7 deadly sins & heavenly virtues of employee management [Infographic]

It’s no secret that you need a highly motivated team to achieve great results in any business. However, being a likable boss and a successful manager at the same time can be a very challenging task. In order to deliver the desired results for your business while keeping a positive karma score, find out the 7 deadly sins and 7 heavenly virtues of employee management.

As a CEO, executive, or a senior manager, you probably are a true professional or an expert in your industry. But if you’re simultaneously managing a number of employees without a background in HR, you will need some extra skills, awareness, and sensitivity to be a good boss in your employee’s eyes.

What motivates your employees?

Many managers fall into the trap of thinking that good compensation is the primary motivator for their employees. In fact, there are many other reasons why people might join your company, like growth opportunities, a flexible working environment, a sense of mission, etc. Therefore your team probably needs intrinsic motivators to be happy and good at what they do – especially if your employees are knowledge-workers like 38% of the US workforce. Growth, professional challenges, personal fulfillment, and work-life balance are often more important motivators than a good salary.

The motives for taking a job can be noble; however, the top reason for quitting is often very prosaic. The results of a recent Gallup poll revealed that 50% of employees leave because they dislike working with their manager.

Nobody decides to be an evil or annoying boss. Most managers are equally stressed about their work – for example, meeting quarterly goals and achieving KPIs, and they often feel pressure from above. Employees don’t always understand the heavy responsibility their managers face daily so they see their bosses simply as nagging bureaucrats whose only job is to criticize and overload them with tasks.

The art of employee management

As a manager, you are accountable for your team results so you cannot allow slacking or significant drops in productivity levels. So how to balance on that fine line of being an efficient manager to the company and a pleasant boss to your team?

First of all, treat your employees as a group of very different individuals, not a homogenous mass. Then start by setting your goals and tracking your team’s progress in reaching them. This will give you a clear insight into the team’s overall efficiency and daily progress. With time, you will be able to see the weak spots and improve your results. But beware – if you use time tracking as a spying tool, you will only see increasing suspicion and insecurity around you, and your employees’ happiness levels will drop.

Watch now: Do’s and don’ts of productivity time tracking for managers.

Effective employee management is an art and a science at the same time. However, some fundamental values should give you a grip on how to manage your employees. So we present to you the 7 deadly sins and the 7 heavenly virtues of employee management. Take these close to your heart – no matter if you are just starting as a manager or want to change your management style for the better.