Investing in Manager Development

    

Though it is not uncommon for strong individual contributors to be promoted into management positions, success in the prior role does not guarantee success as a manager. Organizations should not assume that new managers will know or understand their roles. A retention survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) found that 21% of voluntary terminations are due to poor management. Developing managers will help to ensure that management is not contributing to turnover, but rather that they are directly contributing to employee success and retention.

 

To ensure that employees are given the opportunity to be successful every day, strong managers should:

  • Ensure employees know what is expected of them at work.

  • Give employees timely performance feedback and remove roadblocks impeding upon their success.

  • Take accountability for how their actions affect their direct reports.

  • Hold themselves and their employees accountable.

  • Encourage employee development.

  • Care about employees as people and respect their opinions.

Too often managers do not have the experience, skills, or information they need to be effective. Organizations must proactively provide the following:

  • Ensure that managers know what is specifically expected of them. Be clear about expectations, and do not assume an understanding that may not exist.

  • Guide managers through critical tasks, including hiring, orientation, training, performance management, and coaching. Make toolkits available to managers with standard practices and processes in place.

  • Make training a requirement for all managers. Ensure that the training meets the specific needs of managers. New managers may benefit from more basic and general skills, while more experienced managers may require specific and advanced skill development.

  • Ensure that managers know how to foster effective, two-way communication with their direct reports, including performance feedback, employee opinions and suggestions, and dealing with conflict.

Developing managers takes time and resources. However, educated and trained managers will help to build strong team cohesion, give employees the opportunity to be successful, and strengthen employee retention.

 

 
Issue 10 | October 2008
In this Issue

 

Also This Month...

 

Simplify Your Life
 Purchase the Guide to HR Administration from Thompson Publishing

 

 

Landmark Amendments to the Americans with Disabilities Act.
 Read more important details from Helios partner, Jackson Lewis, on how this affects employers.

 

 

About Helios HR

Helios HR client-focused delivery models include:

  • Human Resource Outsourcing

  • HR Consulting

  • Interim HR Management

Additional information is available at www.helioshr.com