment policies, wages, or involvement in political issues. In addition, social media is a great platform for people to voice their concerns. 

When consumers talk about a business, the top five things they talk about include how a business treats its people. People speak out against businesses they believe are irresponsible or unfair. Small social media influencers with hundreds and thousands of followers can have a serious impact on your employer brand. 

So, as a leader, you must take your employment practices seriously as they shape brand perceptions. If your employees are not happy with the way you treat them, it can damage your efforts to attract more talented people. 

Caring management can solve these issues with ease. It will take some hard work to understand what employees are going through and what kind of care they need to solve their professional challenges. 

All you need is a culture of caring which is only possible when your management is kind and compassionate. Here are some signs of caring management: 

What is A Culture of Caring Management?

Wondering what is a culture of caring? 

A culture of caring goes beyond how you treat your workers. It involves several things: managers caring about employees, employees caring for each other, and customers. Also, how your employees care for your vision or company’s purpose. 

A culture of caring matters because it has a direct impact on your business's success. Besides, how you engage with your workers can have an impact on productivity, retention, and absenteeism. 

Most importantly. Your company culture can impact your customer experience. If your employees are happy, they will try their best to make your customers happy. 

Related: The Key to Happy Customers? Happy Employees 

Creating a Culture of Caring Management 

A candid, genuine, and mutually respectful conversation is the starting point of a culture of caring. You need to invest some time talking to your employees and understanding their problems. Quarterly performance reviews are surely not enough to engage your employees. 

You need to learn how to listen while having group or one-on-one conversations with your employees, whether you have them digitally or face-to-face. 

Your employees’ well-being should be prioritized over your short-term revenue goals. Be willing to adjust your strategies to make things easier for your staff. 

Extract insights from those conversations and implement what you learn. If your employees are facing a workplace-related issue, make sure to resolve it. For example, if your workplace is not inclusive, take concrete steps to make it welcoming and caring. 

Happiness and Work 

Tech giants are often seen investing in employee support and job satisfaction. It’s possible to develop a scientifically controlled work environment where workers are happier and more productive. Science says happy employees are more productive. 

A study from the University of Warwick suggests that human happiness positively impacts productivity. It also identifies that unhappy workers are 10% less productive. 

Gallup finds out that 70% of Us employees don’t feel engaged in their workplace which cost companies $550 billion lost in productivity. 

Now, it's your job to figure out what makes your employees engaged and happy. Small things can make big differences. Certain strategies can help you develop a more friendly, caring culture. We will talk about them later in this blog. 

The Cost of Being a Caring Manager 

Before identifying ways to become a caring manager, let’s quickly identify the cost of being a caring manager. 

Let’s imagine that you started a role as a new manager at some company. One of your direct reports stops by for a chat. At first, you have no idea what this conversation is all about. However, as the chat progresses, you realize that this is about a personal issue. 

Your report wants to share how difficult it is for him to take care of their elderly parents whose health is deteriorating rapidly and he doesn’t know how to manage everything. He asks this question, “Do you have any advice for me”?

How would you respond to that question? You’re likely to be distressed and less engaged at work that day. 

Studies show that leaders spend as much time as 2.5 hours each week responding to such situations. Many employees prefer to approach their managers or leaders when they face emotional issues at work and they need assistance. 

However, responding to employees' personal issues and requests can affect your mood and performance at work. It is so because personal issues are often distressing and uncomfortable. Managers may find such requests inappropriate and disruptive because they have nothing to do with the work. 

It’s a real challenge to manage an employee who is going through a stressful period. 

Do you still need to be caring? 

On the bright side, when you feel like your support has a positive impact on the lives of your employees, you will feel better and experience a positive mood. Highly experienced leaders are good at managing such situations and they spend more time helping their employees with personal issues. 

How to Apply Caring Management

If you really want to be a part of caring management, you need to decide how you want your team to view you. Perception is an important factor for managers. In most cases, managers choose to be dominant, closed-off, and stoic and loud-mouthed. 

If you’re one of them avoiding a personal connection with employees, take a step back and rethink the way you manage people. Because you are likely to lose the benefit of a dedicated, long-term team if you don’t make your employee feel valued. 

