By JOHNNY CARCIOPPOLO / Community Columnist

Employees rarely quit a company; they quit their managers, supervisors or company leadership. In a time when maintaining a quality workforce is one of the greatest challenges of the business world, it’s important to keep some essential (and simple) motivating factors in mind

No. 1 – Be friendly. We aren’t saying you should take your staff out to the movies on the weekend, but simple things like saying hello in the morning can truly go a long way. Be friendly and approachable.

No. 2 – Be consistent. Receiving mixed messages kills employees’ motivation because they feel that they are always trying to hit a moving target. Be clear and focused in your communications.

No. 3 – Be authentic. Employees know when you say things you don’t actually believe. By maintaining your authenticity, employees are able to understand what is truly important and don’t have to sort through the clutter to prioritize messages.

No. 4 – Be noble. Managers who continually prioritize themselves over their staff quickly squash the motivation of their teams. Remember that your personal success will shine through as your team succeeds.

No. 5 – Be accountable. Take responsibility for your actions. In order to establish an environment of accountability, you must lead by example. Admit your mistakes, and take the blame for your team’s failures.

No. 6 – Be dependable. This means that you publically support your team and you help them succeed. Encourage your team to communicate with you openly, and be consistent with your responses. Additionally, do what you say you are going to do and within the timeframe you suggested.

No. 7 – Be responsive (not reactive). Beyond responding to emails and phone calls, being responsive means you hear the concerns and ideas of others, and you let them know they were heard. When receiving troubling news, don’t react until you have heard all the details. Be patient and maintain a positive perspective.

No. 8 – Be aware. Regardless of the industry, one of the most common complaints from unhappy employees is that their manager is out of touch. Be aware of your employees’ jobs, personalities and needs. Recognize when they are going through an unusually busy period, and let them know you are there to support them.