How To Treat Your Staff

Whether you are working in a busy office in London or a building site in the UK, having a good relationship with employees is vital in any business as it creates the perfect working conditions. However, from time to time, we do forget the fundamentals when it comes to being a boss. One thing that we have to remember is that no matter how good your staff and even if they are the best staff in the world, they need to be treated the right way in certain situations.

Employees are like children in the sense that they will learn in time how to conduct themselves in front of others but this does depend on the environment they are in or grow up in. So for example, if a child/staff member is in a bad environment, they will probably inherit certain negative traits that are happening around them. If however they grow up in a good environment, then they will inevitably inherit those good and positive points.

For a lot of Directors or CEO’s, this kind of skill comes as second nature to the individual. On the other hand, many unfortunately exercise bad practices without even realizing when it comes down to treating staff. This five-point plan below on how to treat staff is a useful guide of the most important dos and don’ts of being a Director, CEO or management staff.

1. Praise staff when they achieve something.
This is probably one of the most important points of all due to the fact that when you acknowledge an employee for their achievements, it encourages them to do more and thus promotes growth in itself for any company. It also gives them more confidence in themselves creating more rapport with clients and a clearer mind when working. If we do not praise our staff, they may feel that when they do something right or something good they might as well not do it at all as nobody notices anyway. This can then lead to demotivation which is something nobody wants.

2. Never discipline an employee in front of their colleagues.
This is a big no, no when it comes down to disciplining a valued member in the workplace. It is more likely that we will do more harm than good with this kind of conduct as it will make the member of staff feel very small and inadequate in front of their fellow colleagues thus giving them no self-confidence at all. There is also another negative impact that can occur in this situation too that is not as apparent to us. Believe it or not, but when other work associates in the office space witness this kind of scenario, it can actually have an impact on them also creating a fear factor and making them feel very nervous to be around you in case it happens to them. This can also lead to a drop in productivity too as an atmosphere in the office rental can make everyone on edge, reduce self-confidence and therefore reduce concentration levels when working.

3. Always discipline in private and end with a positive outlook.
This follows on from the last point made. When disciplining an employee it is always best to discuss the matter in private and away from other colleagues. Preferably, a scheduled time after the event occurs. Discussing the issue like adults is also important and a good tip is to explain why it their conduct was wrong and then offer solutions to make it right or correct in future. This way the whole conversation can end up on a good note rather than a bad one and will probably encourage the individual to do better. Another point that is most recommended is not to lose our temper. This is most unprofessional as it can create permanent divide in a relationship with them or even lead to the member of staff walking out. A good rule of thumb in this scenario is to treat them as if it was yourself being disciplined and if you are angry then it is definitely the wrong time to speak to that individual until you have calmed down. A recommended solution is to actually plan what needs to be discussed or done and then schedule a meeting with them.

4. Practice what you preach.
This classic saying is so true when it comes to being a Director or CEO in the office environment. Yes, granted, you have worked hard to get to where you are now so why not turn up to the office in the afternoon or take a three-hour lunch break. Wrong, wrong, wrong! This kind of attitude is unfortunately is not what a member of staff will understand or comprehend, no matter how much you explain that to them. It is always important to conduct yourself in front of staff members the same way as what you would expect from them. If you do not, they will automatically think that it is not fair and if they themselves turn up late for work, they will always argue that you do it yourself. Just remember, it is not them playing childish games, it is simply the way unfortunately that us as humans naturally think.

5. Be happy and enthusiastic in the work environment.

Last but definitely not least is to create a happy atmosphere and show enthusiasm in the office space you work in. Now you really don’t have to be overboard when doing this, as you might seem a bit strange. The main point being made here is to simply avoid being unhappy, moody and unmotivated in front of staff members as it has a negative impact. We must remember, it is a proven fact that sadness and anger can actually be contagious amongst the people around you. How many times have you encountered an aggressive social situation in a day and then find that it has somehow spread like a virus to you or another person? True isn’t it! This is why it is so important to refrain from being sad or angry at the office, as it will brush off on other people.

Colleagues in your environment can be potentially paranoid too if you have a miserable face as they may think that you dislike them or are in a mood with them. We all know that sometimes we have our off days and the best thing to do in that situation is to put things aside for the time being and concentrate on your job. If personal issues are not swept temporarily under the carpet and we dwell on personal problems, then we might as well not be at work in the first place. Obviously there are certain circumstances where we cannot avoid being sad and that is understandable but in many situations we can rise above situations promote positivity rather than negativity.


So now you have the five-point plan, why not try it yourself. You will be pleasantly surprised in the difference it can make in those certain situations and even more so when you see the actual respect you get at the end of it.