Not sure how to show your employees that you care? Let’s take a look at these strategies that can show your appreciation for your people: 

Don’t Act Like You’re Above Your Employees  

How would your employees feel if you have your own parking spaces and you make them carry your luggage when traveling? It is considered bad management behaviour when managers don’t relate to their subordinates and act like they are superior. Good managers with true leadership skills care about their people and prioritize their interests above anything else. 

So, when your employees are having a problem, talk about it. Tell them how you had gone through similar situations. Expressing your own failures, vulnerability, and imperfections help your employees overcome their challenges. 

Listen First 

When you intend to speak to a worker about their struggles, be sure to listen first instead of immediately recommending something. Ask them what both of you can do together to address the issue. It’s helpful to use the word “we”.  For example, “How we can support you”. 

Help Them 

There’s nothing wrong with going above and beyond to personally help your workers. While assisting your employees with work-related issues is a part of your job, you should help them with their personal issues as well. For example, referring employees to appropriate resources can be greatly helpful. 

People go through life events that distract them from work; for example, the death of a friend, divorce, or an ailing family member. In such situations, you can support them emotionally so that they are able to focus on work while dealing with life events. 

Tell Them You Care About Their Personal Life 

It’s possible to demonstrate your care for employees’ personal life without meeting up for an all-night drinking binge. The objective here is to let your people know that you don’t just see them as worker bees. 

Back Your Workers Up With Clients 

What will you do if an employee complains about inappropriate client behaviour? Companies that care about employees will look into the matter and fire a client if needed no matter how much they’re paying. When you back your employees, your company will be rewarded with a return higher than what your client could ever offer you. 

Be Honest 

You need to be transparent and real in your day-to-day interactions with your employees. For example, if they ask for feedback, be honest. Don’t make stuff up. Also, you don’t have to be unkind when communicating feedback. Hiding the truth will only hurt your employees and company. 

Being transparent can sometimes lead to uncomfortable conversations. Take those conversations as an opportunity to deliver the truth and help your employees improve. 

Make Time 

When you are too busy to have a simple chat with your team, it will make it hard for your employees to feel appreciated. So, don’t appear too busy for workers around you. Have regular conversations with your people as a token of respect and appreciation. 

Pay Attention to Details 

We often undermine the value of small things. Sending a quick email to your team after a win can go a long way. Your team needs to be appreciated and acknowledged for all the hard work they put in to make your company successful. Events like Christmas and Thanksgiving are also an opportunity for you to express your appreciation and send them best wishes. 

Just compose a few sentences and send them over to your team members to explain why you value them. If you’ve got nothing to appreciate or you can’t think of anything you care about and value about your people, consider it a red flag. 

Welcome New Ideas 

Your workers can have great ideas on how to improve your business or overcome challenges. Listen to them and appreciate their interest in your business. If you want to encourage your employees to share their thoughts, create opportunities for them to speak up. 

Don’t Overpromise 

Set expectations carefully. You can’t effectively practice the above-mentioned strategies if you’re not aware of the expectations you set. Managers and business owners are prone to overpromising results to workers, which eventually leads to trouble. So, set realistic expectations. 

Know What You Can Offer 

When it comes to business, there are certain limits. You may be willing to give a grieving employee an option to work from home or several weeks of leave. But it’s not always your decision. Your company’s rules and regulations might not allow for things you want to do for your employees. Therefore, make sure you understand what’s possible and what's not. 

The Role of HR 

Your HR department can play a crucial role in creating a caring environment. For example, they’re involved in planning and executing employee experience plans. Make sure to equip your HR department with all the resources and tools they need to ensure an excellent employee experience. 

Here are 4 ways HR can impact company culture: 

What is the Culture of Kindness? 

Small acts of kindness are of great help when it comes to ensuring caring management. Kindness culture is when all of your people, including senior management, care about each other and are willing to go the extra mile to develop a better workplace. 

The following are 4 ways to create a culture of empathy and kindness: 

Final Thoughts on Caring Management

The need for bringing more humanity, social connection, and care to the employees’ experience is gaining momentum. Caring management is critical because talented workers look for value-based recognition and a healthy manager-employee relationship. It’s an era of leaders - the time for bosses is gone. 

Successful leaders care about their people. They don’t hesitate to invest efforts to make contributions at all levels. Follow them. Learn how to create a balance between doses of kindness and overall business outcome. Help your employees enjoy what they do. Remember, you need to be a great leader, not a friend. 

Is a Manager Meant to be a Psychologist?

