Managers have more responsibility than overseeing project scope and client delivery. People Management can be the hardest tasks on a manager’s job description.

Every employee is different. Successful managers recognize employee strengths and different types of communication required. This is not an easy task. You must first understand the different personality types.

According to Gallup’s State of the American Manager: Analytics and Advice for Leaders report, there are 6 types of personalities.

Personality Types

Judging

Judgers want work to be neat, orderly, and established. They want the workplace to be predictable.

Perceiving

Perceivers are more openminded than judgers. They can change to your office’s situation and respond well to unpredictable events.

Extraversion

Extraverts are lively, energetic, and always looking for ways to interact with other coworkers. Extraverts are often involved in brainstorming sessions and work well with others.

Introversion

Introverts are the opposite of extroverts. They would rather perform tasks by themselves. They are independent, reserved, and focused.

Thinking

Thinkers are the analytical employees in the office. They will think of how to improve projects and are detail oriented. Thinkers are often experts in a single field.

Feeling

Feelers are the opposite of Thinkers. A Thinker is compassionate, warm, and supportive. They often go out of their way for other employees. Their motivation is often for people, rather than facts.

How-To Manage Different Personality Types

The first step is to assess, not assume. View every new hire as a blank slate. After you discover their personality type, you will be better able to manage for each employee’s strengths and talents.

Some simple way to gain some insights as to their personality type is to ask them to describe a job or project that they really enjoyed, and ask them what specifically made it such an enjoyable experience. You can also ask the opposite question of a job or project they enjoyed the least and what made it so terrible. Their answer will give you clues as to what is most important to them and how best to manage them.

The Meyer Brigg’s Personality test can provide a more accurate depiction. Speak with Human Resources to discover if testing is available for your employees.

Managers are the backbone of the company. Make it clear that your employees are all working toward a common goal. You may need to reassign your employee’s tasks for their strengths. Doing so, might be timely but will contribute to the success of the project.

By narrowing down your employee’s strengths, they will feel more successful and appreciated. Everyone wants to feel appreciated. Your team could work harder for you which increases productivity. Do not punish your employees in public if they are not achieving their goals.

Learning to manage different personality types can be rewarding and improve employee happiness and the productivity of your company. If you are hiring, know what skills you require. As a recruiter, I can help create appropriate personality questions to find the best employee for the job position.

Quitting a job can be life changing. You probably spent 40 hours a week at the office, had coworkers that became friends, and relied on the job for your cash flow.

As a specialized Quality and Regulatory Recruiter for over 20 years, I see people leave jobs for many reasons. The following situations are most common;

• Higher Pay
• Career Advancement
• Escaping a Negative Work Environment
• More Interesting Work
• Lack of Recognition or Accomplishments
• Better Alignment Between Personal Values and Organizational Priorities

If you are seeking a new job, it is important to follow professional procedures. You will have a better chance of receiving a positive referral.

Provide at Least Two Weeks of Notice

Always provide at least two weeks of notice when quitting your job. Your company needs time to prepare for your departure. They will need to disperse your responsibilities among other coworkers, and start the hiring process or promote an employee into your position.

Make up your mind first

Before you submit your resignation, you must be clearly committed to leaving. Have you already pursued all avenues for advancement within your firm? If so and you didn’t get the response you hoped for, it’s time to leave. Since you may be immediately walked out of the building upon giving notice, make sure you have cleared all personal files from your computer and desk.

Notify Your Boss in Person

Notify your boss first, in-person. I have seen many employees make the mistake of sending a resignation email. An email is unprofessional and you will still have to face your boss at some point before you leave.

First schedule a time to speak with your boss privately. Simply state that “I’ve so enjoyed working with you here, but another opportunity has presented itself and I’ve made a decision to move on.” Your boss might propose a counter offer. Be prepared with whether you would accept the conditions and your bottom line.

Give Your Notice in Writing

In business, it’s important to get everything down in paper, including your resignation. Provide your boss with a resignation letter when you meet. The following is an example of a resignation letter.

Resignation Letter Example

Your Name
Your Address
Your City, State, Zip Code
Your Phone Number
Your Email

Date

Name
Title
Organization
Address
City, State, Zip Code

Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name:
I want to thank you for all you have done for me here at (company). It’s been a pleasure working with you and representing the company as your (job title).

