Building and Maintaining Healthy Employer-Employee Relationships

Few things are more important for an employer than building and maintaining healthy employer-employee relationships. With employee satisfaction becoming a key factor in where people are choosing to work, it’s important to lean into the conversation on how to cultivate these connections. In today’s posts, we will dive into why relational equity and trust are keys to success in this area.

Trust

As the adage goes, “respect is given, but trust is earned.” Today’s employees value transparency and honesty. These are the building blocks that help foster trust between an employer and an employee. This can be built through open communication, clear expectations, and a willingness to receive feedback. Ask your employees how they feel about their projects and what would help them succeed. Be upfront when changes happen. Invite them to have a voice when possible. Follow through on what you say you will do. These aren’t new concepts, but these basics are crucial for building trust.

Appreciation

Everyone like to be acknowledged for their hard work. Praising employees doesn’t breed entitlement, it fosters a greater sense of loyalty. Look for areas where they are performing well. Consider simple gestures, like a coffee gift card or a handwritten note of appreciation. In the end, sometimes the small things actually become the big things. According to Zippia, 92% of employees would repeat a specific action if they were given recognition for it. This not only helps the employee but it also keeps you focused on connecting in gratitude rather than connecting only to correct.

Invest

Investing in your employees is one way to build a healthy relationship with them. An often overlooked key is also investing in yourself. Think back to when you first started managing people. There are probably hundreds of lessons you wish you could go back and teach yourself. Great leaders are lead learners. Have the posture of being open to learning how to do something a different way. Intentionally investing in your own awareness, people skills, and relationships will inspire employees around you to do the same. Create a company culture of learning and growing together. When practiced, this core value can also help train and promote the potential that already exists within your office walls.

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