Bridging The Gap: 3 Ways To Better Connect Management And Employees

Emma Sturgis

March 23, 2017

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No matter which side of the desk you fall on, most every professional has heard by now that improved connections across a workforce result in a better work environment and better relationships between employees and their managers. How to go about accomplishing this, however, is not as easy to determine, especially because the needs of each business organization are different. However, there are plenty of approaches you can try, including these three commonly-accepted ways to better connect management and employees.

1. Rearrange Seating

Physically changing the way your office is laid out can make a big difference if your goal is to better connect management and employees. For example, the traditional office structure of cubicles on the main floor for your employees and corner offices for your managers can create an environment of "us" and "them." Those walls may need to be broken down, literally, in order to start better connecting your managers and your employees. Some suggestions include removing cubicles altogether to create a more open work space, or replace tall cubicle walls with walls that are only half the height to allow for greater communication and collaboration while still maintaining privacy. If you can, put your managers on the floor more often, or permanently, rather than allowing them to hole up in their offices all the time. This will make it feel as though your managers are not dictating from afar but rather in the heat of the action with everyone else, all working toward a common goal.

2. Use Employee Management Software

Employee management software is a new innovation that's not only making office communication much easier, but it can also serve to bridge the gap between employees and managers. Employee management software, such as this employee gamification software, allows managers to monitor employees in real time and give them immediate feedback for consideration. If used correctly, this can easily create a less distant atmosphere between your managers and your employees, as many managers might only interact with their employees occasionally due to how busy everyone is. If your workers work remotely some or all of the time, employee management software is practically a must in order to bridge the gap between them.

3. Encourage Everyone To Listen

The most important factor in whether your employees and your management are going to connect better is whether they master the art of listening to and understanding one another. Nearly every employee wants to feel as though their contributions to the company matter and that their ideas are heard and considered, even if rarely implemented. Managers need to understand that if they aren't going to implement a suggestion, they need to explain why - either what's being suggested has been done before or there's a good reason why it would not work. Managers have to resist the urge to turn down ideas because of what amounts to "I say so" or "I'm in charge." Instead, managers need to foster discussion and diverse ideas that will result in better innovation.

Especially if your business has been doing things the traditional way for a long time, implementing changes to better connect management and employees can be difficult. The key is always to communicate clearly with both employees and management why these changes will be beneficial to them, and so you will have to build a strong case. But if you can convince them, and you make the right changes, the gap between employees and managers at your business is sure to be bridged.