I have accepted an offer with another firm and have decided to tender my resignation as of today, with my last day being (date). This decision has nothing to do with the exceptional opportunity you have provided for me here. You and the company have been more than fair with me, and I genuinely appreciate all of your support.

I wish (company) continued success, and I want to thank you for allowing me to be a part of your team. I hope you will respect my decision. Please feel free to let me know how I can help to make this a smooth transition.”

Sincerely,
Your Signature (hard copy letter)
Your Typed Name

Be Prepared to Explain Why You Are Leaving

Your boss will probably have questions of why you are leaving. Your answers can provide a perspective of where the company needs to improve.

Common Questions During an Exit Interview

• Why are you leaving your current position?
• Do you think you were adequately equipped to do your job well?
• What was the biggest factor that led you to accept this new job?
• What did you like most about your job?
• What did you like least about your job?

Return Company Property

Don’t forget to give back keys, ID badges, computers, documents, and any other company property. Your company does not want to chase you down. Everything should be handed over on your last day of employment.

Quitting your job can be scary but it opens the door to a new opportunity. Email me your resume at jking@rqfocus.com to get started in a new career.

Asking for time-off from work can be nerve-wracking.

Is our boss going to be upset?

How do we ask?

However, it’s essential to take time-off from work to avoid burn out. When we have the vacation opportunity, it’s important to know the best way to ask to make asking less nerve-wracking.

The first step is to know your company’s vacation policy. For example, many companies have busy seasons that do not allow time off unless it is an emergency. You are probably limited on time. Ask your Human Resources person before your supervisor.

Don’t Ask at the Busy Season

Many companies have busy seasons. It could be when you gain the most contracts, develop a strategic plan, or attend conferences.

Plan for a break before or after your busy season. Recovery from intense work can also help you avoid burnout.

Schedule Your Time in Advance

The more notice you can give your boss, the better. Doing so, allows your team to prepare for your absence. You can also complete important projects. Check your vacation policy for the mandated amount of time that you must provide.

Ask in Writing

Submit your request in writing to ensure that your boss receives the correct details. Include the dates of your vacation and availability during your trip.

Ask Rather than Tell

Requesting time off should be a discussion. The essential technique to creating a discussion is to ask rather than tell. It brings a sense of cooperation, understanding, and compromise.

Avoid phrases such as;

• “I am going…”
• “You need to…”

Instead, use phrases such as;

• “Can I…”
• “Would it be possible…”

Plan the Best Time to Speak with Your Boss

You don’t want to catch your boss at a bad time when you are asking for time off. Email your boss a meeting request. The meeting will be more relaxed when it is convenient for both of your schedules.

Share How You Will Prepare for Your Time Off

Your absence could mean that extra work for the team. Explain to the boss how you will prepare for your time off. Share the list of projects that need to be completed before the trip. Discuss your availability during the trip. Your boss might expect you to check emails and voicemails. Make sure you are on the same page.

Email can be a lifesaver to communicate effectively in business. You are able to CC messages, attach important files, and keep record of communication.

However, it is important to know how to craft an appropriate email. Emails are best used to communicate facts, such as meeting times. Learn what to avoid in an email so your business can maintain effective communication.

Blame

Nobody likes to hear that they did something wrong. Email does not allow you to have an effective conversation about the situation. Discuss the issue in person. You will be provided the opportunity to explain how to perform the task correctly.

Disagreements

Everyone makes mistakes but it’s difficult to own up to them at work. We may not want to ruin our professional reputation, hurt our relationship with our boss, or feel like we failed. We should always take responsibility when we are at fault. However, if we are not to blame, we should not be held responsible for a colleague’s mistake.
Do not alert your boss over email if this occurs. Schedule a meeting and explain the situation in person. You are more likely to be taken seriously.

Lengthy Explanations

Emails are not novels. They should be condensed to explain factual points, scheduling, and status updates. Wait to tell your long story until you are in person. Your co-workers are likely to get lost in a long email.

