Managing people is a cruical part of your job and the forward progress of the organization where you work. But how do you know how to be a great manager? Here are some tips to help you build trust and increase productivity in your team members.

Tip 1: Stop by their desk in the morning (or message them if they’re remote) and ask if they need anything or have questions as they start their day. This ensures they have no obstacles that can get in the way of the tasks at hand.

Tip 2: If you need to meet with your employee at a later date or time, make sure to put something like, “good thing!”, or “nothing bad” in the request. If you ask to meet with a member of your team, they may think the worst and lose concentration until the time of the meeting.

Tip 3: Take them to an escape room. If you want to have some fun while getting a front row seat to how they handle tasks, unanticipated challenges and pressure, this is how to do it.

Tip 4: Ask them their opinion on projects, initiatives and ideas. They do the work. They know things. Leverage this. You might get some good insights but more importantly, they will feel valued and heard.

Tip 5: When they do someting wrong or forget to do a task, tell them how it impacts you. Sometimes employees think assignments are given just becuase. If you help them see the big picture of how their work fits into the company as a whole, the likelihood they will take it more seriously increases.

Tip 6: When they hit it out of the park, celebrate. Get them a gift card, give them a couple hours off or write them a nice note. People are inspired by different things. Try to find out what your team member values and use that to inspire good things.

Tip 7: Really listen to them. Ask questions about pain points and use what they say to clear away barriers to their success.

Today’s employee wants to be heard, appreciated and valued. These strategies help you convey those values while keeping productivity