No one wants a boss who micromanages and is constantly looking over their shoulder.

At the same time, most people don’t want a manager who is inattentive.  It never looks good when a manager doesn’t seem to have an idea of what their employees are working on.  Additionally, if a manager isn’t acknowledging when someone is doing a great job or if people are working extended hours, this can negatively affect team morale.

Because of people’s desire for an ideal manager, engaging employees is something all managers need to know how to do, and they need to know how to do it well.

Follow these tips in order to effectively engage your employees:

<b>Listen to your team</b>

This is one of the most basic ways a manager can engage with their team. “Listening is one of the highest compliments we can pay anyone,” said Dale Carnegie, the author of “<a href="http://www.dalecarnegie.com/events/how-to-win-friends-and-influence-people/">How to Win Friends and Influence People</a>.” Employees are almost always telling their bosses how they feel, what they want or what they are doing, but sometimes this falls on deaf ears.  Make sure you listen and hear what your employees are saying to you.  This will make you more attentive and caring as a manager, and will also help you know what your team is doing and how you can help them accomplish their goals.

<b>Have a contest</b>

Any sort of contest is a great way to create team interaction.  It can be something like an NCAA Tournament pool or can be based on work performance.  Regardless of the nature of the contest, this is a great way to get your employees talking to each other, as well as you, and a good way to have fun.

<b>Treat others how you want to be treated</b>

As a manager, this should be something that is on your mind constantly and even more so when you are engaging with employees.  Not only will this help you make decisions regarding your employees that they will appreciate and understand, but it will also help you come up with your own original way to engage with your employees and build relationships with them.

<b>Bring in donuts</b>

While what you bring in doesn’t necessarily have to be donuts, this is still a great tactic.  A gesture like this is a great way to get your employees to relax and talk to you because it makes the environment much more casual.

Having effective and productive <a href="http://www.dalecarnegie.com/employee-engagement/">employee engagement</a> is essential to maintaining a productive and enjoyable work environment.

Use these tips to ensure that you have the types of relationships with your employees that will serve everyone’s best interests.