Employee CHaTs: it’s Good To Talk (Most of the time)

As Bob Hoskins said (for those of a certain vintage), it’s good to talk. But for many people, it doesn’t seem so good when the person wanting to talk is their employee—especially if they want to discuss something tricky.

We often find that managers and business owners feel overwhelmed when their team members want to have conversations with them, particularly when they’re unsure what the discussion will involve. And that’s completely normal—after all, you can never be 100% sure whether someone is going to raise a grievance, ask for a pay rise, or simply reflect on a situation.

The key thing to remember is that if someone is approaching you in the first instance, it means they believe you can help resolve their problem. That can be a good thing, but it can also be challenging. As a leader, you do have a responsibility to your employees—but that doesn’t mean you’re expected to solve every problem. If it’s a work-related issue, take time to reflect on it, and remember that some concerns employees raise might highlight issues you weren’t even aware of—helping you improve things in the long run.

That said, employees sometimes approach you with personal issues that aren’t work-related, and these can be more difficult to navigate. In those cases, acknowledge their concerns, thank them for their time, and signpost them to appropriate support so you don’t get drawn into issues beyond your role.

The key to handling these conversations effectively is to approach them with an open mind while staying in control. Don’t feel overwhelmed—you don’t need to have all the answers immediately. If an employee frequently comes to you for casual chats that take up too much time, try to refocus them. You could set up a regular one-to-one, asking them to provide an agenda in advance so you can prepare answers rather than responding on the spot.

All of these approaches are completely valid and will help you stay on top of conversations.

If you need any help with this or any other HR headaches, don’t hesitate to get in touch.