The end of the year is a time to be thankful for things that are going well in life. It’s also a time when many people make resolutions of self improvement. In work environments, many use it as an opportunity to reflect on past performance and to consider goals for the next 12 months.

Managers might resolve to become more effective bosses. Management roles are intrinsically challenging. Supervisors must complete their own work while overseeing subordinates, providing leadership, offering guidance when needed, and aiding in career development. Employees have varying personalities, backgrounds, educations, skill sets, and work styles. To increase effectiveness, a manager might benefit from adjusting their management style based on their team. At the end of the day, remember that no one is perfect. As a manager, the key is recognizing issues and striving for continuous improvement.

4 Ways to Become a Better Boss in the New Year

Increase your effectiveness as a boss and a leader by focusing on how you can work more effectively with your employees. After all, striving to be a more effective manager will not only improve your own performance, but also lend to a strengthened, more successful team. Use these four tips to adjust your management style in the upcoming year:

1. Meet With Employees Regularly

Once your team is established and has seen success, provide them with autonomy while still meeting on a regular basis. Trust your employees to do their jobs without hovering or placing unnecessary barriers in processes prior to completion for you to monitor and review work. If they need your constant approval, it will not only impair their development and undermine their confidence as a professional, but also create extra steps which could easily impede work flow. Despite being more hands-off, make sure to consistently check in with your team. Schedule regular meetings to ensure the lines of communication are always open. Use this time to get status updates on projects, understand any roadblocks they are encountering, find out if they have a new idea or if there is a new skill they are interested in learning, and offer advice or provide assistance when needed.

2. Admit Your Mistakes

Some managers are hesitant to admit when they are wrong, because they believe employees will respect them less. In reality, the opposite is true. As your team is well aware, you are only human. People respect those who are strong enough to concede when they are wrong and show a bit of humility. If you struggle in this area, make a point to own your mistakes in the year ahead and watch your team’s respect for you grow.

3. Give Credit When It Is Deserved

As an employee, it is beyond discouraging to work hard on a project, only to have your efforts go on unnoticed by your boss — or worse, watch them take all the credit. Increase your team’s job satisfaction and loyalty by recognizing their talent and the effort that goes in to their work. For a quick thanks for a job well done, consider sending a department-wide email when an employee achieves an exceptional accomplishment and highlight your teams’ successes in staff meetings. Even stopping by your employees’ desks for a quick kudos is a small gesture that will go a long way.

4. Take an Interest in Your Team

It is important to remember that your employees are people, not robots. If you don’t know anything about their personal lives, make a point to reach out. For example, on Mondays, you could stop by their desks to ask about their weekends, have a monthly group lunch or start accepting those happy hour invitations you always decline. Getting to know your team on a more personal level will increase comradery and will make working together more enjoyable for everyone.

Build a Team That Can Guide Your Company to Success

In the architecture, engineering and construction environment, time is money. RealStreet understands the industry and the need to quickly source, screen and hire top talent in order to complete projects efficiently and profitably. RealStreet offers employee leasing, lease-to-hire and direct hire solutions to support your projects. Contact us today to learn more!