The right relationship with your boss can instantly make your days easier, less filled with negative emotions, and less stressful. It’s not about being perfect in every email or trying to do it all. It’s about demonstrating trust and honesty and doing your best to talk openly. Whether you have just started or want to improve things in your current role, here are some excellent places to start.
1. Communicate Clearly and Consistently
Having communication that is consistent and stable helps to prevent misunderstandings and builds trust. Several studies on workplace communication have demonstrated its influence on performance and support for employee-boss communication strategies.
Gallup, for example, reveals that establishing regular communication can lead to a 29% increase in employee engagement. This can be achieved by reporting on the progress of tasks, seeking clarifications, and informing about any issues that arise.
2. Understand Their Expectations
Clarifying what your boss needs from you will help you structure your work and prevent misunderstandings while you build a better working relationship with your boss. It has been proven by office surveys that employees also work under stress due to vague expectations.
McKinsey reports that staff members who understand their exact responsibilities perceive a 20–25% increase in productivity. If you cannot understand something, such as deadlines, the importance of tasks, or the way to present results, then ask, as this is a strong step in how to improve your relationship with your boss.
3. Show Initiative and Responsibility
Taking initiative shows your boss that you are dedicated to your job, not just doing the bare minimum. According to Deloitte, taking ownership can improve team results by 30%, including idea implementation and coordination.
Similarly, this concept is not about taking over and exiting the area. Taking the initiative may include solving small issues before they become more significant, offering assistance when your squad is overburdened, and suggesting small improvements that benefit everyone’s job.
4. Build Mutual Respect
Respect typically comes up first when discussing healthy work relationships. Forbes claims that more than 25% of productivity is observed in respective areas.
Some small things that can emphasize your respect are to be on time, listen attentively, and react in a proper professional manner to feedback. Besides, stay calm in case of mutual disagreement with your boss and learn to take his or her stance on the issue, which further supports building trust with your manager.
5. Give and Receive Feedback Openly
Your boss must know what you need to reach your full potential, and feedback is vital for your growth. PwC notes that 60% of employees wouldn’t mind receiving feedback weekly and daily to keep them on track.
Also, giving critical feedback may be appropriate and beneficial for developing a more open and honest relationship with your boss. This isn’t just about making it a two-way conversation rather than waiting for your annual performance rating, and it strengthens your effort to build a better working relationship with your boss.
Better Relationships Lead to Better Workdays
These steps are small and take longer as a boss reports a strong foundation of trust and faith, allowing you to perform trustworthy acts. Your commitment makes the days easier for your boss, makes the teams stronger, and increases the likelihood that your performance will be a recognition platform.
