When building a strong foundation for your relationship with your employees, consider these four tips:
1. Help Your Staff Feel Important. Multiple surveys show that the number 1 reason employees leave an organization is due to their relationship with their immediate supervisor. Find small ways to build up your employee. Employees throughout all levels need to be reminded that their contribution and insights are important to the success of the organization.
2. Be Understanding When Staff Needs Time Off. While a few will abuse it, the majority of your staff will work hard to be present and on the job. Don't make people feel guilty about needing time off . Deal separately with the abusers. Be gracious when allowing time off
3. Be a Good Listener. Listen closely enough to your staff so you can reiterate back what's been said, and what the concerns are. When you listen as though you will have to repeat it, you listen actively. It makes a huge difference. Put aside your phone, shut down your computer, and really listen. The payoff for active listening is priceless.
4. Admit Your Own Mistakes. Admit them in front of your employees. Never pass the blame onto someone else. Be quicker to take blame that is not yours than to pass anything along that you might have even partially been responsible for.
For more tips and strategies on building solid relationships, check out Supervisor 101.... Learn how to prevent and deal with conflict, supervise your peers, and much more!
Supervising employees who genuinely like you, respect you, and "have your back," so to speak, is a terrific thing. And it looks easy -- until you are the supervisor. 
Leadership training opportunities are offered in many ways to meet your organization's specific needs and budget. 
Teresa Gilbert