Good leadership can help you sail through trying times. A boss can have the perfect portfolio that requires them to be in the position but may lack the soft skills needed to make their employees feel valued. The pandemic put the strongest leaders to the test. The outbreak caused a severe economic crisis with many people re-evaluating their priorities. During such times, the best bosses are struggling to swim these turbulent waters.

According to a 2015 survey titled State of the American Manager: Analytics and Advice for Leaders by Gallup, out of 7,272 employees interviewed, 50% left a job because of their managers. Due to these bad managers, employees are unhappy at work, and that misery follows them home, adding to their stress that negatively impacts their general well-being. Hence, organisations must understand what managers can do in the workplace to increase or decrease engagement.

 

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Why Soft Skills Are Important To Become A Good Boss?

When you think about how to become a good boss, you must develop your soft skills so that you can both lead and empower your team. Soft skills are important because they enable individuals to work together effectively through effective communication, problem-solving, and decision-making. Soft skill development improves your connection with the team.

 

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If you are new to a leadership role, you may wonder: How can people be managed when fear is in the air and confidence is slipping? Working on these five critical soft skills is essential for great leadership. These are as follows:

1. Critical Thinking

2. Emotional Awareness

3. Conflict Resolution

4. Interaction

5. Time Management

 

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What Makes A Good Boss

Under the five pillars of crucial soft skills, we have researched and come across these golden rules you must consider to learn the characteristics of a good boss:

1. A True Leader Gives Credit To Their Team Even During Failure

Giving credits comes under the pillar of critical thinking. Failure should never result in lashing out at your team. Every employee has their own talents and their own pace to adapt to a work environment. A true leader must give credit not only when the team is succeeding but also during the worst times so that your employees feel appreciated. Employee appreciation programmes are used by 80% of businesses, and they are effective. It motivates employees to keep doing amazing work, which, in turn, means happier customers.

 

Related Story: 5 Strategies To Navigate Tough Conversations With Your Boss

 

2. Great Bosses Redefine Well-being

According to a 2021 PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) survey of 368 companies, almost all employers (91%) added flexible work arrangements, and over half of employers (53%) added mental health programs. Managers who take a genuine interest in their employee’s mental health are shown to be more emotionally aware. Access to therapy, creating an inclusive workplace, offering flexible hours, installing onsite feedback facilities helps in caring about employees and promoting mental health.

 

3. Good Bosses Are Great Listeners

One of the important talents for outstanding management is conflict resolution, or the capacity to deal with differences calmly. A 2020 research study titled Conflict at Work by The Myers-Briggs Company found that adding value, creating space and seeking closure requires active listening and suspending judgements.

Listening to your colleagues and paying attention to their needs, wants, and organisational goals will help you resolve any conflict. If you want to be successful with your team, it’s important to make them feel heard and valued. Informal check-ins, and casual conversations are good ways to tap into your employees’ feelings and needs.

 

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4. Recognition Doesn’t Have To Be Public

Appreciation, like constructive comments, can be given in many forms. Some employees thrive on public recognition, while others enjoy the intimacy of a quick talk or interaction in the office corridor, or just an individual email praising them for a job well done!

Employee appreciation can take the shape of a monthly employee of the month award, a quarterly sales all-star award, or a full Employee Appreciation Day, as we do at our company. While not every company has the capacity or resources to dedicate a full day to employee appreciation, honouring employees in little and large ways may have a tremendous impact on morale and culture.

 

5. Managing Time Through Flexibility

Time management does not always mean meeting deadlines, it can also mean limiting long hours. From time to time, certain projects require team members to burn the midnight oil. For example, if your team is getting ready for a sales pitch, or organising an event, it’s normal and acceptable to work into the evening.

A 2021 study titled Future of Work Study: Productive Anywhere by Accenture indicates, people want to be remote working majorly due to quality of life and safety. Making sure you are limiting long hours, and offering hybrid models help reduce employee stress.

 

Related story: How To Avoid Burnout: Signs, Symptoms And How To Spot It Early

 

Offering Holistic Corporate Wellness: UR.Life Occupational Health Centers

At UR.life Corporate Wellness, we make sure our evidence-based approach makes employees thrive in all aspects of their lives. We help you to invest in your well-being through our seamless intervention. Our holistic wellness approach caters to all aspects of your well-being, ensuring that you are able to bring your whole self to work.

With UR.Life Corporate Wellness by your side, being a great boss will never be an issue. UR.Life’s Occupation Health Centers (OHC) are backed by an advanced, preventative, systemic approach to bridge and cement employee-employer relationships to create a productive workforce.

Your staff is the most precious asset you have in your company. With this guide, ensure that you become a great boss who can lead, inspire and empower.

 

Need all your wellness solutions in one place? A whole new world awaits just a click away.