Managers often have the largest impact on an employee’s workplace experience. They oversee an individual’s day-to-day responsibilities, help employees overcome challenges, and work to keep their team motivated and engaged.

While some manager and employee relationships develop organically, some need a little help to form. This is especially true in an age when many managers and employees don’t work in the same location, time zone, or even country, making it harder than ever to build a connection.  

According to the latest data from UKG, about three in four Aussie employees (72%) say their manager’s support, encouragement, and/or leadership directly motivates them to go above and beyond in the workplace, and more than a third of employees (39%) say having a good manager — one who’s accessible but doesn’t micro-manage — makes them feel the most productive at work.

However, what does this mean for the 2 in 3 Aussies who don’t feel that they have a good relationship with their manager? How can this relationship be improved, especially as hybrid work environments continue to be the norm?

Schedule regular facetime 

From our research, nearly half (47%) of Aussie workers agree that their productivity is directly correlated with their manager relationship – which is why its important that managers meet frequently with their employees to build rapport, clarify expectations, and offer support. In fact, 41% of Aussies agree that having a meeting with their manager every week keeps them motivated to do their best work. 

To get the most out of one-on-ones, encourage your managers to ask employees to own the agenda for these meetings. That way, the employee can spend their time together focusing on whatever they need most, whether that’s getting questions answered, requesting feedback, discussing challenges, or solving problems.  

Of course, remind managers to leave some time for small talk. These casual syncs provide a great opportunity for people leaders to ask their employees personal questions and learn more about their lives outside of work. Even taking a few moments at the beginning or end of a call to discuss weekend plans or ask about family can help build closer workplace relationships. 

Give and receive feedback 

Feedback is a valuable part of professional growth and workplace relationships. It can help employees better understand their strengths and weaknesses, and help managers guide professional development and foster a culture of continuous improvement within the team.  

While these conversations can take place face-to-face or virtually in one-on-one meetings, many businesses offer performance management tools that make it easy for employees to request, give, and receive feedback from their managers, teammates, and cross-functional colleagues. This approach often gives employees more time to reflect on a manager or direct report’s strengths and areas of growth, allowing them to share more meaningful constructive feedback than they could if asked on the spot.

Recognise employee contributions and achievements 

Employees want to know when they’re doing well and managers need the right tools to recognise their teams. Your organisation can empower managers to celebrate their teams through initiatives like implementing employee recognition software, allocating budgets for rewarding notable accomplishments, and dedicating time during company-wide meetings to showcase employees and their achievements. This can help your managers build a culture of appreciation and celebration.  

Invest in professional growth

In order to retain top talent and keep high performers growing, your team needs to make managers aware of your company’s internal growth opportunities. These could be personal growth stipends, internal training programs, job shadowing or mentorship programs, and stretch assignments. If managers don’t know about these programs, they can’t push their teams to take advantage of them, so be sure to advertise these initiatives often.  

Another of the many hats a manager wears is that of a coach. Unfortunately, career coaching isn’t a skill that comes naturally to many people. As an HR team, be sure to offer regular training to both new and existing managers on common coaching principles, techniques, and effective communication so they can help their employees reach the next level of their careers. 

The correlation between positive manager-employee relationships and great performance and cultural outcomes is clear – and by empowering your managers with the right practices and tools to foster that relationship, businesses are best set up for success long term.