It seems like this year has had more than its fair share of challenges, both in the workplace and out of it. Everyone has been through so much over the last twelve months, but the good news is that a new year is very nearly upon us, and it is time to look forward.
Even though there are some challenges that we know will continue for at least a few months still, it is important to look at 2024 as a time with new opportunities and ways to have a fresh start.
One of the most important things that everyone does at this time of year is to think about how they would like to improve. It’s when we think about losing weight, getting into a better exercise routine, and maybe even learning a new language.
For bosses and business owners, it is a time when they think about how they can bolster their company in the months ahead and start to take some steps towards growth and even more success. There is one area where these areas come together, and that is thinking about how you can be a better boss. Here are a few tips to help you to get started.
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Give Them The Tools They Need To Work From Home
The debate over whether or not working remotely was here to stay or whether everyone would eventually go back to the office seems to have been settled, at least for now.
The answer seems to be that a hybrid approach to working is a great way to ensure that you are getting the kind of performance you need from your employees while keeping them happy.
However, if you are thinking about allowing your staff to work from home, then you need to make sure that they have the necessary tools to be able to do so. That means investing in the necessary IT equipment if they do not already have it, and it means investing in the software they need to do their jobs properly.
One of the biggest issues that a lot of companies have when their staff is working remotely is remote access and being able to offer remote desktop support. Good remote support software can be expensive, but if you are looking for a TeamViewer alternative, then you should check out TSplus.
The TSplus TeamViewer alternative is that you can have software that is ideal for remote desktop control and screen sharing with unmatched value for money. Visit their website to find out how their software could be perfect for you.
Understand Your Employees’ Concerns Outside Of Work
One of the biggest issues that everyone is facing right now is the rising cost of living. It may not be making the news here in the United States as it is in the United Kingdom, for example, but the fact is that the price of energy is going up, people are paying more for food at the store, and filling your car up at the pump is making a bigger dent in your paycheck than it used to.
You need to be cognizant of the fact that your employees are going to be coming to work worrying about their bills and their mortgages, and while you may not be able to do anything to fix that for them, it will help if you can reassure them that you are aware and that you are looking for ways that you can add additional support.
Know When You Should Delegate
Something that a lot of bosses find hard to do is knowing when they need to take a step back and delegate responsibility. It can be tough when you know that you have an important project in the works, or if there is a complicated piece of work that requires a lot of focus, to allow your team to get on with it without you. But there are a couple of things that you need to remember.
The first is that, on a purely practical level, you are going to have a lot of other things that you need to focus on. There are so many challenges that businesses are dealing with at the moment that there is a good chance that your time and attention would be better spent elsewhere.
The second is that this is an opportunity for your team to grow and develop their skills by taking on more responsibility. Don’t forget to congratulate them on a job well done either. You can be a better boss by letting them take the reins every once in a while.
Look For Ways That You Can Allow Your Staff To Develop
That brings us to our next point. When you first bring on new hires, the chances are that you have added them to your team for a specific role.
You hope that there will come a time when they can move up in the company and become a more important part of the team, but a lot of the time businesses advertise these kinds of opportunities because they need someone with specific skills and experience yesterday.
However, the longer that your employees stay with your business, the more they will think about their next steps. If you are not thinking about it, then they may look elsewhere.
So, when you do your annual appraisals, talk to your employees about any areas that they might like to try and where they would like to be at the start of the following year.
If you know that you are going to be expanding your business into new sectors or investing more in areas like digital, social, or marketing, find out if there is anyone already on the payroll who is hungry for that specific opportunity. Investing in the future of your employees is a great way to improve their morale and your long-term success.
Keep Offering Mental Health Support
Mental health has been one of the dominant stories of the news cycle for the last couple of years. Everyone has learned a lot about burnout and how many people it affects, and a lot of businesses out there have taken major steps to address it and provide more support.
However, just because you may not be reading about it as much right now as you used to, that does not mean that the issue has gone away. If you want to be a better boss in 2024, your employees’ mental health needs to be one of your major priorities.
You can start by talking to your HR manager about the support options that you currently have in place. Are there channels where people can raise an issue if they need to? You also need to talk to your team leaders and all of your employees about how seriously you are taking this issue.
You could talk to them about including mental health options in their employee benefits package, as many companies have decided to do.
Something that may also help you to understand the issue better is taking a course in workplace mental health. Many great institutions are offering online courses, and this is the kind of learning that could have real benefits for your company in the long run.
