By Mike Toten Freelance Writer


 

Some employees find themselves out of their depth for usually the first time at work, and at the same time, may no longer be able to rely on support from co-workers.

What can managers and HR do to prevent this situation from occurring, or at least mitigate the problems?


Why this happens

An employee who was previously responsible for their own actions and outcomes now also becomes responsible for the actions and consequences of other employees. Work relationships that were previously harmonious and productive can now become complex and stressful for both parties.

The new manager may have been very effective in their previous role as a team member, but in the new role, they no longer have the expertise and confidence that made that possible. The lack of knowledge/confidence, particularly in managing other employees, is a significant concern – something the new manager may never have needed to do previously. Very often, employees are quickly thrust into management roles and left to figure things out on their own, for instance, when a previous manager suddenly leaves the job and the vacancy needs to be filled quickly.

Another reason for failure is that the employee was promoted because they were the best or most experienced employee in their type of work – sales, administrative, tradesperson, law, etc – and the employer felt pressured to reward them with a promotion. Or perhaps the employer believed that if it did not find a way to promote the employee, they would become frustrated and resign. The latter might happen anyway if the new manager becomes unhappy or stressed with the demands of the unfamiliar new job.

Another common reason is that a competent employee, dissatisfied with management's performance, discovers that co-workers share their concerns and genuinely believes they could do the job better. However, they often find that the managerial role is more complicated and different from what they expected.

A new manager who excelled in technical work may struggle to delegate the same tasks to others, especially if they believe their employees cannot match their performance. The manager may also feel that having to delegate work is an admission that they are failing to cope with the demands of the job. It may be very tempting to hang onto the work or jump in to help co-workers when help is not required. Another motive for “jumping in” may be that it provides a welcome opportunity to revert to some work the manager is comfortable doing, and some relief from the demanding new tasks that may make the manager feel they are not being “productive”.

When a new manager is struggling, there is a tendency to revert to behaviours that worked well in the past. Trying to maintain the same friendships in the same way as before and acting as a team member (e.g. “jumping in” as noted above) instead of as a leader are common failings. They end up having an undermining effect.
 

What managers and HR can do to assist

The key to a successful transition to a management role is prior preparation and assessment of suitability, plus ongoing support.

The following steps are recommended:

  • Evaluate the employee’s suitability for promotion before deciding. This process may include psychometric assessment of abilities, interests and preferences; identifying training and development needs for the new role; and evaluation of preferred work styles and communication methods.

  • Ensure the employee is interested in a promotion. Some individuals will be very definite about wishing to continue as non-managerial “experts” in their field; in such cases, look for and discuss suitable alternatives to the managerial career pathway.

  • Provide mentoring and coaching that focuses on the changes that need to occur to transition successfully into a management role. The mentors/coaches need to provide knowledge and assistance in positive and supportive ways, and that assistance will need to continue after the employee commences in the role. The initial aim will be to have the employee ready and able to step into the new role.

  • Help the employee learn how to treat former co-workers from a manager’s perspective. That means understanding how they prefer to be managed and what motivates them. However, the management style also needs to suit the new manager’s personality.

To summarise, many newly-promoted managers need to learn how to be effective people managers – their technical knowledge and expertise won’t be enough to succeed. Selecting the right people initially and offering them ongoing support is crucial.