Being a supervisor in a small business, fostering a team of energized, committed employees is at the top of your list of goals. Nothing is more important to your company’s performance than having an engaged workforce. Employee engagement is the key driver to increase productivity, innovation, retention and competitive advantage. The actions of an employee’s direct supervisor have a crucial impact on employee engagement. With these 4 helpful tips, managers have the resources to keep their employees engaged and ability reach their strategic goals.

1. Empowering Management Style

A supervisors management style can make or break an employee’s level of engagement. If you are too controlling or micromanage too much, employees are likely to disengage. By fostering a style that is more participative and facilitative, you empower your employees to “get on with their job” rather than bogging them down with too much direction.

2. Availability and Openness

Managers that provide support and guidance is directly linked to strong engagement. Ways to support employees include showing openness and availability by sharing ideas, holding regular meetings, to give employees a  chance to express thoughts, and creating opportunities for exposure and connection to others in the company.

3. Constructive Communication

One of the largest drivers in employee engagement is ongoing direct supervisory feedback. Employees revealed that those who receive primarily negative feedback are more than 20 times more likely to be engaged than those who receive no feedback at all. Managers who focus on employee strengths are one-third more likely to manage actively engaged workers compared to those who focus on weaknesses. While it appears negative feedback is better for engagement then no feedback at all, constructive communication that focuses on employee strengths achieves the best results.

4. Working on Authenticity

Managers who foster strong engagement gained the trust of their employees by being perceived as honest, authentic, and competent. This is gauged by whether they believe that their supervisor is good at their job and whether they have the respect of others in the company. Additionally, supervisors should differentiate themselves by having their words match their actions. Those who take an active role in developing those under their charge, and who actually recognize their contributions, reap the rewards of an engaged workforce.

Content taken from the article “The Supervisor’s Impact on Employee Engagement” by Robin Madell, of Demand Media