7 Secret Signs Your Boss Cares About You

It’s no secret that recognizing employee efforts leads to them being more productive. Yet, many companies continue to fail at establishing formal employee recognition processes.

In the USA, lack of employee engagement costs businesses over $550 billion every year.
According to a recent Gallup report – 51% of workers in the country feel disengaged at their workplaces. 13% reported feeling “actively disengaged” which means feeling fed-up at work.
Another study by Gallup reports that companies with engaged workforces are 21% more profitable. These companies are also 17% more productive than companies with disengaged workers.

Managers’ attitudes can boost/hurt employees’ levels of engagement. Employees must also take ownership of their situations rather than waiting for management to act. That means if you see your boss showing signs that they care – you need to notice it and see it as a positive.

Recognizing the positive aspects of your relationship with your boss is important. It will make you feel more comfortable at work. Putting your ideas in front of your boss will become easier. Getting appreciated will improve your attitude about work.

If you’re having trouble realizing whether your boss cares about you, here are seven secret signs to look out for –

Table of Contents

I. Always the Example

Are you the employee who is always guiding struggling co-workers? If you constantly get singled out as a model of good workplace behavior, it’s a great sign. When your manager wants the rest of the team to aspire to be more like you – it’s a huge statement of appreciation.

Unfortunately, exemplary employees almost always receive “tough love.” They receive the most feedback. They also receive a lot of negative feedback. They’re the ones who receive the most amount of slack when the team underperforms.

These are all positive signs. Bosses only give constructive criticism to those who can handle it. If the boss respects you enough to include you in challenging business decisions, it’s a sign that you matter a lot to the company.

Don’t get tired of being the model employee. Very few workers receive this type of treatment. It only makes us work harder and aim to be better.

II. Always Involved in the Action

There are some employees that only do what’s asked of them. Then, there are a select few who are always encouraged to go the extra mile. The latter group almost always consists of over-achievers. Underachievers do the least. Overachievers can never do enough.

If your boss gives you more action than other employees, you can infer such behavior as –

You’re the worker who is held highest in the boss’s esteem.
You’re the boss’s first call because only you are reliable with tough assignments.
The feeling of constantly being challenged can be overwhelming. But, it will also make you feel like an indispensable part of the organization.

III. The Boss Respects Your Personal Life

It’s not necessary for you and your boss to be “happy hour besties.” But, you feel that the boss respects your commitments outside of work, it’s a sign of respect. Sometimes, employees misinterpret their boss’s flexible approach as temporary favors. They’re not.

The employer is under no obligation to care about your personal life. If he or she is showing such degrees of care – they have your best interests in mind.
If the bosses are checking in with you from time to time about your personal life – they must care about your well-being.
If your boss is constantly assessing how satisfied you are with the job – they don’t want to lose you.

These are all great signs of how valuable you are to the workforce.

IV. You Get to Deal with the Decision-Makers

Employers are very selective when asking workers to join business-critical decisions. If your boss trusts you more than others in difficult situations – it’s a big sign of trust. Employees need to look out for signs like –

The boss is sending you to important meetings with clients.
You’re now part of business discussions that you weren’t qualified to participate in in the past.
When the stakes are high, you’re always the one who has to step up.
You are requested to work extra shifts on important days for the organization.
You’re being asked to deal directly with clients.
You are overseeing contracts or deals with clients on your own.

Finding yourself making business-critical decisions for your firm? It’s because you’re one of the few members of the workforce who can handle this level of responsibility.

V. You are Always Asked for Inputs, But Not Always Complimented

Wait, this doesn’t sound like a good sign, right? It is! Bosses preserve the amount of praise they give to employees. They usually preserve it to encourage under-performing employees. If you’re meeting your KPIs and still not getting as much praise as the lesser performing individuals – it’s because your standards are higher.

As long as you’re getting the “real” praise in terms of promotions or extra bonuses – you’re fine. Another form of authentic praise from bosses is being asked for inputs in all situations.

You’re always getting consulted in team meetings
You’re constantly asked to solve organizational problems
When you meet an objective it’s not a big deal. But when other employees do the same – they receive extra praise.

These are all subtler yet more meaningful signs of appreciation.

VI. Free-Flowing Communication

If you can pre-emptively guess what the boss wants from you, it’s a sign of a growing relationship. The ‘best’ employees can always sniff out their bosses’ key priorities. Having such a relationship with your employer can make you more effective. These free-flowing channels of communication will further cement your workplace satisfaction levels.

VII. Your Role Keeps Getting More Important

If you feel that your work responsibilities are constantly increasing – it’s because your supervisor wants you to grow. Employees can benefit a lot from demanding environments. As long as upping your responsibility levels is not impacting your mental health – take these signs as major compliments.

Bear in mind – underperforming employees don’t receive additional responsibilities. If you’re handling more and more responsibilities every day – it’s a sign of positive evolution. Make sure to keep up the good work!