Management serves functions beyond decision-making and bringing expertise to your business. Leading by example, managers set the tone of the workplace for all employees. Despite this, a study done by West Monroe found that 43% of new managers had not received any formal management training.
Creating effective development strategies for leadership at your company is essential for promoting best-in-class management practices. If you’re not sure where to start, the Cura team has effective training suggestions to help you develop your managers so they can optimize their leadership skills!
Soft skills are essential for anyone in a leadership role. Soft skills training allows managers to better connect with employees in order to provide effective feedback, set goals and expectations, and build trusting and productive relationships. A manager with effective soft skills can promote a healthier work environment, which is good for your employees’ mental health.
Soft skills training should focus on:
You can promote soft skills development through either online or in-person courses. If you aren’t sure how to go about this, team Cura offers various training programs for managers and employees alike.
Soft skills create the foundation for managers to be able to effectively handle and ideally, resolve conflict. Situations such as conflicts between employees can create disharmony in the workplace and can escalate quickly if not resolved. Training managers to both mediate conflict and identify when they need assistance from an HR partner to navigate the situation is important.
Take action to prevent conflict before it starts. Outline clear expectations for behavior, and educate both managers and employees on these practices regularly. Ensure company policies and practices are clear on how to address conflict if it does arise, and that they are followed consistently throughout the organization. Clearly outline the procedures for reporting an issue and consider using an anonymous reporting system allowing employees to inform leadership if they are not comfortable sharing with their manager.
Finally, know when to involve HR in workplace conflicts. More serious issues such as harassment, discrimination, and workplace violence should all be handled in partnership with an HR professional. If you are unsure about how to handle an issue, it’s best to consult with an expert.
Effective performance reviews are a great way to show employees how well they are doing. Train managers to address performance evaluations in a thoughtful and productive way. Encourage regular and sincere constructive feedback, and celebrate when they are doing well. Conducting performance reviews and providing feedback should be done face to face when possible to build strong relationships and trust.
Also, partner with your team to establish goals and performance expectations for the upcoming review period. Consider what they are doing well, and the steps that can be taken to improve areas where they’re struggling. Don’t forget to offer support and resources to help them reach these goals.
Educate managers on all company policies and programs. It’s critical for them to know about everything from the Code of Conduct, to the Attendance Policy and everything in between. It’s important to be familiar with this information to help support, communicate and enforce policies and practices when needed. Additionally, ensure managers know how to deal with violations of company policies and the appropriate steps to take.
Managers should also be familiar with your products and services, company processes, mission, vision, and business model. The greater their knowledge of your organization, the better they can help advise customers and employees.
Finally, ensure that managers are familiar with state and federal employment laws and regulations. While these are generally overseen by HR experts, it’s important for all managers to be aware of regulations such as the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) laws, among others. Awareness of these laws and regulations is especially important because violating them can lead to serious repercussions for your business.
Manager training is an ever-evolving topic that needs to align with each organization’s unique needs. A new or experienced employee transitioning into management needs guidance and resources to set themselves and your company up for success.
Cura HR helps our clients identify and implement opportunities to level up their talent. We are certified in the most widely used and reputable people assessment tools, offer extensive manager and employee training, and facilitate effective team-building and development programs. We’d love to learn about your business and how we can help you to develop your team!
