Carmelina Piedra | Founder, Certified Career Coach, and Executive Innovation Coach & Facilitator at CareerCoachingPro.
This past week, I attended an HR conference that solidified everything I already knew about workplace culture and management.
What Employees Aren’t Getting From Their Managers
Employees want to be seen, heard, valued and supported. But right now, according to surveys, 63% of employees do not feel fully heard by their managers, 35% of employees say their managers do not care about them as a person and 34% say their manager does not take them seriously. This is a reflection not on the managers themselves but on their lack of training and ability to manage; most managers overseeing one or two people (59%) receive no training at all, nor do 41% of managers who oversee three to five people. This leads to a lack of trust in managers by their direct reports. In fact, at the conference I attended, one speaker claimed that only about half of employees trust their managers. Overall, employees feel alone and not cared for by their managers.
Managers not offering career development opportunities is a big part of the equation. A recent article from Inc.com explores how a lack of career development opportunities is a main reason why employees leave organizations (not necessarily their manager specifically). So why is it that companies do not invest in management training to help managers offer employees what they need?
The Importance Of Managerial Training
From my 25+ years of experience in corporate America, there is one big reason why companies do not offer management training. Most companies see the management of employees as the only clear path to promotion and something people can do easily without training.
For most companies, “moving up” in the organization means making people managers; however, not all people are meant to manage people. Many can progress very well in their careers while remaining in individual contributor roles. In fact, consultancies have done this very well for decades. There, managers are more like mentors and are solely focused on the careers of employees and not on the actual work. Many times, they are department-agnostic.
Contrary to this model, most companies are asking their managers to do too much: manage people and manage the work simultaneously. Therefore, the managers become overwhelmed and cannot prioritize what matters, and people management always takes a back seat. Also, managers are used to doing the work themselves prior to moving into management, so they often find it difficult to leave the work behind.
Without proper leadership, organizational structure and training, managers will never be able to be good at management. Good managers give context; are patient, proactive and empathetic; value employees’ input; and most importantly, help employees grow. A good manager must:
• Establish trust in their relationships, and create a culture of psychological safety.
• Empower their teams to do their best work, and initiate change through a sense of purpose.
• Communicate challenges and objectives with transparency.
• Advocate for their direct reports’ needs to leadership.
• Offer tailored career development opportunities.
• Give higher comps, more time off and/or benefits to stay competitive.
• Offer work-life balance and wellness programs.
A note on that last point: More programs are not better, contrary to belief. Giving employees programs that they will actually use makes more sense. A growing number of employees have health issues due to overwhelm, including addiction.
Managers And Career Development
How can managers begin to step up with career development opportunities, which as we’ve established is the number one reason employees leave?
• Succession planning when positions become vacant
• Career pathing driven by the employee
• Training for employees across the organization (not just for managers)
• Upskilling and reskilling opportunities
• Employee referrals
At this point you might be wondering, How will we be able to figure out what works best for our organizations and teams? Consider conducting “stay” interviews to collect feedback from employees, and then act on this feedback in meaningful ways. Also, interview your employees prior to them leaving to truly understand their needs. Evaluate what is most important for them, and use data and insights to drive decision-making for employees.
Best Practices For Employees
Career coaching can help people get the training they need to be better managers. Employees can also work with career coaches if they feel there is a gap in management. Career coaches can help individuals have tough conversations with management, ask for what they want and attain their goals regardless of manager ability.
Here are some best practices for employees when having tough conversations with their manager:
• Make sure expectations are set.
• Be very clear on the facts, and leave emotions aside.
• Consider the outcome you want, and provide a business case.
• Be proactive, and set up weekly 1:1s with a clear agenda.
• Approach your manager with respect.
I often advise my clients to seek out research and data about their potential new manager. If the manager is new and/or has many people leaving under them, this is an indication that they will be unable to fully support my client in their career development. Deciding which company culture to join is the most important aspect of a job search.
Conclusion
Happy employees also mean happy customers, which drives more revenue. So developing strong managers is well worth the investment. The alternative is high turnover rates and a lack of stable company culture.
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