Not many of us know and interact with our neighbours, who weve lived next door to for years when in the past we all used to help each other out back in the war days. Now we dont hardly know thier names or what they like as a person.. From experiences in the past and being an employee (which i still am, part time) the same applies to staff with everybody out for themselves. Some firms that myself and that other employee friends of mine have come across the bosses as unapproachable, or have egos to boot or belittle the staff to certain thier authority. Im saying a few here, its not everybody.. My husband was business development manager for years, yet on attitude and approach to work, from the driver to the cleaner to the director, he always asked how they was, on occasions getting them a coffee and it was the little things like that, that makes a difference. It really does help if management could take a time out once in a while, get to know thier staff. now dont get me wrong, im not talking about someone pouring thier heart out to you, like you was oprah winfrey, but if hmm i don't know... say Mr Rock was into wrestling, just show an interest even if its small. We do it in telephone sales after all. I get copious amount of phone calls telling me my business is great and how they would love to go ghost hunting , or into the paranormal. I do know that they want the sale of course, but its that chitter chatter to try and get your mind at ease before they go in for the pitch lol. So like wise with staff. I was 16 years of age and I had a Saturday Job in a supermarket I wont name names. One manager used to never say hello, give me dagger looks and when around me, i felt like i was being scruitised for what i was doing on the checkout, when i was clearly doing my job properly, and i still felt like i had done something wrong. The other deputy manager, always said hello, asked how i was during break time, joined in in conversations with other members of staff, be it what was on tv the other night, or the latest news and with him he felt approachable and happy to work for him. Now having the choice, which one would you want to work for? I also worked in an office.4 directors all in one room and thier desks all facing each other. being in there meant you had to stand in the middle and it felt like you was in the spanish inquisition the moment you set foot in that room. 2 were nice and were approachable, the other two made you gulp before you speak incase you said something to upset them. So you can see what im getting at here... If you want loyalty from your staff, you have to be approachable, but still keep at a professional level. The employee knows where they are in the pecking order so to speak, and know what the limits as to what they can do, but can still feel they can come to you if they have a problem. If they do have a problem and feel they cannot talk, if its business related that small problem could escalate into one big problem if left. For example, if a customer service clerk put the wrong delivery address on, they can sort it out with thier supervisor, before it leaves the warehouse, instead of being afraid to tell you they made a mistake, it goes out and then you have one unhappy client. So being a director myself now for 18 months and now at the top of where i want to be, being approachable is good for staff, its good for clients, its good for team morale. Staff dont see you as an outsider, they willingly want to work for you and feel part of a team instead of feeling like 'its just a job' attitude and all it is to them is a take home pay. Doing what i do, if you have seen my profile, is not always about having fun, its really hard work from the advertising, getting seo,travelling at 5am in the morning for a 3 hour trip back from a location and getting up to sort out two daughters. But every event, i always go with a smile on my face, the minuite i meet my staff, and thats why they stay loyal and love thier jobs, and this in turn makes them happy and they make the clients happy with thier own attitude to them.