As a landscape business owner, ask yourself this question: “Do you want to be your employees’ buddy or their boss?” As an employer you have a choice, explained Bernie Erven, professor emeritus, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, during his session “Being a Boss Vs. Being a Friend” at the Green Industry Expo in Columbus, Ohio.
“You have a decision to make,” he says. “Indecision, waffling and an ‘it depends’ attitude confuses employees. The challenge is clear; the decision is not.”
| EXPECTATIONS DEFINED |
In a business, every person – from employee to employer – has specific expectations. Understanding these expectations can help an owner determine the difference between being his employees’ buddy or boss. Following are the basic expectations of employers, employees and friends, according to Ohio State University Professor Emeritus Bernie Erven. Employer expectations of employees: Employee expectations: Expectations of friends: |
The reason? “Being a buddy seems easier – employers assume employees prefer the buddy choice,” Erven says, adding that setting up clear and concise employee guidelines and sticking to them is actually the better route. This is defined as being friendly to all employees but being buddies with none. “Employees are actually more comfortable with set guidelines – plus, you’ll feel better following these rules when an employee is late for the fifth time in a row vs. being a friend and letting it slide.”
Businesses rarely follow the buddies-with-everyone mentality because to have a business where everyone can be good friends, an owner has to have the following: few employees, little turnover, a friendly and charismatic top manager, excellent communication, clear and enforced rules when needed and a place where personality is given heavy weight when hiring. And so few companies have all of these traits, Erven says.
To understand the friendly boss vs. buddy boss concepts, Erven defined some key terms.
- Friendly – Favorably disposed, not antagonistic, warm, comforting
- Friend – A person you know well and regard with affection and trust
- Buddy – A good friend
To use the friendly but not buddy guideline in a family business, Erven suggests that business headquarters remain separate from residences, business and family relations and communications remain separate and close family relationships are built outside of the business.
To overcome the informality of a small business that can naturally lead to a “buddy” environment, Erven recommends businesses conduct formal staff meetings, provide feedback at least annually to each employee and that owners be consistent in policies, procedures and family relations across all employees.
With the friendly but not buddy concept, owners should expect supervisors to be friendly with all employees and best friends with none.
Erven makes a special note to owners: “Being an owner can be lonely – especially when all you think about is the business. But you have to work hard to build friendships outside of the business and avoid resorting to the business for friends.”