Q5: My supervisor, or someone at work, seems to care about me as a person.
Care About Me: Employees need to know that they are more than just a number. They need to know that someone is concerned about them as people first and as employees second.
Managers, try this now: Be an active listener. Give your employees plenty of time to share their ideas, frustrations, and concerns.
Action tool: Engaging Conversations: Care About Me
The most effective managers make each person feel valued, respected, and genuinely cared about as a person. Your manager should should routinely ask themselves:
- Do my employees believe I care about them as people?
- What am I doing to increase my understanding and appreciation of each individual on the team?
- How do I let team members know that I am here to support them?
- What can I do to foster a caring work environment?
Each person might have a different idea of how someone demonstrates care. The best managers listen to individuals and respond to each one’s unique needs.
Asking your employees the following questions can help ensure that you learn more about the issues at hand — and, more importantly, discover what they are looking for from you and from others:
- What makes you feel like a valued member of this team? What is your unique contribution to the team?
- What could we do to let our team members know that we care about their accomplishments?
- How do you show your team members that you respect and care about them?
- What could we each do to more effectively set up our team members for success?
- Who cares most about your success?
- Can our customers or internal partners sense an uncaring environment?
- How does this feeling affect their engagement?
Originally produced by Gallup. Adapted with permission.
More Q5 resources
Role clarity is much more than just a job description or a list of things to do. It is about an employee understanding their contribution, value, and fit within the team.”
- Gallup
Three Aspects of a Caring Work Environment
Valued: Each person feels like a valued member of the team and organization.
Respected: Employees treat one another with respect.
Genuine: Each person believes that his or her supervisor or manager takes a personal interest in them.
