How To Improve Your Employee Relationships
Employee relationships are a key factor in a company’s success, whether that means employee-manager relationships or colleague relationships. If staff members do not have a good working relationship, the quality of the services they offer to customers and clients is likely to drop significantly. They will also feel less enthusiastic and focused on their work, leading to a drop in overall productivity.
It is important that organisations put certain procedures and structures in place to ensure that employee relationships are well-managed. With that in mind, we’ve put together a guide outlining some tools that help you when managing employee relationships.
1. Employee Benefits Platform
A strong benefits system that rewards hard work is important in the workplace as it allows employees to feel valued. A good benefits system demonstrates a commitment to the employee on a personal level. A commitment that is beyond the scope of their work and acts as an incentive for them to work harder and smarter.
Zest has an employee benefits platform that is sure to help improve employee relations. The easy-to-use, online system allows employees to engage with their benefits, anytime, anywhere, anyplace. It also as offers services that help to improve in-house communication. This tool will allow you to foster better working relationships with your employees.
2. Staff Feedback Surveys
Online surveys such as Survey Monkey are another useful tool you can use to help manage your employee relationships. They will allow employees to voice their opinions, both positive and negative, regarding the company and how it is run. When setting up a survey, you can choose to ask specific questions. Alternatively, you can allow employees to enter their own thoughts freely and without prompt.
Here are some great sample questions:
- Do you feel supported in the workplace?
- If there was something you could change about the office, what would that be?
- What is something we are getting right? What is something we are getting wrong?
It is vital that employees are able to express themselves at work, especially if they are unhappy. Anonymised surveys give them this opportunity. They will not have to worry about any repercussions that could occur if they speak out. Furthermore, as the survey is completed online, employees may feel more comfortable discussing important issues that could be difficult to discuss face-to-face.
We’d recommend sending out these surveys on a bi-monthly basis, alongside follow-up emails detailing any changes you are going to make or implement as a result of the surveys. This will help employees feel as though they are respected and listened to, especially if you implement necessary changes speedily and with discretion.
3. Online Tracking and Training Software
Another way in which you can foster better relationships with employees is by providing numerous online training opportunities. E-learning tools such as Learn Upon can help you set up tailored online training for your employees in no time! This will allow them to develop the skills they need to advance in their career, meaning they will also perform much better. What’s more, the online tracking element means you will be able to see who is advancing and who may need further support.
As a result, this is a useful tool in managing employee relationships. You can then offer more focused guidance to those who need it. You can also pair them with another employee who can guide them in the right direction. This will allow them to learn from each other and develop their working relationship.
4. Instant Communication
Good communication is a key element of any business and is often integral to a company’s success. This means that each employee should feel entirely comfortable asking for help and resolving issues in the workplace, as well as simply being able to check in with each other on a day-to-day basis. Effective communication improves team morale and individual wellness for staff at all levels of seniority – from interns to managers.
Diversifying the ways in which you communicate in the office is key. This is particularly important in the age of remote working where different individuals prefer different methods of communication, such as text, audio or face to face. Video conferencing tools such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Skype are great for virtual meetings. They allow all collaborators on a project to come together and can be useful for weekly team briefings. Alternatively, instant messenger services such as Google Hangouts allow you to create that ‘corridor meeting’ and ‘open-door’ vibe even if you’re not in the same physical space.
Final Words
There are many tools available online that you can use to manage employee relationships more effectively. The majority of these are designed to improve in-house communication and focus on building a strong and supportive network with your employees.
It is also important to reward staff for their hard work to encourage loyalty. When an employee feels respected and valued in the workplace, they will trust you more and also work much harder. Moreover, they will be more likely to stay with your company in the future. Strong employee relationships often result in a welcoming, inclusive workplace that allows both the company and the individual employees to thrive.