“The best manager I have ever had”. Many of us have uttered or heard this phrase at some point in our lives. But what does it truly signify? What distinguishes a good manager from a bad one?

You may have come across numerous literary works that emphasize the qualities and traits of effective leaders and managers. However, little attention has been given to the psychology, daily interactions, and decision-making processes that enable managers to bring out the best in their employees.

According to Gallup, hiring a manager is the most critical decision organizations make. Unfortunately, most companies end up hiring the wrong manager, with a staggering 82% of hiring decisions resulting in mismatched talent. Furthermore, research suggests that 70% of individuals in management roles lack the necessary skills for the job. 

Bad managers cost companies billions of dollars annually and can even lead to the downfall of a company if there are too many of them. On the other hand, hiring talented managers can propel your company forward and keep it ahead of the competition.

As an entrepreneur or business leader, your success depends largely on your own or your managers' ability to comprehend the psychology of your employees.

In this blog post, we will explore how a basic understanding of human psychology can enhance managers' performance. We will also delve into different types of managers, the common mistakes they make, and what they should or should not do to become exceptional managers.

How Psychology Enhances Managerial Skills 

Is it necessary to be a psychologist to thrive as a business owner or manager? Why is understanding your employees' personality traits so important?

While it is not mandatory to possess an in-depth knowledge of personality dynamics to be a good business leader, having a basic understanding can significantly facilitate effective management and resolution of interpersonal issues.

When you make an effort to comprehend an employee's internal motivations, it enables you to encourage them to unleash their full potential.

Consider the following example to further illustrate this point:

Suppose you need to provide feedback to one of your employees who prepared a report but missed an important detail. If you possess an understanding of human psychology, you will be mindful of how you deliver the feedback. Employees often perceive feedback as criticism and react accordingly.

Instead of saying, "Hey Becky, you forgot to include last week's numbers in the report; make sure you don't repeat that mistake," you can say, "Hey Becky, you did an excellent job on the report. It would be great if you could include last week's numbers next time."

Your response to a particular situation should be tailored to the individual you are dealing with. For instance, if you have to handle a narcissistic employee, it is crucial to know how to address traits like arrogance and aggression. If firing the narcissist is not an option and they are causing significant problems for the company, your only recourse is to learn how to manage such individuals. For example, you can make them feel special, thereby motivating them to perform at a higher level.

A competent manager is adept at leveraging negative traits and transforming them into assets.

Types of Managers 

What kind of manager are you? How do your team members or employees perceive you? Do you possess qualities that drive employees to excel or become more productive?

There are various types of managers in the business world. Let's explore four types of managers who have demonstrated exceptional performance:

Appreciative Manager: Cultivating a Culture of Recognition

In the workplace, everyone appreciates recognition for their efforts. Employees prefer working with managers who acknowledge and value their work. To demonstrate care and appreciation for your employees and their contributions, creating a culture of recognition is paramount.

Recognizing good work doesn't require a significant time investment. Simple gestures like sending a quick thank-you email or message to individuals who have achieved outstanding results can go a long way. Additionally, meeting employees' emotional needs by appreciating those who come up with innovative ideas fosters a productive and positive work environment.

Receptive to Feedback: Embracing Collaboration and Collective Intelligence

We have all encountered managers who seem disinterested in hearing what their team has to say. Such managers assign work, give orders, and rarely listen to their employees' perspectives on assigned projects. Unfortunately, most managers are not adept listeners, impeding their ability to foster collaboration and gather valuable insights from their team.

Being a receptive manager means actively seeking and embracing feedback from your employees. It involves creating an environment where open communication is encouraged, and team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, concerns, and ideas. When employees know that their opinions are valued and that their feedback can lead to positive changes, they become more engaged and invested in their work.

Receptive managers understand that they don't have all the answers and recognize the power of collective intelligence. They actively seek input from their team members, consider different perspectives, and make informed decisions based on the information gathered. This approach not only enhances problem-solving but also empowers employees, making them feel valued and part of the decision-making process.

Caring Manager: Nurturing Employee Well-being and Growth

Effective managers go beyond their roles and demonstrate genuine care for their employees. It's not enough to simply proclaim care; actions speak louder than words. For example, managers can make a significant impact by sending simple, inexpensive gifts to their team members, creating memorable experiences. Welcoming new employees with a thoughtful welcome kit is another way to make them feel valued and appreciated.

