Often individuals hired into management roles lack the skills and training to be effective managers. This can usually be remedied with good training and mentoring. However some individuals hired into management roles do not have the personal attributes to become a good manager. This becomes a significant liability for the organization as training and mentoring doesn’t work in these cases.
Imagine that a manager consistently changes the work priorities for his/her staff. Imagine the impact when the manager clearly favours one employee above all others. Imagine the impact on employees who are given impossible workloads and work long hours to manage this untenable workload, with no recognition of effort or success by the manager. Imagine a scenario where the staff person then receives a poor performance review for not having been able to manage an unmanageable workload. Imagine the impact of making unreasonable demands – travel for the next two weeks but also produce at the same level you would if you were at your desk. Imagine how discouraged an employee becomes when the manager consistently ignores the employee’s concerns.
These poor practices create an environment that breeds ongoing staff turnover, increased job stress, poor productivity and often, a toxic work environment. It’s a bad scenario for everyone – senior executives, board members, employees and stakeholders.
Successful businesses, for the most part, really pay attention to the health of their organization and role managers play in supporting employees to be productive and loyal. Having respectful and competent managers is an integral component of a healthy culture.
Beware of harmful management practices!
