3 ways a management team can promote a better workforce

How important is your business management team? Oftentimes, a workforce is only as great as the management team that helps coach and oversee all its decisions.
A recent Gallup poll found that of 7,272 Americans polled, one in two had left their jobs to get away from a manager and in turn, improve their performance and happiness in a new role. When employees are faced with working under a less than stellar boss, they are often miserable at work and at home, with stress following them in other aspects of life as well.
If your business is suffering from bad management practices or leadership, keep the following behaviors in mind:

• Communication: This may seem obvious, but too often, communication falls to the wayside in an office environment. Face to face meetings are passed over for email exchanges and group discussions for Google hangouts. Although innovative technologies allow workers to communicate in a variety of ways, the importance of these meetings lies in their very existence. A recent study conducted by Gallup found that managers who hold regular meetings, of any kind, have a workforce that is three times more engaged than managers who do not.

The same study also found that engagement remains highest among employees who have some form of contact with their manager in the first place, even if the communication is electronic. Using a combination of face to face interactions, phone and email exchanges has proved to be the most effective, but can vary workplace to workplace. In addition, managers who respond to employee issues within 24 hours are more apt to be kept in the loop, than those who don’t. Remaining punctual, even on busy days, is essential for interactions.

• Framing: Perspective is also an important part of the management process. Although it can become easy to get bogged down in day-to-day occurrences, especially those that are stressful, maintaining a cool composure is essential. During employee performance reviews and general meetings, framing can make or break an employees productivity and satisfaction.

Focusing on an employee’s strengths instead of their weaknesses, has been proven to increase engagement, with 67 percent of employees agreeing that positive reinforcement drives them to do better both inside and outside of the office. When management focuses on helping employees develop and grow, they are twice as likely to remain engaged.

• Performance management: Performance management should not consist of one annual meeting for discussing issues, missed marks or a job well done. For performance management to be effective, it must remain an ongoing process, one that displays an interest and investment in an employee. Gallup found that employees with managers who excel at performance management are more likely to remain engaged.

The discussion of expectations during these meetings is essential, as it helps employees understand their role in the business, how it affects other employees and why they are important. Accountability is a vital part of this idea, as the ability to treat each employee in a fair, respectful manner often allows them to display their greatest work ethic.
Be sure your management team is a reflection of your business core goals and aspirations. Training can be a great way to give your management team the boost they need, check out some of MasteryTCN’s management courses here.
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