At many companies, managers hole up in a corner office behind a door that’s shut 99 percent of the time. The only time employees interact with their boss is when they come out to do a lap around the floor once a day — if that — or if they’re summoned in for a private meeting.
Keeping employees at arm’s length is one way to manage, but definitely not the best tactic. The most effective approach is to institute an open-door policy. This helps you get on the same page as your team and work together as a cohesive unit.
Make Yourself Accessible
When your office door is closed, you send a message you don’t want to be bothered. This discourages employees from stopping by with questions, comments and concerns, because they don’t want to interrupt. Consequently, people are left to handle challenging situations on their own that should be dealt with by the boss.
Open the Lines of Communication
If your office door is always closed, employees will feel like they have to schedule a meeting to talk with you. This can be a bit of a hassle, so they’re only going to take this step when absolutely necessary. Consequently, this can easily lead to a disconnect, because people can’t know what you’re thinking when you’re holed up inside your office. If employees can just walk into your office to run something by you quickly, they will, and this will lead to more effective communication.
Become Closer With Your Team
It’s hard to bond with employees when your office door is always closed. Relationships are built on impromptu, informal chats that take place throughout the day. In passing, employees mention things to one another about their families and plans for the weekend, and if your office door is open, you’ll get in on the conversation. On the other hand, no one is going to knock on your office door to engage in a few minutes of friendly chatter, so closing the door will cause you to miss out.
Stay In-the-Know
If your office door is closed most of the time, you’ll always be the last to know everything. Employees will assume you’re not interested in the day-to-day happenings impacting the team, so this will cause you to miss out on valuable information. As the boss, you should be the first one to know what’s going on — not the last.
Team up with PrideStaff North Dallas to fill every open position on your team right the first time. We have you covered, whether you need temporary, temp-to-hire or direct hire talent. Contact us today to discuss your needs!