Emotional Reactions

Leave emotions out of emails – good and bad! An email diminishes the importance of emotional information. Emails are for facts.

“…if you’ve got great news that will get everyone stoked up, it will be more effective and create more positive energy if you deliver it in person. A group meeting to announce a big sales win, for example, is like an instant celebration. By contrast, an email announcing the same win seems a bit like an afterthought. Similarly, if you’ve got bad news or criticism, it will be better received, and more likely to be helpful, if it’s delivered in person. If you use email, it will seem like you don’t care or that you’re cowardly.” -Geoffrey James, INC.

A Resignation

You should leave on a good note when you quit a job. If you don’t, your behavior could affect future job opportunities. Quitting a job may feel awkward. However, it pays off to quit professionally.

Do not quit your job over email. Eventually, you will have to meet your employer to sign paperwork anyway.

Appropriate Method to Quit a Job

• Request a Meeting with Your Boss
• Explain Your Reasons for Leaving
• Provide a Letter of Resignation
• Allow Two Weeks Before Leaving the Position

Informalities

Professional emails should be polished and formal. Use correct grammar, punctuation, and avoid the emoji’s! Your emails should not read like a text. You are writing to another professional- not a friend.

Professional Language Tips

• Start with a greeting: For example, Dear Katie or Hi Katie for more casual relationships.
• State your purpose: For example, I am writing in reference to….
• Add your closing remarks: Thank your reader. Thank you for your patience and cooperation or Thank you for your consideration and then follow up with, If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to let me know and I look forward to hearing from you.
• End with a closing: Include an appropriate closing with your name. For example, Best Regards or Thank you.

A healthy work environment is important to your team and can be achieved fairly easily. It boosts productivity and happiness and increases employee retention. If you have not created a healthy workplace, then it is time to make that effort, especially in this tight market for talent. Learn what creates a healthy workplace and start making improvements for the future of your company.

Offer Rewards and Incentives for Superior Performance

Rewarding employee performance is strategic. You must offer desirable incentives that fit the company’s budget. If strategized correctly, rewards can lead to a more motivated and positive team.

There are many types of benefits that you can offer employees. This includes bonuses, gift cards, and event tickets. You may choose to reward an entire team or specific team member for achieving a goal.

See 20 Techniques for Acknowledging Your Employee’s Good Work for more ideas on rewards and incentives.

Choose Stimulating Paint Colors

The workplace can have a big impact on attitude, and colors can profoundly affect productivity. Angela Wright is a world-renowned color psychologist. She developed the scientifically tested color-affect system. According to Wright’s research, the intensity of a color determines whether it is stimulating or soothing. More saturated colors are best for the office place.

Wright’s theory states that blue is connected to the mind, green to balance, yellow to emotion, and red to body.

The most obvious answer to a productive work place would be blue. However, you might want to incorporate green trim to create balance.

Offer Stand-Up Desks

Stand up desks have become part of many company’s employee wellness programs. For example, Google provides standup desks for all employees. Facebook also has more than 250 employees using standup desks. Even I use a flexible desk to allow sitting or standing.

Research by Texas A&M Health Science Service Center concludes that employees in a call center are 46% more productive when using a standup desk.

Benefits of Standup Desk

• Improves Focus
• Increases Energy
• Reduces Back Pain

Be Flexible on Timing

Different people are more productive during various parts of the day. Some people perform better with a morning workout. Others get in early but need a 1.5 lunch break to renew their day. If your company’s processes allow flexibility with timing, give it to your employees. It also helps attract people that may have a longer commute when hiring.

Allow a 2-hour window for morning arrival. You can also allow extended lunch breaks. Figure out what is right for the company and be as flexible as possible to your employee’s lifestyles.

Communication Skills

The ability to communicate effectively within a company is essential. The skill prevents misunderstandings, which leads to errors and missed deadlines.

In our digital age, companies often communicate over email, text, and phone. Do not underestimate the significance of meetings to prevent confusion.

Tips to Communicate Well

• Practice Active Listening
• Use Strong Eye Contact
• Explain Tasks and Provide Detailed Handout or meeting agenda with time targets
• Speak in a Friendly Tone
• Be Open-Minded to Other Opinions
• Accept and Encourage Feedback

Improve the Lighting

Studies show that office lighting can play a role in employee productivity.

