Today I’m sharing a deeper look at step two of the employee engagement process: Be Human.

This just means to be yourself. What’s hard about that? Well, when you put it inside the work world, it can be tough. You may find yourself worrying if what you say is appropriate to an employee. Then, you wonder if the other person is too busy to chat or doesn’t care about what you have to say. Or maybe you aren’t interested in the topic. It’s so easy for your message to get lost in translation.

Being authentic with others can be challenging.

But without making the effort, you risk not coming across as natural and genuine. You seem forced and superficial, leading to your employees to are standoffish, or don’t care. This leads to the bigger issue of whether the employee feels engaged in this workplace.

So, how do you change so you come across like a person and not a Boss? Here are two simple things you can do right now.

Take a Breath

I know you’ve had bad mornings where you wake up late and rush to get to work on time. When you finally arrive, you’re “short” with the first people you see until you’re able to sit down and catch your breath.

The problem in this scenario: you just affected the 5 – 10 people you interacted with—or simply brushed by—on the way to your office. Those employees now feel undervalued. Keep in mind that your smile has an immediate impact. Arriving in a huff can imply to your team that they are not important to you. Regardless of your bad morning, they don’t deserve to feel inadequate!

Next time you arrive at the office, gather your thoughts, take a deep breath, and be in the present moment. Then walk into work with a smile. Say hello to all those who you encounter.

Don’t miss important moments to be human with each of them!

Be yourself.

It’s perfectly OK to admit you’re human! When you are chatting with an employee, you can say you got a rough start, that the alarm went off too early, that you haven’t had that first cup of coffee yet. We all have rough mornings.

You just created a moment that your employee can relate to! Making this connection between you and your employees makes you human in their eyes.

Not being afraid to show a little vulnerability, showing people that you have something in common, allowing them to be forgiving if need be—these establish a connection. They make a lasting impression.

Employee engagement doesn’t have to be hard. Simply smiling, saying hello, and showing your human side will leave a lasting impression on your team.

Beth Kelzer
Follow Beth at LinkedIn.com/in/marybkelzer
CareerToolboxUSA

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