You say a lot of things throughout the course of the day. You may check in with your employees on the work they’re doing. You may discuss disciplinary actions when it’s necessary. You speak with customers and clients. As a manager, you may feel like you’re always talking about something. But what happens if your workplace discussions are missing two very important phrases? Do you say “thank you” and “I’m sorry” often enough? If not, you may be surprised to hear about their power and how these simple words can affect everything in your office. Read on to learn from the workplace experts at one of the top staffing agencies in Detroit MI!
Thank You
Some people believe employees are simply expected to do the duties of their job without anything more than the agreed-upon financial compensation. That may have been true in the past, but it is no longer the case. Today’s employees need satisfaction and engagement to stay within a corporate environment. With so much competition in the market today, companies that don’t offer this will see massive turnover and trouble filling open positions.
But did you know this trend can be reversed entirely by simply saying “thank you” to your employees? Developing a culture of gratitude demonstrates to your team that you believe in the work they’re doing and value their contribution.
Gratitude is also contagious. If you say it to your team, you’ll find they begin to say it to one another and to customers, and that cycle of gratitude will continue.
I’m Sorry
There was also a school of management thought that believed saying “I’m sorry” meant immediate failure. It meant that you conceded that you were wrong about something. And, in general, admitting culpability is about admitting you were unable to live up to expectations.
But where our culture got this wrong was that culpability was a weakness. That strong people don’t apologize for their actions. As a manager, especially, it’s critical to lead by example. And if you’re not willing to accept responsibility for your actions, you can’t expect your employees to do the same thing.
By creating a workplace culture where apologizing for a misstep is not immediately followed by negative consequences, you’ll encourage your team to own up to their mistakes. Yes, correction may be necessary to ensure that something does not recur, but that doesn’t mean people have to live in fear for admitting that they’ve done something wrong.
Do you want to incorporate a culture of gratitude and responsibility in your workplace? Contact Harvard Resource Solutions, one of the leading staffing agencies in Detroit MI, to learn more today.
