• PAS Home
• About PAS
• Can PAS Help?
• Common Concerns
• Alcoholism
• Arguments
• Balancing Time
• Depression
• Divorce
• Domestic Violence
• Grief in the Workplace
• Money and Emotional Reactions
• Money Management
• Retirement
• The "Sandwich Generation"
• Stress
• Trauma Reactions & Resources
• Violence in the Workplace
• Weight Control
• Supervisor Resources
• Newsletter
• Employee Performance
• Impaired Employees
• The Multigenerational Workplace
• Privacy Practices

Supervisor Newsletter

Newsletter-April 2012

Q. Is being "approachable" important for a supervisor? I keep an open-door policy, and I am available anytime. Doesn't this mean I am approachable?

A. Approachability is a valuable strength for a manager and usually means he or she is an effective communicator. Being approachable increases the likelihood of reducing risks to the organization and of solving problems sooner because employees are more willing to come to you with issues and concerns before those concerns become worse.

Approachability is closely associated with two other skills-vulnerability (openness) and authenticity. Employees are naturally attracted to these personality traits, and they directly influence your reputation, likeability, and the appearance that you are approachable. Typically, these traits are also associated with warmth, patience and the willingness to respect employees' views, collaborate with them, and be a good listener. Do you struggle with any of these traits or skills? If so, there may be room to become more approachable. Personal Assistance Service can help because these skills can be taught or the traits can be acquired.

Q. How can I help my employees find more meaning and fulfillment in their jobs?

A. Your employees are no doubt thankful for the security of having a job and benefits, but any employee who feels unfulfilled will experience frustration. At Duke, we are fortunate to work at an institution where we can help advance education, research and health care, but not everyone understands how their role contributes to these missions. As a manager, you can help your employees understand how what they do contributes to your department's success, and how your department contributes to Duke's success. Every person makes a difference in helping Duke achieve its missions.

But sometimes people may not be fully using their skills and talents in their current roles. You can encourage employees who demonstrate frustration to identify what things they love to do, and then discuss whether their current job functions could be tweaked to meet those needs. Personal Assistance Service can help your employees with this examination of needs. Additionally, the Professional Development Institute is another resource for employees who have concerns about career direction and career growth. Many employees fear growing old and never having a job that will make a difference in the world. This need can sometimes be achieved in other ways. The task is to discover it.