Building a good rapport with your employees is important. And sometimes that means stepping out beyond the work environment and getting to know them as people with varied interests and ideas. But where is the line that you shouldn’t cross when it comes to boss and employee friendships? Creating these friendships can be an important part of the process, but here are some things to consider.
Allow for Distance
Even if you’re friends with your employees, allow for a healthy amount of distance. They can be your friend, but they shouldn’t be more than that or even a best friend. The more demands you put on this kind of friendship, the more you’re likely to influence or affect the working relationship in a negative way.
Don’t Play Favorites
It’s also important that you’re able to step back and create a professional distance if not for your own friendship but also for the perception of others. If your other employees believe that you are acting with favoritism toward your friend, it could put everyone in an unpleasant situation. Be sure that your friendship doesn’t affect how you manage everyone equally.
Don’t Use Your Power
While being friends with an employee is not a bad thing in and of itself, using your power as a manager to influence the actions of your friends is. When you begin to make a friendship into a powerplay, it is no longer a healthy circumstance for anyone involved. Don’t try to unduly influence your friend for professional gain.
Step Back to Readjust
If you find yourself becoming too attached or if your friendship is affecting others in the shipyard, be willing to take a step back. It’s okay to take a break from your friend or set boundaries to ensure that everyone is comfortable and happy both at work and outside of work. You may also need to address what happens if either of you leave your shipyard position and how that might affect your relationship overall.
Do you want to be a better boss at your shipyard? Contact the experts at Hutco today to see how we can help.