While not everyone is as bad as Don Draper, management styles have not advanced at the same pace as modern work practices. Market analysts are connecting a lack of managerial training with poor employee retention, forcing leaders to finally wake up to bad management in their organisations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Does Anyone Want to Be a Manager?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
During a recent HR conference on employee engagement, a member of the audience asked a provocative question. \u201cDoes anyone actually want<\/em> to be a manager?<\/strong>\u201d While some people laughed, others looked uncomfortable. The speaker brushed off the question. \u201cOf course! Why else would they apply for the job?<\/strong>\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are many other reasons why someone might apply for a managerial role. Employees are often promoted to management positions due to a lack of other advancement opportunities \u2013 especially for women or flexible workers. As reluctant managers struggle with inadequate resources, companies in turn blame remote working for a lack of engagement. Managers then come to resent hybrid and remote working for being \u201cdifficult to manage\u201d, despite evidence of bias<\/a>. Sound familiar?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even well-intentioned bosses aren\u2019t immune to poor management practices. Without proper training, modern challenges \u2013 such as hybrid working and generational differences \u2013 will impact morale and productivity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s a silver lining: managers are more productive when they feel empowered. In this article, we explain the data and share positive practices that help foster a high-performance culture<\/a> in any company. If you\u2019d like more help, speak to one of our experts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Poor management will negatively affect employees\u2019 day-to-day performance, impacting your business metrics. It has also been proven to impact retention rates. The Guardian<\/em> recently reported that bad management has prompted one in three UK workers to quit a position<\/a>, a statistic that will give HR departments sleepless nights. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Based on a report from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), the article also found that an ineffective manager sapped motivation for a third of those surveyed. Almost half of them considered looking for a new role within the next year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The pandemic brought with it an awareness of how mental health is impacted by working conditions. According to a poll by FlexJobs, poor communication and strategy from team leaders caused 51% of employees to experience increased anxiety<\/a>, while 44% struggled with mental fatigue and 35% reported depression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The same poll revealed that a bad manager reduced engagement for 30% of people and was responsible for declining productivity and performance for 24%. If we assume that these statistics are connected, they demonstrate the link between employee anxiety and bad performance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 87% of people report that they have worked for a toxic leader at some point in their career. If the majority of employees are experiencing bad management practices, it suggests that the problem is endemic and can only be solved by systematic changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Put simply, proximity bias occurs when in-person employees are given preference over remote or hybrid employees. This can be due to several factors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bad managers often blame remote work for their failings. Proximity bias proves that there are larger factors at play. Remote workers receive less feedback than in-person peers. Rather than penalising remote workers, managers must be empowered to engage with their team through solutions like in-person meetings and employee recognition<\/a> software.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We are all familiar with the adage \u201cpeople leave managers, not jobs\u201d. How can we improve management to ensure better outcomes? Here are some of the most common management mistakes \u2013 and what to do instead:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n Remote work should not be an excuse to silo communication. This includes opportunities for cross-departmental working and offering employees a sufficient amount of feedback. Knowing how to talk to your employees, peers and leaders is an essential management skill \u2013 one that many still struggle with. Recent changes in work patterns, such as hybrid flexibility, have contributed to a breakdown in feedback loops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a recent study, Nick Bloom highlighted the differences<\/a> between the employee and manager experience of hybrid work. He cited his paper with the National Bureau of Economic Research that looked at quit rates in these two groups \u2013 and the results are fascinating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hybrid work greatly improved employee experience. Attrition rates fell by 1\/3 based on better job satisfaction and improved work-life balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the other hand, manager attrition rose by 55%. Put simply, managers did not like managing people remotely. But is this the whole story?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fostering a\u00a0diverse and inclusive<\/a>\u00a0workspace will make your team more dynamic. The positive impact is undeniable, improving performance by up to 30% according to data from Gartner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ensuring that you have a wide range of skills and experiences within your teams gives them the best possible chance of dealing with challenges. It also allows for a wider perspective and space for innovative thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sadly, not all industries have recognized the power of investing in diverse workplaces. Managers often bring their personal biases into the workplace; without proper DEI training, these prejudices can fester. Long gone are the days when an employee will remain silent on issues of discrimination, so we encourage you to take proactive steps to train your leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your managers prioritize diversity and inclusion, they will contribute to a positive company culture which, in turn, reduces attrition rates and boosts productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While it\u2019s important to know how and when to step in and offer guidance, an overly harsh and punitive atmosphere is a surefire recipe for disaster. As a general rule, teams work better when they know they\u2019re safe to make mistakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some people do respond well to a management style that focuses on accountability. That\u2019s not the same thing as coming down on someone like a ton of bricks when something goes wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Learning how to have\u00a0difficult conversations<\/a>\u00a0is a key skill for any manager, and a constructive approach is nearly always more productive than a punitive one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With increasing numbers of businesses competing on experience over salary, your company culture matters more than ever. In a bad company culture, the most neglected factor is employee recognition. Specifically: recognizing invisible work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After years of research into employee engagement, I noticed that lack of recognition affects every aspect of organizational culture: hiring, productivity, and retention. It begs the question: why do companies consistently fail to recognize their staff?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even Forbes<\/em> struggled to answer this question. In their article on the importance of regular recognition<\/a>, Victor Lipman noted that \u201conly 20% of employees feel strongly valued at work. 80% felt poorly to moderately valued.\u201d<\/em> Without affirmation, employees are prone to disengage\u2014leading to lower productivity and higher turnover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Recognition is inexpensive to implement but costly to ignore.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBad Management is Avoidable<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSigns of Bad Management Practices<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A Toxic Culture<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Proximity Bias<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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How to Fix Bad Management: 5 Steps to Success<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Break Down Communication Silos<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Study: \u201cThe Bias Against Hybrid Work\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
2. Work Towards Diversity and Inclusion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. Use the Carrot, Not the Stick<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4. Recognise Invisible Work<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
5. Prioritise Social Connection<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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