For targets to be met, goals to be achieved and workplace happiness to be at an all-time high, the team has to be in harmony. If it’s not, then dissatisfaction will quickly follow as employees become detached from what they are doing.
In our recent ‘Panda Pointers’ post, we looked at manager’s who can show their team appreciation in simple ways to improve staff morale. This works both ways however; how can you improve your working relationship with your managerial team to ensure mutual understanding, while achieving great things? #CareerCounsel is on hand to investigate.
Before we delve into the subject further, let’s have a quick look at what our salary surveyrespondents thought about management.
If you feel your manager can do a bit more to help your day to day activity, there are simple solutions to this. However, don’t presume that the grass is evergreen on your side; make sure you acknowledge your manager’s schedule and have a think about anything you can potentially do for them too.
When you’re not working to a clear structure it can cause slight disarray as you try to put together your weekly to do list. It is good to have a say over your daily activity, so be grateful that the trust is there. However if you really feel your management team should provide more guidance and coordinate the activities across the team, the solution is simple. Simply suggest the idea of a team update at the beginning of every week, where everyone can discuss what they’re doing and what is absolute priority. Chances are the management team will embrace this, so that there is complete transparency about what everyone is doing.
Career progression is so important and if you feel there isn’t enough discussion about opportunities, you must resolve this quickly. First of all, review your own work to distinguish between what you excel at and what needs some improvement. It is so important to know exactly what you want to discuss before you approach your manager, as it shows you’ve really thought about how you can develop and you don’t expect your manager to make the plan for you.
Once that’s done, arrange a chat with your manager to discuss some small changes to start with. Rather than ask for new responsibilities, why not ask if there are any of your strengths that can help them with an upcoming project? You’re offering them a favour, while hopefully getting some new things to sink your teeth into. Remember, progression doesn’t always mean a big promotion…you can take small steps in the right direction and it’s still a great leap forward.
As mentioned, a close knit team is so important. If you feel your management team doesn’t make enough time for team building activity, guess what? That’s right, you can fix this. Speak with colleagues and suggest a rota system to your manager; every month, the responsibility of organising a team exercise (big or small) falls with one person. It delegates the responsibility equally and the management team would happily get behind the desire for an increase of team spirit.
It really is…communication between the whole team increases transparency across the office. You know what you want to achieve, and it doesn’t hurt to know what your management and colleagues want to achieve – and how you can possibly help!