This article originally appeared on Monster.com.
Being a good boss isn’t just about delivering results or even producing award-winning work (although that’s nice too!). It’s also about hitting another important corporate goal: employee retention. And for the people who work for you, it’s about having another reason to achieve greatness at work—not just for the company, but for you.
That being said, about half of workers have left a job to get away from a manager, according to a Gallup poll. In study by work-happiness company Woohoo Inc., when employees were asked what factors cause bad days at work, the top answer was “a lack of help and support from my boss.”
But what if you’re the bad boss? Not only does it keep you from moving up the ranks, but it could cost you talented employees, not to mention future job opportunities. Follow the strategies below to keep your work team happy—and on the job.
Be clear about your expectations
Few things frustrate workers more than feeling like they’ve given their all, only to be told that they didn’t deliver what was expected.
“Employees want to feel a sense of accomplishment,” says Nancy Halpern, an executive coach with KNH Associates in New York City. “And if you don’t know when you achieve that, you’re never successful. You’re always left wondering.”
So before you assign new projects or tasks, be sure to set clear expectations, and follow up with emailed instructions, if necessary. Then, schedule regular check-ins so that you—and they—are on the same page.
But don’t micromanage
Setting expectations doesn’t mean managing the process of the work. Let your employees know what you want from them, and let them deliver it—even if you think you could have done a better job yourself.
“Yes, you could do it yourself, that’s why you got the job of boss,” Halpern says. “In doing it all yourself, you’re soon going to reach capacity and explode. You’re going to get resentful and take it out on your people, and they’re going to leave.”
Sometimes helping people grow also means letting them stumble, so let them make mistakes—and then learn from them. “You can’t expect perfection, but you do want growth,” Halpern says. “Some failures are okay. Your people aren’t going to learn anything if you save them at every opportunity.”
Develop your talent
Employees are often loyal to managers who help them advance their skills—and in turn, their careers.
“Many bosses are so busy trying to get the job done, they do not take the time to engage employees around their professional growth and goals,” says Tammy Gooler Loeb, a career and executive coach based in the Boston area.“If they were to be more supportive of their employees’ growth and development, they would have a much better chance at retaining those employees.”