While the way we work has been evolving for years, Covid-19 opened the floodgates. The pandemic coupled with Generation Z entering the workforce meant that it was almost a necessity for companies to allow remote work. Not only that, but employees now desire their leaders to be more supportive and in touch, even if they’re not sharing a physical office.
With all these changes, modern business leaders need to step up and embrace what’s now expected of them—or risk losing good employees and creating a poor work culture. Let’s explore some key ways that leaders can improve how they operate.
Be Empathetic
Empathy isn’t an innate ability for everyone—it often has to be worked at and sharpened. But it’s an important skill to hone because it will help you grow stronger, more meaningful relationships with your team. How? By truly connecting and making an effort to understand their feelings, desires, goals, and thoughts, employees will feel heard and understood. Leading with empathy will help you deliver kind and constructive feedback, as well as use motivational tools that are personalized to each individual.
Encourage Teamwork
It can be a challenge to promote teamwork from a distance when you have employees working from different locations. However, it becomes even more crucial when face-to-face time is limited or nonexistent. You can encourage strong teamwork by communicating effectively, setting expectations, fostering a collaborative environment, and celebrating wins often.
Practice Transparent Communication
Most workers value transparency and active communication from their leadership. This isn’t unique to Gen Z—they’re just more vocal about their expectations. Being transparent and authentic will help you build trust among your team. It means being clear, honest, and quick with your communication. It’s critical to be direct and open about why decisions are made and how they will impact people. You should also be willing to answer hard questions and admit when you don’t know the answer.
Optimize Meetings
We can all agree that unproductive meetings are a big—and frustrating—waste of time. As a leader, you can help model better meeting rules and behavior. Make sure each meeting has an agenda, that people stay on topic, and that you have concrete goals for the conversation. But also, meetings can be a good time to connect and enjoy each other’s company, so try and schedule some time for social interactions as well. A professional meeting space can help you run a productive meeting and connect with your team.
Empower Your Team
No one enjoys being micromanaged. Giving your employees control over their projects can go a long way in improving their job satisfaction. It also proves that you have faith in them to do their jobs well, which builds trust. Helping your team with professional development and growth opportunities is also a key part of fostering a satisfied workforce.
Listen, Listen, Listen
Being a good leader means truly hearing what your team members have to say. Whether it’s feedback about the company, the culture, or you yourself, you should make a point to not only listen but actively request feedback. And then, of course, you need to act on what you learn to ensure you’re constantly adapting to the needs of your employees.
Find the Right Office Space
If you do have the opportunity to bring your employees together in an office, finding the best space for you is important. Coworking, virtual offices, and private offices offer a variety of perks and amenities that can help your team be productive, connected, and satisfied.
If you’re interested in setting up an office space in the DC area, contact District Offices to book a tour and get started.