Additionally, caring managers understand the importance of providing growth opportunities. They support their employees' professional development by offering career development plans, ensuring that employees have the chance to progress and acquire new skills. Progressive organizations prioritize employee growth, creating an environment where individuals feel motivated and empowered to reach their full potential.

Growth-oriented Manager: Promoting Growth in the Workplace

People don't want to feel stuck in their jobs; they want to grow. That's why having opportunities for growth is highly valued by employees. As a manager, what can you do to help your team members grow? If you don't support their growth, they may eventually seek other jobs where they can further develop their skills.

Progressive organizations provide career development plans to ensure that employees have opportunities to progress and acquire new skills.

How a Manager can Support Employees 

Managers often encounter situations where an employee makes a significant error or a project doesn't meet expectations. How should managers react in such circumstances? How can they effectively address underperforming team members?

Naturally, frustration and anger arise when employees make mistakes, particularly when it negatively impacts critical projects. Traditionally, the response has been to punish the employee, aiming to prevent future mistakes and send a message to the rest of the team.

However, some managers choose a different approach when dealing with underperforming team members: kindness and compassion. This doesn't imply a lack of concern for project success or outcomes. Instead, it presents an opportunity for coaching without passing judgment.

According to SHRM’s 2016 Employee Job Satisfaction and Engagement survey, a lack of support from management is a leading cause of employee dissatisfaction and turnover. Strong support from managers correlates with lower turnover rates.

Kindness is a crucial leadership quality. Research from Harvard Business School reveals that leaders who project warmth are more effective than those who rely on fear as a management approach. Kind managers excel at building trust, which is crucial in leadership.

Studies conducted by Oxford University confirm that kindness contributes to employee happiness. Happy employees tend to be more productive. Acts of kindness, even small ones like a smile or nod, create a positive culture, fostering trust, attentiveness, and appreciation. 

How to Be a Kind Manager 

Don’t react instantly 

To project warmth and become a likable manager, it's important to avoid immediate reactions. Take a step back, control your emotions, and respond thoughtfully. Practicing meditation can aid in emotional regulation. Additionally, consider your employee's perspective, fostering empathy and compassionate responses. Learning to forgive strengthens relationships and positively impacts well-being.

Consider your employee’s perspective  

Managers who neglect employee psychology often make critical mistakes, such as micromanaging through fear, failing to listen actively, becoming overly familiar, not providing constructive feedback, and withholding shared leadership opportunities.

Learn how to forgive 

Learning how to forgive not only strengthens your relationships with your team but also creates a positive impact on your own well-being. Carrying a grudge, on the other hand, leads to bad health. So, take forgiveness as a tool to lower stress and creates a productive work environment. 

Common Mistakes Managers Make With Their Employees 

Managers who disregard the psychological well-being of their employees often fall into the following traps:

Micromanaging 

The number one mistake managers can make is leading through fear and a lack of vision, which often results in excessive micromanaging. This hampers team motivation and stifles creativity.

Not Listening 

It is crucial to listen to your employees and engage in two-way communication. Failing to be an active and respectful listener shows a lack of value for your team members.

Overly Friendly Manager

Some managers fail to maintain professional boundaries and try to become too friendly with their subordinates, compromising their own integrity.

Lack of Feedback 

Mistake lies in being defensive or avoiding questions when receiving feedback from the team. Inability to accept feedback is an undesirable trait in a manager.

Neglecting Shared Leadership

A traditional business approach is to share leadership with employees, empowering them to make decisions. Frontline workers often possess more subject matter expertise than managers or leaders, so not tapping into their intelligence is a mistake.

Influencing Employees' Mood as a Manager

The concept is simple: if a manager is happy, it is likely that their team will be happy too. Happy workers undoubtedly produce better results. Conversely, an unhappy and frustrated manager makes it difficult for the team to remain calm and content.

Organizations require both happy managers and employees, which is why they seek specific behaviors and competencies when hiring managers, as these factors contribute to workplace happiness.

Managers can influence their teams' moods by considering various factors such as social activities, sleep patterns, work-life balance, and stressful events that affect emotions. By helping employees regulate and control their emotions, managers can make a positive impact. Simple gestures like a nod, smile, or word of appreciation can significantly influence the team's mood.

