Why New Manager Training Is A Must For Every Business
As the economy recovers from the Great Recession, more and more employees are quitting their jobs.
There is a myriad of reasons why such a high number of workers are leaving their place of employment, from familial issues to better opportunities.
A top reason for putting in their two-week notice, though, is a company’s failure to provide new manager training.
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Most Companies Don’t Invest In New Manager Training
New manager training seems pointless to many companies. In fact, most companies don’t invest in training new managers. There are a few different reasons why investment in new manager training remains low.
First, many company heads view management as a no-brainer. They have often been with the company for many years and in a managerial role for just as many. To them, management skills are as commonplace as dirt.
Second, those same company heads feel that the money that could be invested in new manager training could be better spent. Often, they choose to spend it on their own improvement and training needs.
This is a fundamentally flawed reason for avoiding management training. Not investing in new managers often leads to great losses in profit and productivity down the road.
New Manager Training Is A Must
There is an old saying among HR specialists: “People don’t quit their job. They quit their boss.”
Managers aren’t just employees who are slightly higher up on the company totem pole. They work in close proximity to those they manage, ensuring productivity stays high and loss stays low. When there is a problem in the workplace or among employees, managers are the first ones who respond.
Working closely with someone who makes such important company decisions has two possible outcomes. First, that person manages well and keeps both productivity and worker morale up. Second, that person manages poorly, and loss increases while morale decreases.
Managers Oversee The Backbone of a Company
It is the low-level employees at a company that makes that company what it is. They are the ones who serve the customers, move the product, and ultimately make the money. Without them, the company would no longer exist.
Given how important these employees are, the manager who oversees them is equally important. Nowadays, managers aren’t just expected to manage. They also have to lead and support.
As such, failure to lead or support results in a poorer work experience for employees. Poor work experience results in poor morale, which in turn results in poor performance and loss for the company.
Unhappy Employees Leave
The loss doesn’t just come from employees not producing enough or not producing well. It also comes from employees who quit or get fired.
Consider each employee’s paycheck. Even if an employee only makes $25,000.00 a year, that’s still $25,000.00 that the company pays out in training and compensation.
If that employee leaves, that’s lost money for the company. Worse, if that employee is a bad employee who makes a high number of errors, that’s more lost money for the company.
Worse yet is if a good employee leaves. Good employees make the most profit for the company. Because they make more money, they will always be in demand by all companies, including the competition. If they leave, your company will lose money and your competition will potentially gain it.
Now consider a manager’s paycheck. Let’s say that manager makes $50,000.00 a year. If that manager is ineffective, the margin of loss is even higher since low employee productivity and the expense of keeping the manager are greater.
Unhappy Managers Leave
There are also the manager’s feelings to consider. If he or she feels he or she is not doing a good enough job or becomes frustrated with the lack of training, likely he or she will leave the company. And again, the company will pay for the loss.
It should be noted that being able to manage, lead, and support others does not come naturally to everyone. Moreover, being able to handle certain situations for the good of the company isn’t an instinct that everyone possesses.
For example, take employee disputes, especially disputes between good employees. Being able to handle such disputes and being able to handle them as a manager are two different things. New managers don’t want to be left in the dark and then scolded for not knowing how to deal with such situations.
Managers Today Are Tomorrow’s Company Heads
No employee stays in the same position forever. As time passes and experience is gained, employees move up. Eventually, if they stay at the company, they will move into the company head roles.
Company heads make decisions that affect the entire company, especially its financial aspects. It is imperative that those who will one day run the company understand the full process. It is also imperative that they learn the right management skills and styles early on so they can grow those skills and become effective heads later.
Investing in New Manager Training
Now that we’ve established why investing in new manager training is necessary, let’s tackle how to go about forming an effective training program.
Spare No Expense
Don’t go cheap when it comes to implementing a good new manager training program. If they need certification, then give them access to the right certification program. Spending less today means losing more tomorrow if your new managers aren’t trained correctly.
Determine the Necessary Type of Training
There are numerous different types of management training. To determine which you need for your new managers, you likely will need to go to those they will manage.
A lot of times, low-level employees will be hesitant to give feedback out of fear of backlash. If you sense this reluctance, consider using anonymous surveys to gather data.
Teach The Three Key Aspects of Management
Regardless of the type of training your new managers need, all new managers should learn the three key aspects of management. Those aspects are communication, organization, and performance management.
Many underestimate the importance of communication. But to be able to mediate and resolve conflicts, your new managers will need to understand the best communication practices.
Organization, another undervalued skill, helps managers solve problems, make decisions, and oversee projects. Likewise, performance management skills allow managers to give effective feedback and document performance.
Conclusion
New managers oversee the backbone of your company. Invest in training them properly, and you’ll receive a higher ROI that translates into higher profits and less loss.
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