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April 1, 2022

Retention Takes Powerhouse Managers

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How Do Managers Support and Scale Their Teams In Today’s Competitive Job Market?

Good management works for a while. But we’re living in an age where 65% of workers are always open to another job, according to CNBC. Scaling companies need GREAT managers in order to keep their current and emerging star employees. But what made a great manager in past decades is not exactly the same in today’s workplace. The post-pandemic workforce has evolved over the last two challenging years. Workers are more self-aware than in the past. They’re also less apt to compromise their personal priorities. And some workers are burnt out from having to juggle new, pivotal strategies both professionally and at home. Fuses are pretty short in some camps, but at the same time, people want to participate in dignified work. They’re looking for a place to plug in and contribute in meaningful ways to meaningful causes.

This new professional climate offers an opportunity for companies to engage their teams like never before. But to do so, managers need to upskill their performance. They need to prepare to lead in ways that build employee loyalty,, and buy-in like the company depends on it (which it does). This kind of management can advance the organization leagues farther than firms that still accept status quo management practices while their managers bemoan employee entitlement for low retention.

Workers want managers with these two competencies in exchange for their loyalty and buy-in.

 1. Dedication to Growth Opportunity

It’s not enough to have roles opening up in your growing company. If employees aren’t prepared to succeed in those roles, they will not last in them. Managers need to start now and provide extra help where the employee needs it in their current job. Many employees excel at a few aspects of their role but struggle in other areas. Top performing managers will keep an open dialogue and help employees feel safe in discussing their growth areas because they know their managers invest in helping them.

TaskHuman makes it easier for managers to facilitate the employee growth process. Through 1:1 coaching on the TaskHuman platform, direct reports can work with a personal coach or set of coaches to focus intently on their problem areas. Employees can see fast improvements using the platform as a support tool. Even the best managers have their hand’’s full managing multiple people and the many responsibilities that extend beyond their direct reports’ development. Coaches have the dedicated time and expertise to pour into the individual on the employee’s schedule and in the privacy of home or wherever they feel comfortable. Employees want to feel competent, comfortable, and effective in their roles. TaskHuman’s coaches know how to get them to that place and keep them there as challenges come. They can actually make use of challenges to grow and stretch the employee so that when a new role becomes available, the worker is ready to meet and exceed expectations.

Great managers know where they can and can’t provide direct support for employee growth. They look for areas where they can leverage tools (like TaskHuman’s coaching platform) to make critical support systems available. Employees will likely stick with a company and manager that has helped them excel at their earlier roles, prepared them for a promotion, and championed their success at higher levels.

2. Hyper-Vigilant Culture Champions

Cultures vary by company, and no one culture is better than another in terms of what works and what doesn’t. But where culture is concerned, joy is the underlying factor affecting teams’ ability to meet goals. Managers who excel at retaining employees, maintaining strong buy-in, and maximizing productivity are focussed on cultivating a joyful culture across all individuals reporting to them. To do this, they have to know what’s happening on their teams. They must be able to listen and make sense of the verbal and non-verbal communication within their teams. If employees are talking with each other in the hallways or on the company’s remote chat forums (Slack, Telegram, Zoom), that’s a good sign there’s joy percolating. If it’s crickets among the team members and people seem bored or annoyed during meetings, that could mean the joy is dwindling.

Exceptional managers maintain high levels of employee joy by continually gathering feedback from employees in ways that ensure every team member willingly contributes. They prioritize engaging with team members to learn their strengths and weaknesses, where they’re struggling, and where they aspire to be in future years. If something seems off with a worker, the manager wastes no time in asking them about it in a respectful and caring way. They find out if employees are struggling with something at work or if there’s something they’re dealing with in their personal life. After listening, great managers act on the information they learn. They pour into their employees where it’s needed to bring them along as both a valued member of the group and a uniquely gifted individual.

It might sound lofty and unrealistic to think of a manager showing up for team members this way. But it’s highly doable, and TaskHuman can help. Our management and leadership coaches can assist managers with interpreting verbal and nonverbal team communication, as well as adjust their own communication to encourage open feedback from their employees. Some managers fear the process of interfacing with and exploring their ranks because they don’t want to have tough conversations. The fear is understandable. A Gallup survey reported in 2018 that 79.6% of employees surveyed started job hunting after negative feedback. TaskHuman’s management coaches can help managers get comfortable in that part of their job and be more effective in their delivery. The end result? Employees take the notes with appreciation, not contempt.

TaskHuman also supports managers’ drive for joy-filled teams by giving them a tool to help employees meet their individual professional and personal needs. For example, if someone is struggling with time management, a specialized coach can work privately in a 1:11:1 setting with that employee to overcome the issue with as many sessions as it takes to see results. The same approach is available for other common workplace struggles. Managers can facilitate improved team dynamics through group sessions that can include other team members and an experienced communication coach. Simply offering TaskHuman’s collection of expert coaches to the team says, “Your joy matters to me.” The manager might not be able to find out exactly what is keeping an employee from finding their joy at work, but an experienced coach might have better luck. They can help the employee identify what they want, whether it’s a promotion or better sleep at night. Managers can feel good knowing they don’t have to possess endless subjects of expertise, but they can easily connect employees with experts on an as-needed basis.

In today’s competitive job market, exceptional management is the only management that makes sense. TaskHuman can help managers win the talent war. Our coaches are ready to support employees’ career growth and encourage a joyous team culture, so companies can start seeing the benefits of low turnover as quickly as possible. Let’s make it happen!

To learn more Book a Demo to see how TaskHuman can support your global team needs.

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