Organisations are confronted with an unusual mix of issues as a result of a tight labour market and widespread expectations of a recession. Companies must decrease expenses, empower teams to produce results more effectively, and keep employees engaged and satisfied if they are to avoid losing them. According to the most recent job data, the number of employees resigning continues to greatly outweigh those laid off, with 1.7 job vacancies for every unemployed individual.
Organisations rely on managers to make this happen. According to a recent Gartner survey, HR leaders’ top goal for 2023 is manager effectiveness.
Managers are accountable for keeping their personnel on track, working as a team, and producing results. Manager performance is determined by a variety of factors, including communication, goal setting, and transparency. BTS recognises these traits and encourages them among their employees but especially if you’re a manager, you should evaluate your effectiveness as a manager and identify any areas where you can improve.
What is Manager Effectiveness?
Manager effectiveness is a dynamic phrase that can have varied connotations for different professionals. Simply put, manager effectiveness refers to a manager’s capacity to successfully fulfil organisational goals while managing employee expectations. The notion extends beyond manager efficiency, which focuses solely on inputs and outputs. Rather, its significance lies in ensuring that, in addition to efficient work, there is progress for both the individual and the organisation as a whole. Effective managers may better lead their employees, increase job efficiency, and motivate organisations to make an impact.
An effective manager is one who manages with a human-centered coaching approach rather than simply driving business needs forward. Effective managers do more than just motivate their direct reports to perform; they also assist individuals hone and use their unique skills, establish continuous feedback loops, and challenge their reports to realise their maximum potential.
Great managers have a favourable impact on all aspects of organisational success, such as employee engagement, growth and development, productivity, and attrition. Managers, on the other hand, need the correct tools, structure, and practises to be effective–something that most leaders lack.
Manager effectiveness is critical because strong management is a critical component of a successful workplace. Being an excellent manager can provide numerous benefits, including increased employee productivity, improved employee morale, and the creation of a positive work environment.
Furthermore, because managers are the leaders of their workplaces, they frequently model the qualities that they want to see in their employees, making effective management essential.
Managers aren’t simply dealing with their own problems; they’re also helping their staff deal with theirs. This increased responsibility has resulted in managers feeling less prepared and more challenged than ever before. Indeed, 65% of managers report that it is more difficult than usual for them to perform their jobs effectively during the pandemic, and this figure rises to 76% among senior-level management.
There are numerous reasons why your managers may be struggling today, including as personal, financial, or health challenges, but recent trends revealed two major issues:
The pandemic’s extra stress
Most people are juggling more responsibilities than ever before, both at work and at home. Managers face the arduous challenge of attending to their employees’ emotional requirements as well as their work needs, and they lack the necessary practises.
They are overburdened.
The majority of managers (70%) are attempting to support teams with five or more direct reports, making it more difficult to offer employees the psychological and job-related support they require.
Managers are trying to make the most of each meeting due to increased stress and a shortage of time. However, by encouraging regular, structured one-on-ones, leaders can help free up time for managers and provide them with the tools they need to support their employees.
Another few reasons why we need the restructuring of managerial effectiveness is that:
Improved staff engagement
Effective managers can encourage, engage, and inspire their team members in ways that improve their performance. According to a Gallup survey, managers are responsible for at least 70% of the variation in employee engagement scores across business units. As a result, competent managers improve employee experience, which leads to attracting and keeping top personnel.
Maintain a healthy balance between leadership and staff
Managers serve as a liaison between top management and employees in any organisation. Effective managers play a critical role in ensuring that all organisational goals are attained while also supporting employee well-being and growth. They are more capable of aligning organisational and employee goals in order to produce a win-win situation.
Adaptability and transformation
Manager effectiveness is critical in the VUCA world to respond to the rapidly changing environment. Effective managers make decisions that are robust and adaptive in order to ensure business continuity in the face of uncertainty.
Ways to Fix the problem
Here are some pointers to help you improve your manager’s effectiveness:
Maintain open lines of communication with your personnel
Communicating with your staff is an important strategy for enhancing your management effectiveness. To properly manage your staff, you must communicate effectively with them.
As a result, aim to improve your communication skills and set up communication channels for your personnel. You can also provide feedback to your staff so that they understand how they might better in their jobs.
Pay attention to your personnel.
If you want to be an effective manager, you must listen to your people. Along with providing feedback to your employees, make an effort to listen to them. Encourage them to provide feedback and share their thoughts and ideas.
Listening to your employees’ feedback and concerns can demonstrate that you care about them while also providing you with suggestions for how to enhance your workplace. You can practise increasing your listening abilities by doing the following:
- Maintaining your concentration
- Positive nonverbal communication should be practised.
- Giving vocal comments to demonstrate that you are paying attention
- demonstrating empathy
- Following-up questions
Establish objectives
Set outstanding goals for your staff using the SMART technique, such as:
- Specific: The goals you set for your staff should be clear and detailed so that they may be easily understood.
- Measurable goals are vital because they allow you to utilize metrics to track your employees’ progress towards reaching them.
- Attainable: Set goals that your staff can actually achieve so that they are not overwhelmed or discouraged by unreasonable expectations.
- Relevant: You can set goals for your staff that are related to the general aims of your firm.
- Time-based: Set time-based goals with deadlines to assist your employees stay on pace to meet them.
Recognise your employees for their achievements.
It is critical to recognise and reward your staff for their work performance. Recognising your staff for their contributions is an important element in keeping them motivated.
It can demonstrate that you appreciate and value their work, making them feel more connected to their positions and increasing employee engagement and morale. Employees’ performance can be recognised using strategies such as:
- Employee advancement to new positions
- distributing company awards
- Creating a monthly employee of the month
- Purchasing lunch for staff
Provide opportunities for professional development
You can also provide professional development opportunities for your personnel to help you increase your managerial effectiveness. You can thus assist your staff in their professional endeavours and future success.
Completing professional development training or courses can help your staff better in their current and future roles with your organisation. You can provide professional development opportunities through your company or through third-party organisations.
Solve issues with long-term solutions.
Managers are frequently responsible for resolving workplace issues, so it is critical to develop thorough and long-lasting solutions to workplace issues if you want to be a good manager.
You can accomplish this by increasing your problem-solving abilities and constructing a problem-solving strategy. Developing long-term solutions might assist you in ensuring that problems do not reoccur in your company.
Create an accountability culture.
As a manager, you must foster an accountability culture. You may encourage accountability in the workplace by making your employees feel invested in their employment and personally accountable for the results of their efforts. This can boost your employees’ productivity and quality of work.
Conclusion
As a manager, you must foster an accountability culture. You may encourage accountability in the workplace by making your employees feel invested in their employment and personally accountable for the results of their efforts. This can boost your employees’ productivity and quality of work. BTS is a firm believer in doing what they preach, we search for and respect the same traits in all our clients and employees. At times people need these traits, need the right encouragement and so our services come hand in hand!
