As a manager, you might not realize that some of the things you’re doing are aggravating your employees. And your staffers don’t appreciate it. In fact, they might be so unhappy that they’re going to leave the company.

Read on to learn more about what it is you’re doing that can drive your employees nuts, and what you can do to stop.

In a recent Interact/Harris poll of 1,000 American workers, 63% of respondents said that not recognizing employee achievements was their top complaint about their boss. This was the top grievance listed in the survey. The inability to recognize achievements bothers employees because they want to feel as though their work is valuable to the organization.

Recognizing achievement is more than just saying, “Good job.” Managers must give their employees specific positive feedback when they accomplish something – it shows they’re paying attention.

Over half of the respondents in the Interact/Harris poll stated that unclear instructions were their top peeve. Receiving confusing directions irritates employees because it means that they don’t know what to do or how to do it. Furthermore, they might not complete the task to the manager’s satisfaction because he or she didn’t tell them how to do it properly.

They can give clear instructions as to how to complete a task. In addition, the manager can also make sure that he or she is accessible in case the employee has any questions while completing the assignment.

A little over half of the people surveyed commented that their top peeve was a boss who wasn’t available to meet with them. When a manager tells an employee that he or she can’t meet with a subordinate, what the employee hears is that he or she isn’t important enough to merit the supervisor’s time. As a result, the staffer feels less motivated and can become disengaged from the company.

He or she can take steps to be more available for his or her employees. Becoming more available might involve delegating some tasks to others. It can also be as simple as taking stock of what activities are priorities and which aren’t. If an unimportant activity is taking up too much time, it means that it should be put aside in favor of checking in with employees.

If your employees are unhappy, then it’s time to think about something new. We help you find these employees and help them before you lose them.

At Grapevine Evaluations, our 360 degree employee evaluations are trusted by companies such as Pandora Radio, Thompson Reuters, and Macy’s. Request a demo today to learn more!