“Effectively lit and attractive environments enhance your image, help you recruit and retain high-value employees, and increase the total value of your facility.” Philips Systems

To effectively light your office, incorporate natural light. If your workspace does not have windows then use broad spectrum lightbulbs. Broad spectrum produces the most similar affect as natural light.

Every empowered team has one thing in common – they are engaged with their work. Achieving engaged employees may seem simple. Unfortunately, only 32 percent of workers are engaged in their jobs. As a business owner, this is a frightening statistic! We want employees that are passionate about their careers.

As a recruiter, I seek candidates that enjoy their career field. However, after I find the employee, it’s up to the business leader to keep them happy. Learn six tricks to keeping your employees happy at work.

Be Transparent

Transparency should be core in a company’s values. It develops trust and productivity within the organization.

To be transparent, make important information available. This does not mean that you should broadcast your company’s finances. Instead, create charts on the progress of meeting company goals.

You can also trust employees to make decisions. This may seem scary at first. After all, you are loosening the reins when an employee starts making decisions. However, they will become more invested in company operations and will learn to take ownership of their projects.

Take Responsibility for Mistakes

Nobody wants to take blame for something that was not their fault. It will be very difficult for you to maintain the respect of others if you do not take responsibility for your actions.

Apologize when you know that your decision was not best for the company. Your employees will appreciate your honesty and you will gain their respect.

Make Training Available

Employees who are enthusiastic to learn are some of the best additions to your team. Make sure training is available to help their skills develop. This could be webinars, online courses, mentoring, or job shadowing. These passionate employees can potentially be your managers and directors. By providing training and learning options you increase the chance they will want to stay on your team.

Allow Individuality in Dress Code

Suit and tie attire are a thing of the past for most jobs. Allow your employees individuality in their clothing -within reason. You can provide guidelines for what is appropriate such as no t-shirts, jeans or sandals. However, small changes that allow self-expression can make employees feel more engaged in their job position.

Thank Employees for Good Work

Everyone likes to know that they are appreciated. Acknowledge your employees hard work. For large projects, you may choose to reward an employee with a gift certificate, bonus, or extra vacation time.

See 20 Techniques for Acknowledging Your Employee’s Good Work for ideas on thanking employees for their good work.

Provide Flexibility on Hours

Different employees are more productive different hours of the day. If your office allows the flexibility, provide your employees with a two-hour window for coming to work. For example, your employees must start work between 7:00 AM – 9:00 AM. They can leave from 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM. This flexibility works for employees that workout in the morning or drop their kids off at school. It can also attract potential employees that have a long commute or have to deal with a lot of traffic that might not otherwise consider your company for employment.

Take the time to build a company with engaged employees. You may find that you have a decreased turnover rate, increased productivity, and you have a team that is easier to manage. Not to mention, you will build a healthier, happier working environment.

Hiring the right employee requires more than reviewing resumes. You must understand the candidate’s attitude, expectations, and work habits. Hiring the wrong candidate can result in thousands of dollars wasted training and pausing the growth of your company.

Before you hire, understand the most valuable characteristics of a long-term employee. The extra time spent hiring will be an investment for your company’s future productivity and growth.

Someone that Loves Their Career

You may provide a great salary and superior benefits but company perks are rarely enough to make an employee change their outlook on their career. Find an employee that loves what they do. Passionate employees are often harder workers who think creatively. You can teach technical skills, you can’t teach passion.

Someone that Is Compatible with Company Culture

Fitting into company culture is an essential trait that cannot be trained. However, the importance of company culture can often be undervalued. A compatible employee can be easier to approach with new ideas and are generally easier to manage overall.

How-To Determine if Your Candidate is Compatible

• Check if potential candidate gets along with current co-workers and boss.
• Introduce candidate to current employees.
• Ask the candidate about their values in the workplace.

Someone with Analytical Skills

Every company experiences mishaps where employees are forced to think outside of formal training. For example, difficult clients, software malfunctions, and miscommunication between co-workers. When challenges arise, your employee must have analytical skills. They will better be able to solve important problems by making logical steps.

