Working for a wonderful boss – that’s the dream many employees have when they’re in the midst of a stressful or busy work week. A bad employer can ruin company culture and actually make workers less productive. We all know what a bad boss looks like, but what are the characteristics of a great one? Are you blessed with an illusively wonderful employer? Have no fear, in the outline below, you’ll the key signs of a great boss.

1. Effective at managing people. The best bosses know that each person on their team has a different way of achieving success. This makes it highly important for a great manager to know how to pair employees with tasks that will enable them to succeed. A great employer will never set their employees up for failure because they understand that your success is also their own. Instead, they work to encourage and support you towards achieving your professional goals.

2. Give a clear understanding of how to succeed. Aside from assigning tasks to the right person, effective leaders will give clear guidelines on how to attain success. Good bosses will often describe Key Performance Indicators, or KPIs, in a way to ensure that their employees understand their expectations and markers for success. Because of this clarity, each employee is absolutely sure of the steps required to hit each KPI. A great boss is behind the team all the way, encouraging them with every step.

3. Reliable. There is nothing worse than a hypocritical boss or one who isn’t there when you need them. When you are having work related stress or issues at home with family, you’ll need your employer to be there to help you if things get out of hand, or at the very least, understand that you need to take some time away from work in order to attend to personal matters. If your manager can’t be trusted to help you out or be understanding of your needs when you require it the most, the stressors will have no way of dissipating, leaving employees feeling alone.

4. Communicative. Communication is key for a great boss, but so is being succinct. Talking too much is actually a sign of a bad employer. No one wants to waste their time listening to unimportant banter. The best managers are clear and concise about what they want and what they need. They will also encourage you to ask any questions that you may have. They recognise that communication is a two-way street and encourage an open channel of communication.

5. Emotionally intelligent. This soft skill is highly important in the workplace, perhaps more so than ever before. In business, there is no time for high emotionality or illogical thinking. These days we are looking for our leaders to be soft with their authority. This is not an easy balance to achieve but the best ones know how to do it well. An emotionally intelligent boss will never yell, deride, or single you out. Rather, they’ll be attuned to the minutiae of the office and their team, and be well-positioned to take action should something be amiss.

6. Takes responsibility. Without a doubt, no one likes being in the hot seat if there is an issue at work, but a great supervisor will be willing to take that seat with his or her head held high if it comes down to it. They won’t try to shy away from any misstep they have taken. In fact, they’ll face it head on. Apologies will be swift and heartfelt. At the same time, good managers will hold you accountable for your actions as well.

7. Gives reassurance. We all need reassurance from time to time. The best bosses will compliment you for a job well done, no matter how small it may be. Perhaps more importantly, the best employers will reach out when you’re feeling low. If things haven’t been going your way in the workplace, a great boss will try to find the root of the problem and help find practical solutions.

8. Empower employees. After they have given you reassurance, a great boss will try to empower you. These employers are looking for the best people to make their own headway into the work before them. An effective manager will feel confident that they have hired the right people for the job and accomplish goals. A great boss will make you feel like you can do anything and under their direction and guidance, you really can.

Does this sound like an employer that’s just too good to be true? Working for a great boss doesn’t just have to be a dream. Management styles are changing with the times and even if your manager isn’t demonstrating all of these characteristics, it doesn’t mean that they can’t learn these to become the best boss. The first step is to start approaching your supervisor and begin the dialogue for the type of working relationship that can benefit both parties.

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The Best Boss To Work For

Career Advice Career counselling, advice and guidance
Select article category

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Productivity Tips
Workplace English
Industry Stories
Job Search in Hong Kong
HR Career Success
How to Get Promoted
Career Path Planning
Career Coaching & Guidance
Advice Columnist