(44) Surprising Pieces of Advice your Employees Wish They Could Say

"Employees don't quit their jobs, they quit their managers," this is a popular saying that we witness clear evidence of it nowadays. The unqualified bad manager-or boss- has adverse effects both on the company and on individual employees. On the one hand, the company will lose its productivity and a significant revenue loss. On the other hand, the employees will lose their engagement, satisfaction, and productivity, which will affect their high performance and future career path. 

(44) Surprising Pieces of Advice your Employees Wish They Could Say

If you are a manager –or a boss-, this article is written to show you what actually happens "behind the scenes" to set things right. Read these pieces of advice to find out how to make the workspace more productive and friendly.

1. I want to shine. So make me accountable for my own workload, goals, and responsibilities. Trust me; you've chosen me as an employee, so let me prove that I am trustworthy. Don't be a micromanager.
2. Learn how to manage, not how to control.
3. Appreciate my effort, acknowledge my impact, and let me know when I go above and beyond.
4. Show me that I'm valuable; My physical and mental health matters.
5. I'm a human, I have a home, and I have a family. Be flexible; help me to achieve my work-life balance.
6. Praise and rewards are the best motivators.
7. Sometimes, I know best. I have on-hand experience of my job, and you have an overall view, so sometimes I can handle the situation better.
8. Don't treat me as a cog in a machine.
9. Give me the breathing room to practice my powers.
10. Be transparent; transparency leads to deeper understanding.
11. Build a relationship with me; let's communicate professionally and personally. Don't be just a boss.
12. Let me feel heard and appreciated.
13. Give me credit to be a decision-maker.
14. Be concise; don't tell me the task, then I have to spend more time guessing what you exactly want.
15. We all are not the same, so stop comparisons in the workplace. Focus on identifying people's strengths, rather than practicing all-the-time criticism.
16. Be fair, "Stand up for what is right against the wrong."
17. Compliment me. It's nice to be important, but it's important to be nice.
18. Create communication tunnels, tell your employees what's going one, and don't let the rumors go around in the workplace. 
19. Tell me your plan, not just your vision.
20. Send me a customized appreciation message.
21. If you want someone who can do all kinds of work in record time with no single complaint, hire a superman, not an employee.
22. Hand me the microphone; I have great ideas, I want to share, but you don't ask me. In addition to that, you have to respond to my requests, questions, and concerns. It's your responsibility.
23. Don't downsize my effort, even if it is small.
24. Coach me; I need to know how to improve.
25. Increments, even the small ones, are significant for my motivation.
26. Discover and utilize my skills. I have unlimited skills, but you put me in the prison of one position with a monotonous daily routine.
27. I want to feel "work is a home"; I spend more time in the office than the time I spend with my family, so you have to create a friendly atmosphere in the workplace.
28. Don't let me feel that my hard work is unnoticed, just because I'm an introvert.
29. Employees who are talking too much about their work aren't actually working; they are just talking.
30. Please don't use "laying off" as a threat. I'll be disloyal to the organization because I feel that you can easily replace me. Don't misuse your power or authority.
31. Stop taking credit for my work; it's my effort, and I'll never forget that.
32. Give me useful feedback; I don't like "No news is good news" policy. I need you to tell me your conservative criticism when I made a mistake and to pat me on the back when I do a great job.
33. Don't bother me with the countless meetings; I have to do my work instead of sitting around the table with people talking about things that are never get done.
34. Give me tasks to accomplish rather than setting long working hours. I can be at the workplace from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. but not actually working. Quality is better than quantity.
35. Give me a new job title; I understand the importance of the organization hierarchy, but sometimes the employee can be more productive than his manager. Don't let me join and leave with the same job title and position.
36. Do you reward me for coming early, working in the evening, making a great achievement, or contributing to making more profits to the organization? The answer is: No. So, why laying me off or deducting my salary are your first solutions when there is a crisis. Let's think about other solutions together.
37. Meet my needs and expectations to drive my commitment and engagement.
38. Invest in me; I can be more beneficial if I take courses in other fields away from my profession. Try to give some of your employees the courses they need and experience the difference.
39. We all are a team; we have to be aware of the latest updates. I get frustrated when I get surprised by new crucial decisions concerning my work or career. We have to be in the center of what's going on.
40. Hold a meeting with your team and listen to their problems. Don't get bothered! They have their solutions, but they need your support.
41. It's not a problem if I work for my future sometimes. I have to work for your benefit you as well as myself. Consequently, you can measure your success by my success.
42. Work, like life, is filled with mistakes. Instead of spending time blaming me. Communicate with me, and give me clear instructions. "be the boss that fixes the problem, rather than the one that fixes blame on someone else." Moreover, you shall have the courage to confess your mistakes when they existed.
43. You have turned me into a resentful worker by pointing out my weaknesses over and over again. I can grow most if you highlight my areas of strength. Focus on supporting instead of blaming, and you will notice a difference in your team productivity and engagement.
44. Let me speak first. Let me share my feelings, opinion, and ideas. Let me feel I have valuable insights that you respect.

Wrapping up

Keeping your team involved and making sure they are invested in the future of your business doesn't have to be complicated. Start out by thinking about the abovementioned 44 pieces of advice. Remember, sometimes the best way to define what your employees want is by asking them directly. Show them you're paying attention and dedication to improve, and they will relevantly respond in kind. You have to think like an employee and act as a manager.