Top Five Analytical Skill

• Communication
• Creativity
• Critical Thinking
• Data Analysis
• Research

Someone with Long Term Potential

Training new employees can cost your company thousands of dollars. Find an employee that is passionate about their career and company’s values. A dedicated employee is an investment toward your company.

Someone with Ambition

You cannot overestimate the power of an ambitious employee. It creates competition amongst employees, often increasing company revenue and productivity. During the interview, assess whether the candidate has ideas on growing their department.

Don’t waste valuable time training the wrong candidate! Spending extra time hiring will have great reward for the productivity of your company.

The quality of a company’s customer service can determine the fate of a business. After all, loyal customers can be your most reliable form of revenue. You often receive more return business and improved relationships with your customers. Your customers can be both internal to your company, or external. Some positions within the company serve other departments so they would be your customers as well and anyone who buys what your company sells.
There are some universal qualities that create great customer service. Make sure your employees are equipped to perform these duties.

Patience:

It is easy to get frustrated with customers. After all, at some point, you might feel like you are answering the same question 100 times per day. However, patience is fundamental to providing high quality customer service. Stay patient. The experience is new to your customer.

Attentiveness:

When you are attentive, you could gather valuable customer feedback. For example, if you receive repetitive complaints about not being able to configure the settings on your device or program, that could lead to a product improvements that makes that process much easier and intuitive. That would solve your customer’s complaints and hopefully lead to a better product.

Knowledge of the Product:

Your customer service representatives must have a deep knowledge of how the product works. That way, they will be prepared to answer your customers questions.
Your customer service representatives do not need to know how to build the product from scratch but they do need to have a functional perspective of the products. Consider providing your employees with free samples and company discounts so they have experience with the products.

Ability to Handle Surprises:

Sometimes the customer support career is going to throw you a curveball. You might not have come across the customer’s problem before.
When this occurs, your employee may need to send the customer to someone with more knowledge in that area. Make sure they know who to send customers to in specific situations.

Time Management Skills:

Your customer was probably excited about their purchase and wants the product functioning as quickly as possible. Do not waste time on the phone and try to get directly to their issue.
Sometimes, your employee will not be able to solve their problem. Teach them to recognize when they cannot solve a problem and what to do in those situations. Great customer service is efficient.

Superior customer service should be a priority for your business. If you spend the time training your employees and gathering valuable customer feedback than you could see an increase in revenue and the reputation of your company.

If you are a business owner then you probably have experienced the value of return customers. A return customer does not require massive amounts of marketing resources and can also serve as a referral source for more customers.
The question is, how do you earn repeat sales with competition?

The following are a few tips to develop ongoing customer relationships:

Be A Useful Resource

Do not hesitate to share information that your client may find useful. The more value you offer, the more likely they will request your services.

Keep in mind why customers are working with you and what services you can provide to help them reach their goals. You can serve as an expert resource of information with a weekly blog on your company’s website.

Always Meet Your Deadline

Do you have a friend that is always late? It gets annoying. Eventually, you may even stop inviting them to events.

If you do not meet deadlines, your clients will be just as annoyed with you as the late friend. You are showing that you do not appreciate their time. Commit to your deadline.

Make Them Feel Special

Business growth can occur quickly. One day, you are posting fliers on bulletin boards wondering if this is all a waste of time.

Ten years later, you realize that every hour in your day is booked. At this point, your clients are probably not getting individual attention UNLESS you have planned for this growth. Your customers will probably switch to the provider who is more attentive to their needs. Make your customer feel special to avoid this problem.

Valuable Methods to Make Your Clients Feel Special

• Make time to meet with your clients in person rather than only over the phone.
• Send your customer a note or discount on their birthday.
• Thank them for their purchase and show appreciation.
• Remember them.
• Make adjustments based on their feedback.

Provide Value

If you provide value to your company then customers are likely to be loyal to your brand. To build brand loyalty, you need to consider what makes your company different.

Why should a customer be loyal to your product or service?
What are you providing that is unique to your niche?

Inc magazine provides a five-step system on providing value to customers.

