Absence of the Ringmaster Makes The Heart...

There was an interesting study done by Timothy Golden of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. In a study of over 11,000 employees, he and his team found that employees are less satisfied if their boss is a "teleworker" instead of someone more frequently physically present with them. More specifically, the research showed that employees:

• Get less feedback
• Feel less empowered
• Are less satisifed with their jobs

Even if you are a manager that is onsite with your people most of the time, it is vital to remember that they need your feedback, need to know they are trusted to make decisions and that what they do is important. You may even want to make time in your lineup on a daily or weekly basis to reflect on how you are doing on meeting the needs of those who depend on you. Be specific to each employee (or even family member) and add tasks in your lineup as needed to address any deficiencies.

After all, the last thing you want is to step into the ring and find that all your performers have left!