It’s a classic dynamic that we hear about all the time; the terrible boss and the lowly employee. Movies have been made, books written and thousands of articles and blog posts float around the internet about employees hating their boss. Odds are, you’ve had a boss that made your work days awful.
We even have a blog post on the reasons why your employees hate working for you and how you can fix it.
We talk about the bad ones so often that we forget there are some great bosses out in the world. So how do you know if you’re one of the good ones? What are some signs that you aren’t a tyrant? Here are 9 signs that your employees love working for you.
They ask questions about their work
While this seems simple, it means that you seem approachable. There are a lot of questions that your employees could find answers to other than by asking you. The fact that they ask you questions means that they want to learn from you.
They volunteer
If your employees offer to do tasks without you even asking, that is a pretty good indicator that your crew loves working for you. You might have a difficult customer that you work for or maybe a longer drive to get to a certain job, if your employees are offering to take care of these things before you have to delegate, it means they are willing to put in the extra work for you.
They start small talk
If your employees hate your guts, they will do their best to avoid you at all costs, even if all you’re trying to do is talk about the weather or last night’s game. When conversations don’t seem forced or awkward and they are the ones initiating the conversation, that usually means they enjoy speaking with you. If your employees talk to you about their families, hobbies, or weekends, you’re golden!
Joke with you
So long as you aren’t their punchline all the time, if your employees joke around with you it is usually a good sign. It means they are comfortable around you and that usually doesn’t happen around bosses they don’t like.
Give notice
If your employees seem to be calling in sick a couple minutes before they’re supposed to be on the clock, that might be a good indication they don’t have the greatest respect for you. Of course, there are circumstances when this isn’t possible, but if they usually notify you well in advance when they need a day off, that means they are making sure that you can shuffle other people around in order to make up for their absence.
No gossip
This one might be a little tricky. You’ll have to rely on your instincts and gut feelings, but normally gossip will find its way back to you. I think this one speaks for itself... or in this case, doesn’t.
Appreciate your feedback
Your opinions and feedback are welcomed, not fought. If your employees ask if they did something right or if they are looking for suggestions on how to do a job better, they value your opinion enough for it to mean something to them. They like your constructive criticism and they want to know how they can improve in their role.
Fix their own mistakes
If your employees correct their own mistakes, take it as a sign that they value your time and want the chance to fix what they screwed up. If your employees take ownership for what they do on the job, odds are they have enough confidence in you as a boss that your response will be appropriate to the actions.
They let you know
Now this might not be something as cut and dry as your employees saying “thank you for being a great boss”, but they will vocalize that they are happy with their positions if they truly are.
