WM

Rico Maranto is a seasoned leader with over three decades of experience in learning and development. His passion lies in cultivating human-centered leaders, extending beyond professional success to help individuals become better spouses, friends, parents and community members. Rico's approach emphasizes empathy, communication and integrity, fostering environments where personal and professional growth thrive. Beyond work, he enjoys pickleball, piano and hiking. He finds the greatest fulfillment in quality time spent with his family, embodying a holistic leadership approach where personal growth, community engagement and familial bonds converge into a purpose-driven existence.

Erin Gaudet is a passionate leader who is always learning. She recently obtained her MBA with a focus on Leadership. This has fueled her desire to create learning environments that encourage collaboration, vulnerability and personal growth. When Erin is not at work she enjoys running, being creative in her craft space and spending time with her friends and family.

Through this article, Rico Maranto and Erin Gaudet explores the belief that supervisors should not be too friendly with their employees. The notion of leaders building relationships with their employees often sparks debate as there are two mindsets in management circles. Some leaders are comfortable building relationships with their employees, but others fear crossing a line between the personal and professional.

One leader stated they had no interest in hearing about their employees’ personal lives. The manager believed they had a job to do and connections with employees led to loss of productivity and poor results. Others in the group agreed, adding that blurring the lines between professional and personal relationships can lead to conflicts of interest, perceptions of favoritism and mistrust in the team. Conversely, some claim that fostering relationships with employees leads to increased job satisfaction, higher retention rates, greater engagement, enhanced team productivity and better performance. Another leader declared, “If you don’t know the names of your employees’ significant others, kids and pets, you don’t have a good enough relationship with them.”

These conflicting opinions cause supervisors to question if it’s wise to build relationships with their employees.

Should supervisors build relationships with their employees?

Workplace culture is shifting. Many organizations are discovering that teams led by caring and compassionate leaders who create connections, foster belonging and build camaraderie in the workplace are more productive and achieve better results.

Some executives are fond of saying, “Our employees are our organization’s most valuable resource.” The employees are not an organization’s resource; they are the organization. An organization is a group of humans working towards a common goal.

Humans want to be seen, heard, valued, cared for and respected. They connect by sharing common interests, experiences and values. They foster a sense of belonging and unity and find safety and security in each other.

Effective leaders are human-centered. They build lasting connections with those they lead by being genuinely interested in them. They draw on their human attributes, such as empathy, compassion and emotional intelligence, to connect with them. They respect them and foster a workplace that enriches their lives. Leaders who invest in those they lead bring enjoyment into the workplace, create a safe space for social interactions and encourage employees to bond with each other and the leader. Data indicates that human-centric environments foster higher levels of cooperation, collaboration and synergy, leading to improved team performance and organizational outcomes.

"Leaders interested in knowing who their employees are will build deeper connections and have higher retention rates, greater engagement, enhanced team productivity and better performance."

To what extent should the Supervisor nurture the bond?

If supervisors should connect with those they lead, how close is it to being too close? The relationship between a leader and their employee should remain in a safe zone without being inappropriate.

Social psychologists define four levels of non-romantic relationships.

· Acquaintance – This is someone for whom you know basic facts and occasionally interact when you cross paths.

· Casual Relationship – This is someone you arrange to meet with because you enjoy their company. This relationship is often built on common interests (e.g., hobby, job, circumstance). Your conversation tends to go deeper than surface-level sharing, but you do not share sensitive or personal information.

· Close Relationship– This is someone that you truly care for, someone with whom you feel an emotional connection. You can ask them for help anytime. With them, you can be your authentic self. You seek their advice and are slow to judge them but quick to empathize with them.

· Intimate Relationship – This is someone with whom you share a deep connection and are comfortable exposing your most personal and sensitive information.

Supervisors should have more than a casual relationship with their employees; they should not have an intimate relationship. Supervisors should nurture that relationship with their employees to a point. They should not participate in one-on-one activities that could create a perception of favoritism or allow the relationship to bias their business decisions. Also, supervisors should not engage in deeply personal discussions during regular conversation. This may be appropriate only when the employee acknowledges their private life is impacting their work life.

How do you build workplace relationships?

To build better relationships with your employees, view the relationships as important and treat them that way. Here are a few tips.

· Be Interested – Ask questions to get to know them, who they are, what they are passionate about and what they hope for.

· Be Vulnerable – Be your authentic self. Share information about yourself you may not have been comfortable sharing.  

· Be Attentive – When they are with you, they should feel they are your most important priority. Truly listen to them.

· Be Compassionate – Demonstrate real care and concern.

· Be Protective – Stand up for them. When the team fails, take the heat.

Conclusion

Leaders interested in knowing who their employees are will build deeper connections and have higher retention rates, greater engagement, enhanced team productivity and better performance.