Michael Scott is the regional manager at Dunder Mifflin, a paper company in Scranton. He wants so badly to be friends with his employees that he fails to be a boss. The employees, in return, don't always treat him with respect nor do they live up to their full potential. The mix of characters makes for fantastic television, but not the best work environment.
If you supervise staff, you have to be the boss. A boss should always be friendly with their staff, but that does not mean being friends. It's harder to maintain standards when everyone in the office is joking around and behaving like it's the weekend. It's easy for employees to ignore their assignments and instructions when they think the boss won't care because "The boss is my friend." If you turn into a pushover one too many times, gaining control of your staff becomes difficult.
Being the boss means having a thick skin. You have to be the person to hand out assignments, steer projects, and, possibly, follow through on disciplinary procedures. Not everyone is going to be happy all the time. Trying to achieve perfect happiness in the work environment will only cause more problems than it solves.
The boss can ensure a happy work environment by encouraging amicable moments and events while still maintaining department standards. As a boss, you have to find the balance between good times and good work. It takes a bit of trial and error, but a good boss will always figure out how to balance the emotional needs of their staff with the requirements of the job.
I've found that taking a few minutes to ask staff about their day/weekend/whatnot before issuing that day's assignment can go a long way to creating a pleasing environment. I also encourage my staff to chat with one another. This creates camaraderie and encourages teamwork. At the same time, however, I make sure that my staff get back to the task at hand when they've been chatting a wee bit too long.
As the boss you are the leader. The employees are your teammates, but you are the captain. Being the boss is not always easy or enjoyable, but sometimes you have to remember to have a back bone. Smiles and friendly moments are always encouraged and welcomed, but The Office is not happy hour.
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