Want to know how to be a better boss? There’s so much more to the job than simply being in charge. A good boss is a strong leader and motivator who helps their entire team shine. This is so important, in fact, that employees often cite the lack of a good manager as the reason they decide to leave their current position. There are many different traits that make up a good manager—they value their team, have the ability to coach, and are honest and kind. You can help achieve your team’s goals and keep top talent happy by putting these ideas into practice. In addition, you can take the time to recognize and show appreciation to your staff (something all good bosses do) with some of these employee gift ideas.
Recognize team contributions with a thank-you gift
When someone on your staff goes above and beyond, be sure to recognize their efforts. After all, if an employee receives positive reinforcement for their behavior, they are more likely to continue doing a good job. Feeling valued and appreciated creates employees who want to continue working. In fact, 81% of employees work harder when they feel appreciated.
Show appreciation to your team and give thanks with these employee gifts. When a team hits quarterly or monthly goals, congratulate them with a Pedova Bound Journal Book. This high-quality journal can be used daily in the office, making it a perfect reminder of their success. To recognize a stand-out team member with a gift they can use every day, the Color Accent Travel Tumbler or Cruz Stainless Bottle is the perfect piece of drinkware to take hot or cold beverages on the go, along with your messaging.
Make connections with team-building activities and gifts
From birthdays to hobbies to families, taking time to get to know your team on a personal level builds trust and shows employees they’re important. When trust and open communication are established, employees feel valued and supported and it shows you know how to be a better boss.
No matter how large or small your team is, schedule regular team-building activities so everyone has the chance to learn more about one another. A fun run or walk can be a great way to spend time as a group. A Fandana or Econscious Organic Cotton Twill Baseball Cap is a great gift for employees that will unite the team and remind them of the fun they had. Throw a picnic or BBQ where everyone can relax and spend time together outside of the office. A raffle with a fun door prize, such as the Coleman® 42-Can Marine Tarpaulin Cooler, is the perfect way to get everyone excited about the event.
Develop employees and reward their growth
No one is perfect. Employees are bound to make mistakes occasionally. Good bosses don’t criticize or punish when these things happen.
Instead, a strong leader encourages and mentors an employee to help them avoid the error in the future. Discover the strengths and weaknesses of everyone on your team and focus on building an employee’s confidence while encouraging them to be honest about difficulties they may be experiencing.
To invite open communication and better understand someone’s strengths, spend time, one-on-one, discussing current projects and initiatives. This provides an opportunity to openly talk about any issues. A gift for employees can help kick off these one-on-one mentoring sessions while making staff feel more comfortable. The Case Logic Reflexion Laptop Messenger or Essential Brief Bag are not only good conversation starters, they make practical employee gift ideas to reward growth.
How do you define a good boss?
To discover what our customers look for in a boss, we turned to social media. Here’s what you had to say.
“They value true collaboration. In a meeting, no title or status outweigh ideas being shared. They listen and coach. They admit their own mistakes when they happen and talk you through yours instead of degrading or demeaning you. They make it a point to sit down with their teams and ask about family or share a funny story. They are human, approachable, kind. But most important, they communicate often and well.”
“A good boss is fair, honest, compassionate and lets you know when you mess up without talking down to you.”
“They are kind, approachable and down to earth. They are also very hard working and that makes me want to work just as hard.”
Be remembered as a good leader
Now that you know how to be a better boss, take every opportunity to put these tips into practice. Valuing your team, getting to know your staff, becoming a mentor and using these employee gift ideas will turn an okay boss into a great one. Become a leader that everyone trusts and works hard for with these traits and tokens of thanks.