Workplace specialists are increasingly discovering that for many workers the "happiness factor" depends on intangibles such as respect, care, trust, fairness, engagement, mentorship and empowerment

Just after leaving Citibank early in the second quarter of 2011, I met an HR specialist in Singapore. An investment banker friend introduced me to her over dinner and upon learning about my recent decision to leave commercial banking after 25 years, she asked: "How were you as a boss?"

The question was simple and short, but it really got me thinking. And now, after eleven years, I can tell you with confidence that ensuring the best out of your colleagues warrants a lot of empathy and handholding from the boss.

Of course, I had my fair share of mistakes, possibly a few too many. You might be a terrific revenue driver but given the choice, would your employees ever want to work for you again? Most importantly, do you know how it feels to work for you? Beyond the quantitative metrics we measure bosses by, these human factors determine your efficacy to a large extent.

The happiness factors

If you ask someone what makes employees happy at work, many are likely to think in terms of tangible rewards: a good salary, pleasant workspace, generous benefits, and the like.

However, workplace specialists are increasingly discovering that for many workers the "happiness factor" depends on intangibles such as respect, care, trust, fairness, engagement, mentorship, and according to many management "gurus", empowerment.

It is in fact the small things which make employees feel committed to an organisation.

Workplace happiness often depends on two components: the institution, its culture, and the boss.

A boss may often be considered an institution by himself, one who sets the corporate culture, creates a positive and a dynamic work environment, sets high standards, and ultimately gets people engaged in their work. It may happen that you are happy in your work but not happy in a specific environment due to a variety of factors, such as a bad boss, a bad corporate culture, or a colleague who makes your life miserable.

People have different opinions on what brings them happiness and satisfaction on the job, but certain priorities remain constant in terms of what employees say makes them happy.

The boss vs the company

Bosses indeed play a key role in determining a worker's happiness factor. More than half of the employees responding to an annual job-satisfaction survey admit they do not leave companies, they leave bosses. This leads to a question: When workers accept employment, do they only join institutions, or do they join for the leaders too?

It is not easy to be a good boss: you must be fully present and responsive to the complexities of each new situation and manage a diverse group of people, including your employees whom you must develop.

As employees, we have all had the opportunity to work for individuals who profoundly influenced our professional careers. They have taught and guided us through phases of our careers, which were necessary for us to reach the heights we are at today. And as we became bosses ourselves, we have developed our own management styles, which in turn have shaped the careers of our own employees.

Some of us use an autocratic style of management and others democratic. And each style may have its own merits and demerits. But what makes a good boss?

A good boss is both a "real" person and trustworthy. Someone who "walks the talk" and earns respect for character and the example they set.

Charles Erwin Wilson, an American businessman and politician, once said: "A good boss makes his people realize they have more ability than they think they have so that they consistently do better work than they thought they could."

The key to being a better boss lies in accepting that fact. Good bosses manage to align expectations of seniors and the goals of their employees for the good of the company. They are also passionate about the people who work with them: get to know them, their kids, spouses, friends, hobbies, interests, and upcoming vacations. Everyone loves it when others are interested in them, especially when it's their boss. Your internal relationships are just as important as the external ones.

A lot of people forget this too often.

A boss who listens attentively to his people and is committed to developing them can have a profoundly positive impact. Although not everyone's ideas can be implemented, if they feel heard, it makes a big difference. Everyone likes a boss who is open to change and personal growth, appreciates initiative and supports new ideas.

Taking the lead

In times of uncertainty, employees look to us for reassurance and security. We also need to embrace the fact that we encounter many obstacles, and these hurdles allow us to understand, listen, give clear instructions, invite negative feedback, and protect those we lead. It is also our responsibility to ensure that the same mistakes do not repeat.

As bosses, we need to be infectiously enthusiastic and proud of the work we do and be a constant source of new ideas and inspiration.

We must be able to inspire our subordinates to achieve their potential by setting an example with our work ethic. We must always ask ourselves: when we look back, at how we have treated our followers, peers, and superiors, will we have earned the right to be proud of ourselves?

A good boss under the "new normal"

During or post-Covid, the definition of a good boss has also gone through a dynamic change. Work from home, health issues, accelerated job hopping, failing revenue targets and client coverage challenges has made the role of a boss more challenging. In such times, having a clear goal and a fair and equitable process is even more important. As the leader, you must believe in your organisation and prove to the employees that you care about them and their development.

The author is an economic analyst.