Job satisfaction hinges on boss

Getting along with the boss is more important than pay or benefits when it comes to happiness at work, suggests a survey by Accountemps, a Menlo Park, Calif.-based specialized staffing service for temporary accounting, finance, and bookkeeping professionals. Forty-three percent of executives polled say employee job satisfaction is most impacted by one's relationship with his or her manager.

"Employees are most productive when they feel their contributions are valued and their feedback is welcomed by management," notes Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps and author of Motivating Employees for Dummies. "The reverse is also true--an unsupportive atmosphere can lead to reduced performance levels and higher turnover for businesses."

Messmer offers managers five tips for building stronger relationships with their staff:

Establish open lines of communication. Schedule one-on-one and team meetings regularly so that staff can contribute to business decisions. Employees want their questions, concerns, and ideas to be heard--when someone on staff has a good suggestion, act on it.

Empower them. Show trust in your team by giving them the authority to make decisions. Be available when needed, but allow staff flexibility in how they accomplish business objectives.

Stand up for employees. Support your staff when they encounter roadblocks. If someone on your team makes a mistake, avoid rushing to judgment. Instead, help the person learn from the situation and take steps to ensure it does not happen again.

Recognize achievements. Praise employees for their accomplishments and reinforce the behaviors you would like others to emulate. Low-cost rewards such as an occasional free lunch or movie passes can be highly motivational.

Provide advancement opportunities. In addition to competitive compensation and benefits, invest in training and development programs to help employees build new skills. If budgets are tight, look for other ways to promote career development, such as a mentoring program.

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COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning