Business’ rely on their line managers to drive people performance. It may be that individuals are promoted to a line manager position because of their good technical skills. However, are your line managers trained in true management skills to ensure their teams are performing for your business?
People are often recruited into a line manager role, because of their technical skills in their specialised field of work, or they may be seen as high performers or loyal staff from long service with a company. They typically work their way up to the role of the line manager based on these factors.
The role of the line manager is important to the performance of a business, through driving, overseeing, leading, motivating their people. One of the key objectives for management positions, is to coach and support the team, providing direction to ensure that people are meeting the needs and objectives of the business.
People Processes
As well as being capable in their fields and responsibilities, the majority of managers will also need to understand and facilitate people processes such as:
- Recruitment and selection
- Onboarding and inductions
- Recognition and reward
- Performance management
- Grievance, disciplinaries and investigations
- Company and team communication.
These people processes support the line managers achieve the people goals.
Training in these areas is vital to ensure that the line managers are able to drive people performance into the business. For example, without understanding the concept and process of performance management, the line manager is unable to recognise and properly manage a high achiever against a poor performer.
A line manager will also need to understand supporting processes linked into performance management such as succession planning, development and training as well as reward and recognition. A capable line manager will develop a high achiever through training programmes and retain them through appropriate recognition – whether pay and reward systems, or recognition in promotion. A line manager properly understanding and facilitating these people processes will result in increased business performance and a higher retention of key people.
Where a poor performer is recognised, this can be managed within a Performance Improvement Plan targeting the areas where performance is not being met – this may result in improvements or could lead to dismissal (a people process that a capable line manager should be able to initiate).
Where dismissal is a consideration, line managers are often not equipped to deal with this process and may not address the performance concern, which results in a lower performing team. Can your business carry a non-performing employee?
Personal Attributes
Not every individual that has long service or is a technical expert in their area makes for a good line manager. Interpersonal people skills are key. Typically those with the following positive people attributes will make good people managers:
- Supportive
- Available/approachable
- Good listening and communication skills
- Develops people
- Gives clear direction
- Easy to talk to
- Clear on expectations.
Next steps. What your business can do to ensure you properly equip people managers?
Remain conscious of the experience and skills of those that you promote into a line management role. Assess their capabilities and put together a development plan. Consider the following areas:
- Do they need skills development on people processes? Arrange HR and People skills training so they can understand the role of a line manager and how to facilitate processes such as performance management and disciplinaries.
- Have they transitioned from colleague to manager? Arrange 121 coaching to support their growth from colleague to line manager, this can be a challenging transition for some who may still want to be everyone’s friend. Coaching can help them navigate these situations and understand the role of a line manager.
- Would they benefit from understanding their strengths and areas for development? Arrange occupational personality testing to help them better understand how they come across to others and how to evolve their management style to approach different personalities they manager.
In summary, people are recruited into the line manager role, and may not be equipped with the experience in managing people or understand the attributes required to make the role successful. To support your line managers, training workshops, coaching and psychometric testing can help to ensure they are able to support and develop their team, to meet the objectives of the business.
If you are looking to implement some development for your line managers, please contact us on 0345 646 0406 or fill in our online enquiry form and a member of our Team will be in touch. We can provide bespoke training workshops for line managers, psychometric testing and 121 coaching programmes .