Inc Magazine’s Method to Providing Value for Customers

Step One: Understand What Drives Your Customers
Step Two: Understand Your Value Proposition
Step Three: Identify the Customers and Segments Where You Can Create More Value Relative to Competitors
Step Four: Create a Win-Win Price
Step Five: Focus Investments on Your Most Valuable Customers

Respond to Every Concern

Communication is key for healthy relationships. A business relationship is not different. Do not ignore your customer’s concerns, complaints, or questions. In fact, all customer complaints should be responded to within 24 hours.

There are many review sites that allow you to collect reviews and respond to customer’s complaints, such as Yelp, Facebook, and Google+. Each provide a discussion board for positive and negative experiences. Make sure you are replying to comments.

Return customers can create reliable income for your company. Invest in your relationships to build brand loyalty that ensures that you stay in business.

If you feel like your day is getting control of you instead of the other way around, these tips may help.

Seven Techniques to Increase Productivity at Work

While writing this article on work productivity, I went on Facebook, checked the weather, got some coffee, and called a friend. Distractions can be extremely debilitating to your work performance. However, there are techniques that prevent distractions from adding hours to your work day. Learn how to increase productivity for shorter days and greater work results.

Track Your Behavior

The first step to increase productivity is to raise awareness of your work distractions. To do so, you must know how much time each task is taking you.

Use an Excel spreadsheet to track an average work day. Note the task, time, and distraction that occurred. At the end of the day, you may know which tasks are more distracting.

Decorate Your Workspace

You sit at the same spot for the majority of your day. You may get up to go to the bathroom, eat lunch, walk to a meeting but overall, you stay at your desk. A burst of color can make you feel happier and more relaxed.

How-To Decorate Your Workspace

• A plant
• A fun mug
• Family photos
• Decorative bookends
• Your favorite team’s memorabilia

Get Your Most Dreaded Task Out of the Way First

Most of us have a task that we dread the most. Complete your least favorite task first. That way, you are not dwelling throughout the day or putting yourself in a “procrastination” mode, and the other work will not seem as daunting.

Move Your Body

Our mental focus is directly related to our physical routine. In other words, if you are exercising your body, you are exercising your mind. Next time you find yourself staring at the wall or dozing off, take a five-minute walk or perform a set of stretches.

How Exercise Improves Your Work Performance

• Improved Concentration
• Increased Stamina
• Lower Stress
• Enhanced Creativity
• Faster Learning

Write Down Your Daily Goals

Improve your work performance by writing down your daily goals with an attainable timeline. Writing down your daily goals can set you up for success every day.

Productive Methods to Writing Down Your Goals

• Each morning take a pen and a piece of paper and write down your 5 top goals. Don’t look at the day before, just think about what you want to accomplish most and write them down.
• Remember to write them in the positive present tense and remember to set a deadline for each goal. For example,you could set the goal “complete my report by 2:00 today.
• Do this for all 5 goals.

Writing down goals will help you come up with new ideas to improve efficiency and new subjects to test.

Say “No” to Meetings

To save money and valuable time, meetings should only be held when absolutely necessary. Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, runs his famously efficient meetings.

According to Musk, “Meetings are expensive. Assuming the fully-encumbered cost of an engineer can be between $80–$100 per hour, having a 10-person meeting can cost a company around $1000 an hour!

“For $1000 per hour, that meeting better damn well be worth it.

How Musk Runs Efficient Meetings

• Require that everyone be prepared
• Reduce everything to basic facts
• Keep the long-term vision in sight
• Don’t expect more at your meeting than you are doing yourself

Work in 90 Minute Intervals

Science proves that breaks can increase productivity. This phenomenon is due to the Ultradian Rhythm, or ninety-minute sleep cycle.

Nathaniel Kletman, “the father of sleep”, discovered the Ultradian Rhythm. According to the theory, people’s brains are highly active for ninety minutes followed by low activity for twenty minutes. The brain uses more energy than any other organ by 20 percent. After you work really hard, your brain decreases activity which you perceive as fogginess, tiredness, and haze.
Set your timer for ninety minutes. After ninety minutes has passed go on a walk for twenty minutes to return refreshed.

Successful people work productively! Utilize these seven techniques to increase your productivity and build the career of your dreams.