4 Ways to Make Your Employees Hate Their Job
There are so many articles on the qualities and actions that make a great leader or manager, but so many managers need to be called out on what they are currently doing that really isn’t working. In fact, it may be contributing to a daily build-up of resentment that can only negatively affect the daily business operations.
Here are four ways to make employees hate their job and how you can avoid the problems altogether:
#1: The dreaded micromanagement
This can happen in any office, but it often happens in a small business setting where the boss is used to wearing all the hats. They have been working alone for so long that they are reluctant to give up control of anything. The worst is when the boss says they are going to put an employee in charge of certain aspects of the business, but then they hover or get agitated when the employee makes a decision without running it by them.
#2: Lack of direct communication
This can take on many forms. Perhaps communication isn’t your strong point, however if you are going to succeed at leading a team, then you just need to get over it. I once had a boss that didn’t speak to me for at least two weeks. It made for some very uncomfortable times in a small business with only a few people in the office!
The other side of this issue is perhaps when employees are inundated with so many emails from the boss at all hours of the day that they can’t keep track of what you’ve actually said. While email is a useful tool, it will never fully replace face-to-face conversation, especially in a small business.
#3: Lack of strategic focus
There is nothing worse for an employee than working for a company that changes direction so often that they can’t remember what the purpose of the day is. You may be an “idea man”, but that doesn’t mean that you should experiment with your company or your employees. Regularly changing the focus of the company is frustrating for employees because it often means changing the way they do things on a daily basis.
#4: Appearing in the office is a rare or sparse occurrence
Simply put, you need to show up to succeed. Maybe you love the idea of owning your own business because it means you don’t answer to anyone else. However, once you bring employees into the mix, it means you are actually accountable to them as much as they are accountable to you. If your employees are never sure what time or even if you will show up at the office, how do you expect them to be dedicated to a company that the boss doesn’t seem to care about? And when you set a meeting time with employees, make it as important as a client meeting.
I worked for a small business where the team was constantly asking if the head of the company was coming in. No one ever knew. When this person finally showed up, it was generally only for a short while and they were often too busy to speak to anyone or answer questions related to tasks relegated to them via a quick email.
The reality is, if you are a bad leader or manager, chances are no one will call you out on it for fear of consequences. It’s time to take note of how your office is being run and be honest with yourself. It takes a little intuition, but if changes need to be made, it’s never too late to turn it around!
