As a company leader or manager, a big part of your role is to help keep company morale high and manage employee relations. The two are very much connected, and when there is an issue with one, there is usually an issue with the other.

Why are healthy employee relations so important? Kathie Kelly from Leaders in Heels explains the important role employee relations plays in your organization:

“Employee relations encompasses the overall management and wellbeing of your organisation’s employees including, but not limited to, their behaviour and morale. It is the common denominator when creating successful engagement initiatives, whether it be around performance management through to workplace health and safety.”

Investing in employee relations is a worthwhile endeavor that will benefit your company. Here are some reasons why it will help boost morale:

Focusing on your relationship with your employees will improve communication in all areas of your company. Having an open channel of communication and feeling like their concerns are being heard is reassuring for employees.

When employees have a good relationship with company leaders, they will be more motivated to not only achieve desired results, but to go above and beyond when the time calls for it.

Getting your team to buy in and be engaged with company initiatives is extremely important. Without buy in, you’ll have a difficult time achieving company objectives. A strong relationship with your employees can go a long way to getting them to engage and help the company move forward.

People want to know what is going on with their company and how their role impacts company success. When employees know the company vision and mission, and how their role plays a part in it, they feel like part of something bigger than just their job title or role.

“Essentially employee relations are all about your investment in your people. Your people are also the key to your business success, so don’t take them for granted, otherwise your productivity and in term your profit will diminish,” adds Kelly.

Get more tips for how to improve company morale by reading these blog posts by our human resource professionals:

Why Does Workplace Wellness Matter?

A Simple Solution to Employee Disengagement

Tips From HR: 6 Ways to Keep Your Company Culture Alive