What is a Good Line Manager Relationship?
The importance of happiness at work quite simply can’t be overstated.
It controls so much of our lives and our personal relationships.
If you ask anyone the question “how are you?” it’s extremely surprising how quickly the response turns to work. Their first reaction might be to reference their family, but next in line will be reference to “work’s going well,” or “I’m fed up at work.”
Those responses aren’t surprising when we consider that the average UK employee spends 36.4 hours per week at work – that’s a massive 84,365 hours during our lifetime.
So, workplace happiness isn’t an optional extra, but an essential component of a thriving, successful organisation. Therefore, those Leaders, individuals, teams and organisations that are Thriving are demonstrating and being Resilient.
Prioritising happiness benefits employees by enhancing their well-being, and it benefits organisations through increased productivity, improved retention rates, and enhanced innovation.
When we’re happy at work, we’re more productive, engaged, and creative. We’re also more likely to stay with our jobs longer and be less stressed.
Central to workplace happiness is a good line manager relationship. A Line Manager includes the relationship between Chairperson and CEO, all the way to someone who is line managing for the first time.
The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) defines ‘relationship’ as: “the way in which two or more people or groups regard and behave towards each other.”
So how does this relate to the workplace?
Line managers directly oversee teams of employees, and service as the connection between staff members and senior leadership.
Quite simply, a ‘good line manager relationship’ is what guides teams to execute broader company goals, while also supporting individual growth and development.
How well does your Line Manager contribute to your personal growth and Resilience? Photo Toa Heftiba Unsplash
It’s a balancing act which requires strong communication skills, emotional intelligence, strategic thinking, and compassion.
It ranges from managing conflict resolution and performance management to coaching individual team members.
Overall, a good line manager relationship is critical to enhancing productivity and morale.
A Resilient Leader is able to better demonstrate the behaviours that are required to achieve all of this. How well do you believe you are contributing to the happiness and Resilience of your people by being a great Line Manager?
Look out for the next three blogs in this series – “How to develop good line manager relationships,” “Why are good line manager relationships important,” and “What are the benefits of good line manager relationships.”
If you need further information about this approach, or any other resilience topic, please contact russell@theresiliencecoach.co.uk.