The line manager’s role is an essential position in terms of managing performance, inspiring teams, retaining talent and driving the business towards success. However line managers are now dealing with far more complex people management issues on a daily basis than ever before.
The people management sphere is ever changing as are the expectations of the line management role. It would seem that we are asking more of our line managers regardless of the type or size of business and this is something that HR have supported for some time.
But are we, supporting and enabling our managers to take on these additional challenges? We look at the top ways HR can support the line manager’s role:
1. Development is a key part of the role
Training and continued professional development should be a core part of the line management role. Through continued development, we can improve line manager’s competence and confidence in managing more complex issues like: managing absence, performance, conduct and capability issues within their teams.
Additional to this, the HR function should be informing line managers about changes to legislation that may impact the way they need to implement policies and procedures.
2. Performance feedback in invaluable
We expect line managers to give feedback to teams and carry out performance appraisals. However we often either fail to do these with our own line managers, or fail to consider what real-time feedback we can be giving them. Line managers require a carefully considered review of how well they have met their individual objectives, and about their continued development and most importantly positive feedback and recognition when they’ve achieved success.
3. Support managers during difficult times
Managers are primarily those who are asked to engage in difficult people management activities, holding the difficult conversations about work performance, attendance, capability or conduct.
Often when complaints are made, line management actions are immediately challenged, and on some occasions, the management responsibilities for that individual are removed before an investigation into the complaint has started. Quite often managers are left in the dark pending the outcome of investigations or other formal activities causing an equal level of anxiety and distress for them.
We should give careful consideration before suspending any manager or removing responsibilities depending on the nature of the complaint and the evidence available. Updating that manager by providing some assurance over the progression of any investigation is also vital, along with a careful consideration for additional support for that manager, including counselling, access to a mentor or HR support.
4. Developing managers into Leaders
As the race to attract and retain talented people continues, we should never lose sight of the challenge of ensuring the organisation has an effective leadership development and succession planning pathway.
Organisations should be actively reviewing their management competencies and pushing intermediate line management development to ensure there is a pool of capable leaders constantly under development. How these future leaders are identified will vary depending on the organisation, however, while it may be difficult to offer constant career progression, there should be an opportunity to allow managers to develop in different areas and to understand every component of the business.
If you would like to find out more on how Ward Williams HR can help with training line managers. Please feel free to email sally.phillips@wardwilliams.co.uk or give us a call on 01932 830664