When you gain a new role of manager and become responsible for a whole team, it’s absolutely vital that you can commit yourself to your job for the sake of your new employees. Being a manager is such an important position to obtain, and you must take extra steps to learn exactly how to be the best leader you can be. Luckily it needn’t be as difficult as you might initially think, as despite your level of experience there are just a few simple tips and tricks that you can make the most of to ensure you can gain respect and ensure complete satisfaction for your staff, and it couldn’t be easier to start working on your attitude and capabilities today! So, if you want to find out more about how you can become the best manager ever, then read on to uncover some of the best ideas and concepts that you can utilize now!
Prioritize Safety
One of your main priorities no matter which working environment you operate in has to be safety. You must devote your energy to keeping your staff out of harm’s way at all times, and take the right steps to protect your team in every situation during their shift. If you operate inside an environment such as a factory or production line, there are several different features that you must implement – first off, you need to invest in the relevant personal protective equipment. PPE is so essential to keep your staff safe whilst they work, so do some research to uncover which items your team need. It’s likely you’ll have to purchase items such as hard hat helmets, high visibility jackets and potentially ear defenders or eye goggles for those operating heavy machinery. Fire safety is a focus that should be relevant in every kind of workplace, as a blaze can be fatal in any location. You should always provide fire equipment such as extinguishers and blankets, and always make fire exits and their routes of access as clear as possible. It’s a good idea to regularly test your fire alarms and identify whether each member of your team can get out safely, as it’s up to you to provide them with the knowledge they need to reach each fire escape.
Offer Rewards
A great concept that you can add to your managerial prowess is the motivational act of offering rewards for particularly hard working employees. Showing a bit of appreciation to your staff is always a good idea, as it can be a great encouragement for both the staff who receives the reward and those around them. Set goals for individual employees and teams respectively, and offer a great prize to those who reach or surpass these aims. Good reward ideas could include increased general payment or an end of year bonus, as well as more creative concepts such as day trips like spa days or driving experiences. Consider each member of your team to uncover which ideas would be appreciated the most, as rewards have to be attractive. When an employee receives a prize they feel far more valued and appreciated in their role, and those around them will want to work harder to achieve the same reward too! It’s a win-win situation, and will encourage greater levels of respect towards you at the same time, so always make an effort to reward hard work.
Value Their Wellbeing
The wellbeing of your staff should be of utmost importance, and there are many different things you can do to help your staff stay happy and healthy during every shift. Start off with the basics and offer access to fresh cold water in every different room or location, and provide fresh fruit during breaks to encourage stable energy levels. Ensure that your staff can be comfortable during their daily tasks by investing in ergonomic furniture to reduce aches and pains, and make the most of natural light to avoid eye strain. Valuing a person’s wellbeing stretches further than these basics, as you must make an effort to become an open and trustworthy manager. Staff must feel comfortable to approach you with their problems, as it’s far easier to seek out a productive solution together rather than to let their issue fester and grow. Learning some manager tips for handling time off requests in the most efficient way will also be of benefit, as sometimes your employees will need to take a day off for whatever reason.
Set House Rules
It’s a good idea to set up some house rules that both you and your team can follow which can maintain a productive and positive atmosphere as well as keeping you all safe too. Start off with the basics, such as never running and keeping walkways clear of debris to ensure there are no slips or trips. Request that your staff do not raise their voice to others, and keep good levels of respect to ensure that no employee feels upset or uncomfortable during their shift. You must always ensure that your staff can work together rather than against each other, so it’s a good idea to look into some different house rules that can encourage a great working relationship amongst your whole team. As well as this, request that your employees arrive at their shift in good time, and never over stay their breaks to make sure that they can really commit themselves during their scheduled working hours.
Change Your Attitude
Your attitude will contribute massively to your success as a manager, so it’s absolutely vital that you can change and adapt to become the best person you can be to support your team to reach victory. Managers have to be confident amongst many other things, so this is a trait that you may have to work on to boss your new role. You will likely have to speak in front of a large number of employees, so practice your body language and try to carry yourself in a way which asserts your self assurance too. Although you may believe that dominance is an important feature, bein too overpowering can intimidate your staff and discourage them from coming to you with worries or issues. Being approachable is essential, as it’s god to develop a more detailed understanding of your staff to figure out their strengths and weaknesses. Motivation levels must always be high, as you not only have to encourage yourself but every member of your team too! Setting your own goals and rewards can have the same encouraging effect as it would on any other member of staff, so think about exploring this avenue if you begin to struggle with motivation. Dealing with difficult individuals is also likely to be something you have to face, so it’s important that you know exactly how you can reach the best solution in each different scenario. It’s a good idea to remove your emotional influence when facing issues in the workplace that are affecting your company’s success, as you must prioritise profit to reach your goals and make the business work to its full capabilities. Firing a member of staff is never easy but you must make sure that you have a good reason to consider this action in the first place – do not let employees go on a whim over one small error, as they may have other issues that are affecting their ability to perform to their best. Identifying the need for support or even extra training is something that only the best manager can master, so make this an important aim so that you can encourage your team to grow and succeed as much as possible. If you do feel as though an employee is no longer suitable for your team, then retain high levels of respect and calm during your meeting and detail your reasoning to ensure they understand your decision. It’s not going to be a happy experience but you have to move forward and find another suitable person that can fill the newly opened gap with higher levels of commitment.
Becoming the best manager that you can be doesn’t have to be a difficult feat when you can make the most of the top tips and tricks detailed above! Being a good manager is such a rewarding experience, and you have the scope to make such a difference in terms of success amongst your new team. Start off by prioritising both your own and your staff’s safety no matter which kind of workplace you operate inside, as it’s your responsibility to keep everyone out of harms way at all times. It’s a good idea to offer rewards for those who show particular promise or commitment, as this can motivate the individual that received the prize as well as those around them too. Always make an effort to value their wellbeing and make them as comfortable as possible during every shift. Set some house rules to maintain a positive and productive atmosphere, and take steps to change your attitude to become the ideal approachable and confident manager that your new business needs.