Managing Difficult Employees

Your employees are your greatest asset, but managing them can sometimes be challenging, as there may be individuals who exhibit unhealthy behavior. It is important not to allow such behavior to create stressful situations for others.

Here are valuable tips for managing difficult people:

Final Thoughts

Positive psychology allows managers and leaders to focus on developing the strengths of their employees rather than fixating on weaknesses. As a manager, it is essential to enhance your understanding of workplace psychology, instilling a growth mindset in your team and driving remarkable results for your organization.

By comprehending the reasons behind people's actions, you can effectively communicate and empathize with them. Prioritize your team's psychological needs, making them feel valued and empowered, while leveraging technology and tools to address other talent management challenges.


7 Things a Successful Manager Does

You might be asking yourself this question every day: “Am I a good manager”? What does it take to be a successful Manager? Do I have what it takes to act like a leader while managing my people? If you’re a manager or want to become a manager, you probably ask yourself some of these questions. Aren’t you? 

As a manager, your career growth largely depends on your ability to manage employees and evaluate their performance. Nonetheless, if a manager can do their job satisfactorily, it doesn’t mean they’re management experts. 

So, what can you do differently to grow as a manager? To answer this, we decided to come up with this post that will explain 7 important things you need to do or practice in order to become great at managing people. Before we identify those things, let’s take a quick look at the basic attributes of a good manager: 

What is a Successful Manager 

With the rise of remote work, the role of managers has changed drastically over the last couple of years. However, there are certain fundamental qualities that a manager must have in order to be successful. Here are some of the must-have qualities or skills of a good manager: 

But you can certainly think beyond these qualities and try to embrace an out-of-the-box management approach. While basic management skills are imperative, let’s see what else you can do to be a great manager.  

7 Key Things a Successful Manager Does Differently

If you’re looking to hire a good manager, you should consider the following elements and practices to spot a great manager. 

1. Stands Up for What’s Right 

Not every manager has the guts to stand up for what is right. How many managers or leaders do you believe make personal sacrifices to do the right thing even if that harms their own personal interests? 

People often hesitate to do the right thing because they think their job will be at stake. If you want to stand out as a manager and truly inspire your team, learn how to take a stand and never compromise your values. Do the right thing always even if it has the potential to jeopardize your career. 

2. A Successful Manager Uplifts People 

Great managers don’t hesitate to invest their time and energy to uplift their teams. For this, they put effort into understanding their employees, giving feedback, setting clear expectations, and having their team members’ backs. 

3. Gives Employees the Space They Need 

People who feel free to make their own decisions at work are more productive and happier. As a manager, you might want your employees to get things done the way you want them to. 

However, good managers empower their teams to make their own decisions, especially when they work with individual contributors. If you want to do things differently and efficiently, step away from the individualistic mindset and let your people make small decisions.  

4. Connects with Employees 

Here is another important thing managers do to build stronger teams: connecting with their employees to a certain extent. You should be working towards knowing your employees’ goals, ambitions, and skills, and then help them mitigate their difficulties. Here are some techniques to connect with your employees: 

5. A Successful Manager Coaches to Engage 

A manager with coaching skills asks questions instead of providing answers. Instead of judging employees, they support them and facilitate their development. Since organizations are moving away from command-and-control practices, managers have to take a genuine interest in their people. Great business leaders often use their coaching skills to accelerate business growth. 

6. Reflects on Behavior 

Good leaders reflect on their behavior and hold themselves accountable. Business management is not about showing up in the office and going about your business tasks. You have to practice self-reflection and see your workers with feelings and thoughts. Therefore, evaluate your behavior to find out why you’re acting in a certain way. 

7. A Succesful Manager is a Leader Not a Boss  

Lastly, we will discuss the most important thing successful managers do differently: manage people like a leader instead of a boss. People no longer want to work with bosses: they want to work with leaders and influencers. Remember, 75% of employees leaving their jobs don’t quit their jobs; they quit their bosses. So, think of yourself as a leader instead of a boss. 

Final Thoughts

For employers, finding a great manager is like finding a needle in a haystack. This is probably the reason why Gallup found out that 82% of the time businesses fail to hire the right candidate for a managerial position. So, try to be the manager every company is looking for. Learn how to do things differently and inspire employees. 

Management is about persuading people to do things they do not want to do, while leadership is about inspiring people to do things they never thought they could. --Steve Jobs 

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