Introduction
An organization comprises of both the employees and bosses. For the organization to achieve its goals effectively, the relationship between employees and bosses is paramount. An employee boss relationship refers to the communication that takes place between the chief executive officer and his or her subordinates (Nelson & Quick, 2008). Employees work together with their bosses and therefore, a good relationship ensures that the organization gains a competitive advantage over the others. Successful employee boss relationship involves striking a balance of common interests. The boss has the right to manage the affairs of the company and plan for the future to ensure success. Employees, on the other hand, should work hard and follow the instructions of the boss to maintain success. Whether small or large business, it is important to establish rapport between employees and bosses. This paper explores the relationship between employees and bosses. It determines this relationship in small business as well as large business and gives a conclusion.
Definition
The relationship between employees and bosses refers to the interaction and communication of the managers in the organization and their juniors. Employee boss relations are of supreme importance in the workplace. These relations determine the effectiveness of the overall organization. An employee’s relationship with his or her boss is of near importance as the relationship of the employee and his or her spouse in terms of well-being (Kendrick, 2007). A negative relationship in the workplace between the employee and boss largely contributes to the risk of psychiatric problems. Friendly workmates or a rewarding career may not amend a negative relationship with the boss.
It is crucial for the boss to develop friendships with his or her employees because this friendship leads to a strong and positive relationship. With friendship, the boss is able to determine things that motivate employees because the boss learns about the interests and goals of employees in life. On the other hand, employees with a firm connection to their bosses are likely to work harder and remain loyal to the organization. In the end, both the boss and employees are happy and the organization achieves its goals. However, in order to be a good boss, it is vital to define distinctly the boundaries between the boss and employees. The boss should clarify the relationship by communicating clearly the goals of the company and ways of achieving them. In clarifying the business relationship, the boss is able to maintain respect and at the same time retain the friendship with employees. The clarification is important to avoid misinterpretation of the friendship that may cause employees to act unprofessionally.
“The boss should be social with his or her employees, but up to a certain degree” (Kendrick, 2007, p.72). Social mingling is a norm in most offices and the boss participates. For example, on a Friday evening party, the boss will interact with employees but should not be the last to leave the party. The boss should behave well to maintain respect with employees even outside the office. In addition, the boss should not favor certain employees over others. A distinctly defined relationship calls for equal treatment in all employees. Showing favoritism towards certain employees could earn the boss distrust from the other employees affecting productivity. Therefore, the boss should be fair in all dealings with employees to ensure a strong relationship. Further, the boss should maintain confidentiality at all times. No matter how close the friendship with employees is, the boss should not disclose inside information to them. Information regarding hiring, firing or salaries should remain with the boss.
Small Business
A small business environment does not involve many employees or bosses. However, it is paramount to maintain a working relationship between employees and bosses despite the size of the organization. Employees in a small business have direct contact with customers and they make the first impression. Employees have the ability to retain customers and ensure success in small business or ruin the entire business. Employees extend their wrath to customers if they have a strained relationship with the boss.
In a small business, the boss is also the owner of the business and therefore, he is more than a manager. The boss should treat employees with respect even though he or she is the owner of the business. The boss can only earn respect, if he also gives out the same respect. Speaking to employees with dignity is important in earning respect for the boss. Respect builds a strong relationship with employees and the boss. However, this is not often the case in small businesses. The boss in a small business treats employees as if they are easily replaceable (Nelson & Quick, 2008). They fail to provide adequate benefits and do not recognize exemplary accomplishments. In addition, the boss makes all the decisions in the business without involving employees. Failing to appreciate employee contributions in the business strains the relationship between the two parties in the organization. Employees are the face of the business and without motivation from the inside they cannot perform. Bosses in small business should aim at reconsidering their relationship with employees.
Small businesses often comprise of family members as the workers. It is right for the boss to treat employees as family in such a small business. However, this relationship can become negative because the boss expects the family to assist without getting anything in return. There should be a clear line distinguishing family and employees. In the business, the boss should treat the family members as employees that need recognition and appreciation. There should be respect between the boss and employees in the business to maintain a working relationship. The boss should compensate employees and communicate effectively the expectations from employees (Sutton, 2010). Therefore, to maintain a firm relationship between employees and the boss in a small business, it is vital that employees feel respected, appreciated, and recognized by the owners.
Large Business
In large business there are many employees reporting to several bosses in the organization. Sustaining positive relations between employees and bosses in such a scenario may prove a challenge because of the many people involved. To maintain a strong relationship in large business between employees and bosses, the organization should practice open door policy. This policy fosters respect among employees and bosses by providing a chance for employees to air their grievances directly to the boss. Open door policy requires bosses that are approachable and receptive so that they can maintain working relations with employees. Therefore, maintaining open door policy is mandatory in improving employee boss relationship in large business.
Unlike in small business, bosses in large businesses have structures in place that they use to recognize employees efforts. Bosses have the responsibility of rewarding remarkable efforts of employees because they see them as valuable assets in the business. This way of managing business improves the relationship between employees and bosses in large business. Besides, bosses in large business do not treat employees as family. These bosses involve their employees in decision-making in the organization and respect their opinions (Kendrick, 2007). Since employees are the major stakeholders in determining the direction of the business, bosses value their input. This valuable consideration motivates employees to work harder and improve performance in the business. In the end, the relationship between employees and bosses in such organizations strengthens. Large businesses also have clear reporting lines for employees to communicate with their bosses. These reporting lines build friendships among them and bosses are able to socialize freely with employees.
Unlike in small business, large organizations have mechanisms in place that assist employees in getting help in case of a strained relationship with the boss. These assistance people enable employees to solve their differences with the boss by connecting the two. They ensure open communication between the employees and the bosses. They also offer advice for employees regarding issues on changing departments so that both the boss and employee can have some time off (Nelson & Quick, 2008). In addition, there are mechanisms that deal with cases where the relationship of the employee and boss goes overboard. If the relationship of the employee and the boss compromises work, the boss and employee face the rules of that organization. Large businesses are able to draw a line between work and social affairs for the boss and thus maintain a firm relationship.
Conclusion
The relationship between employees and bosses is of utmost importance in determining the success of the business. The employees and bosses should aim at developing and maintaining a positive relationship at the workplace to ensure success. A positive relationship begins with the boss developing friendships with employees. This friendship allows the boss to socialize and communicate expectations to employees. However, it is important to draw a line between the friendships so that the boss still maintains the necessary respect with employees. Small businesses can utilize the relationship between the boss and employee to succeed. The boss in such business should be careful not to treat workers as family but employees to maintain respect. Unlike small business, large businesses have structures in place to ensure a working relationship between employees and bosses. Overall, the relationship between employees and bosses is paramount in succeeding in business.
References
Kendrick, L. (2007). How to become the successful boss of successful employees. Mustang,
Oklahoma: Tate Publishing and Enterprises.
Nelson, D.L. & Quick, J.C. (2008). Understanding Organizational Behavior, 3rd ed. Ohio: Cengage Learning, Inc.
Sutton, R.I. (2010). Why good bosses tune in to their people. McKinsey Quarterly, 3, 86-95.
