How to become the kind of manager people want to work for

Being a manager isn’t easy. Even with years of experience, leading a team and managing people can be challenging. Balancing all the responsibilities of management – leading people, tracking projects, reporting and budgeting and so much more – can lead to managers questioning what their real role is or what their most important priority should be.

Being an effective manager is about doing what’s best for the business while staying focused on the people you manage. Running productive, positive teams can have a huge impact on the overall business. How can you become a manager people actually want to work for and enjoy being on a team with?

1. Keep employees first: Employees are what make a business successful, and it’s important to consider their needs. That’s why it’s important to put their needs ahead of yours as a manager. That means you may have to go to bat for your team and make their needs known. If the sales team is pushing your creative marketing group to work overtime week after week to meet deadlines that could easily be planned for earlier, you might need to push back to ensure some breathing room for your team. Not only does this give your employee a well-deserved break and position you as someone who cares about their well-being, it can also improve the quality of their work if they’re not constantly burned out working toward unrealistic deadlines.
2. Be accessible: Managers are busy, but it’s important to carve out time every week to connect with your team. There will no doubt be time to close the door and focus on the task in front of you, but it’s good to balance that with volunteering for a work committee or hosting a regular employee lunch off-site.
3. Be fair: Employees will want to work for you – and do their best work – when they believe they’re really part of a team. This means that employees know their manger doesn’t play favorites and believe that they have as much value and importance as any of their coworkers. Treating people they way they want to be treated and being consistently fair in dealing with employees is a sure way to make them glad that you’re their manager.

Employees do their best work when they feel valued, appreciated and invested in. Being a manager that people enjoy working for can lead to better communication, better morale and better team dynamics that can increase productivity and drive better business results. To be the best manager possible – one that inspires teams and keeps employees working as a team – the most important priority needs to be to the people who work for you every day.