Is your crew complaining that they are working too many hours or coming to work exhausted? It’s crucial that you set the tone appropriately for your worker’s work-life balance. For your team to survive and thrive in the tough construction industry, you’ll need to coach your people on how to function for the long haul. Here’s how you can help your people prioritize.
Start with Compassion
We’ve all been through it with staff members that are unreliable and full of excuses. It can be so frustrating when you can’t count on your team because your staff is only as strong as its weakest link. However, you always want to start fresh and maintain your compassion. Leadership requires a certain level of discretion and oversight, so lead with empathy instead of an iron fist. Remember the times you were late after a daycare drop-off went long, too sick to get to the job or the unavoidable traffic jam that kept you from the worksite. Put yourself in your employee’s shoes and share the benefit of the doubt when you can.
Keep Work at Work
Employees do not benefit from taking their work stresses home with them, and neither will you. A sleepless night for your worker means a less productive staff member the next day. The first step toward employee work-life balance is having your staff leave work stress back at the job. This means limiting overtime and working from home outside of their required parameters. And when an employee takes the day off, it needs to be recognized as a day of no communication outside of emergency situations.
Lead By Example
The best way to establish a work-life balance for your employees is to lead by example. Demonstrate the habits you want your employees to take on by keeping regular hours at your post, taking breaks as needed, and remaining out of contact on your days off. It shows your people that it’s acceptable to rest when appropriate and helps them see that the “workaholic” lifestyle isn’t necessary.
Gain Leadership Insight from CCS Construction Staffing
Searching for more leadership insight? We recommend CCS Construction Staffing’s 2019 Leadership Series. Our insights can help you capitalize on your strengths and bolster your weaknesses as a manager. Review our website today to learn more about taking your leadership skills to the next level.