If you want to get the best out of your private staff, you must forge positive relationships with them. If your staff views you poorly, they're likely to become resentful and not give 110%.

But how do you foster positive relationships with your staff? There are several ways to go about this, and we're going to discuss some of the best of these below.

Give Grace

No one is perfect. Even the best workers make mistakes from time to time. It's important that, when these mistakes are made, they're not punished too harshly or spoken to in a condescending manner.

If a person is screamed at for just a single mistake, they're almost certainly going to feel a sense of resentment. If this is a repeat occurrence, this resentment will grow. And as this resentment grows, work performance will almost certainly plummet.

As such, you have to give grace to your staff. Expect that mistakes will happen, and when they do, discuss them in a civil manner.

Be Lenient

You're paying your staff and you should expect a lot out of them. However, that doesn't mean you should routinely push them to the brink. Doing so will result in substantial stress on their part, and will almost certainly cause them to burn out.

Instead, be a little lenient in addressing their work behaviors. Let them take small breaks from time to time. They'll respect you more for your leniency and will work harder as a result. If you're not lenient at all, they'll feel like the work isn't worth the reward and will subconsciously give up.

Pay Compliments

Everyone likes to be complimented. Compliments serve as a positive affirmation and assurance that everything is on track—or an opportunity to re-focus and improve. Without compliments or positive feedback, there may be a sense of uneasiness about performance.

Your staff is no exception to this. Therefore, when talking to employees on your staff, be sure to compliment them from time to time. Take note of what they did well and be specific.

Did your personal assistant do a good job managing your schedule? Tell them. Did your chef prepare an impeccable meal? Again, let it be known.

You can rest assured that compliments will help your staff to feel more bonded to you. The stronger your bond is, the more work they'll put in for you.

Have Empathy

Another key to forging connections between employees is to have empathy. Try to look at things from their perspective and question how you would want to be treated in that same situation. This is vital, as it contributes to your staff members feeling as though they're being treated fairly.

For instance, let's say that one of your employees is 5 minutes late. You could use this opportunity to rip into them and make them feel like a failure. However, that would almost certainly result in them feeling resentment towards you.

On the other hand, you could either let it go or bring it up in a civil manner. You could give them a chance to explain their side of the story, thus allowing them to see that their opinion and experience are valued by you.

Now, this doesn't mean that you shouldn't reprimand your employees when necessary, however, you also shouldn't punish them for things that are, more or less, out of their control.

Have Regular Team Meetings

Team meetings are vital as well. This ensures that everyone is on the same page, and it also allows employees to address ongoing problems. Without team meetings, your employees will suffer communication issues with one another, and will also have doubts as to whether they're doing their jobs correctly.

We advise a team meeting at least once a week. Throughout this meeting, be sure to address every member of your staff. Give them a chance to address their concerns as well, and take them seriously every step of the way.

Take an Interest in Their Lives

Your staff members may be working for you. However, that doesn't mean that their entire relationship with you should be about work. You should still converse with them on a human level.

This requires, of course, taking an interest in their lives. You should ask them how their kids are doing, for instance. You should ask about their hobbies and what they're interested in.

This helps to strengthen bonds and therefore creates a more loyal and hardworking staff in general.

Help Out from Time to Time

You pay your staff to complete certain tasks for you. However, that doesn't mean that you shouldn't ever jump in and get your hands dirty. You should, as it will create a sense of mutual respect between you and your staff members.

Wipe off the kitchen table after dinner. Take delivery boxes in from outside. Assist with small tasks as they pop up.

You don't have to do these things all of the time. However, doing them can create a more positive experience for everyone involved.

Forging Positive Relationships With Private Staff Is All About Consistency

When push comes to shove, forging positive relationships with private staff is all about consistency. Be consistently kind to your staff, and you're likely to get good results in return. Be consistently rude or dismissive to your staff, and you're likely to run into problems.

Looking to hire private staff currently? If so, look no further than the Private Staff Group. We help individuals connect with staff members of all kinds, from maids to nannies to drivers to health instructors and much more.

Contact us now to discuss your staff fulfillment needs!