In business world, managers and leaders need a good pathway to drives the business to the way they intend.
How
HR can help managers succeed
ARTICLE BY: SCU | Published: 6 JUNE 2019
AS A DRIVING FORCE
BEHIND AN ORGANISATION’S CULTURE AND PEOPLE, HUMAN RESOURCES (HR) HAS A
VALUABLE ROLE TO PLAY IN DEVELOPING GOOD LEADERS AND HELPING THEM SUCCEED.
SINCE MANAGEMENT CAN DIRECTLY AFFECT EMPLOYEE
SATISFACTION, PERFORMANCE AND LOYALTY, IT’S IMPORTANT TO ACTIVELY
FACILITATE THE GROWTH AND SUCCESS OF QUALITY MANAGERS.
Define what a good leader is
Beyond managing
operational efficiencies and solving immediate problems, managers need to be
engaging leaders, inspiring their teams to perform at their best. There are
some unique skills that naturally inclined leaders possess, such as conflict resolution,
communication skills and problem-solving capabilities. However, the success of
management doesn’t necessarily come down to possession of these skills alone.
Success will look different from organization to organization.
It’s the responsibility of an HR department to
define what qualities good leaders exemplify in their company. This may come
down to involving team members in a cross-company activity to help define your organization’s
values and ideal leadership qualities. Findings can be presented in a document
or video that describes in plain English what good leadership looks like. This
can help to develop a set of standard expectations and a common language around
leadership so that employees and managers are on the same page.
Make sure they understand their purpose
Effective leadership
starts with articulating a clear ‘why’. HR should provide leaders in the
organisation with a contextual understanding of what’s expected of them, and
how their behaviours and responsibilities directly lead to success in the
business.
Clarifying purpose is especially important for
new managers, as transitioning into a management role can be overwhelming. New
managers need to learn new skills while balancing existing duties. They need to
assume responsibility for their team, while also completing their own work to
the highest standard, as well as reporting to their own manager too. Feeling
that they’re an integral part of a bigger plan can help new managers feel more
motivated to succeed.
Prepare them for obstacles and challenges
Managers may face
different challenges to other employees, and it’s HR’s responsibility to
prepare them for these obstacles. Not only do managers need to tackle issues
with their own work and wellbeing, but they also take on the vast array of
challenges their employees face. These can include a range of interpersonal
issues from conflicts and performance matters, to mental health or personal
concerns. HR should provide resources and training to better prepare new
managers for these potential challenges.
Keep in mind, there are times that even the
most proficient leaders will need support. It’s important to help managers
understand when an issue requires HR input. This may be scenarios such as
hiring, termination, unusual leave requests or employee complaints.
Support them
People in management
positions shouldn’t be left unsupported. HR needs to guide and assist them
to set them up for success.
This may involve more one-on-one time with their direct report, setting them up
with mentors or exploring other professional development opportunities.
Some managers who have come from highly
technical roles need help developing their soft skills, such as negotiation,
conflict resolution and communication. Managers who have transitioned from
another area of the business or another industry altogether may need extensive
support to understand the subject matter and learn what their team does on a
day-to-day basis.
Other practical things HR can do to support
managers include:
· Develop
their skills in running good meetings
· Teach
them how to prioritise building trust with their team
· Set
clear expectations around how to conduct performance reviews
· Clarify
when they should seek help from senior management
· Encourage
them to admit they don’t know it all – nor do they need to.
Create opportunities for continuous learning
HR can help leaders
achieve success in their roles by fostering an environment of continuous
learning and improvement. They should encourage and facilitate
development opportunities for managers of all experience levels.
Practically, this could include regular
training sessions, professional development workshops or external courses, and
implementation of new technologies and systems to improve team management. You
can help managers succeed by highlighting their strengths and helping them
navigate their weaker attributes. Assisting established leaders to
improve their feedback techniques, or their ability to recognise leadership
potential in their team members can improve processes across the entire
company.
Motivate and inspire them
It has been discovered
that the “Cascade Effect” can
cause employees engagement to be affected by their managers, which in turn is
influenced by their managers. In the same way that leaders
should motivate and inspire their teams to achieve success, HR can demonstrate
what it is to be a good leader, by motivating and inspiring managers.
Employees are highly engaged by good
management and can be demotivated by poor
management. Set a good example by motivating your leaders to
succeed, and you’ll be fostering an environment where they can inspire their
teams to do the same.
Well explained.As well HR also deals with looking at how employee efforts can be maximized for the efficiency of the company. Organizational development is more focused on developing the employee's potential and on bringing employees into alignment with company values and goals.
ReplyDeleteVery good topic and well structured Thilina, Better employee experience means a better bottom line. Successful organizations work with each other with their people to create personalized, authentic, and motivating experiences that tap into purpose to strengthen the individual, team, and organization performance. (Komm et al., 2021)
ReplyDeleteThanks for constructive comments. In the modern world HR role is very vital for an organisation. The way people think matters a lot for a great organisational culture. Employees need clear guidance from the very 1st day they join or else with the time their mindset can be changed because of various reasons like internal policies.
DeleteGreat content, Human resources managers can uniquely drive business results by innovating creative ways to cost-effectively build the organization. Having an effective workforce in place when the rest of the organization has needs accelerates achieving corporate goals. Small issue on displaying, i think its because of having bit more spacing among sentences. but not a big deal.
ReplyDeleteYes,HR should directly involve with the marketing department for better results. Recruitment process is a very critical area which HR can guide. In the marketing aspects managers always going for results oriented a and positively thinking people but should consider person's backgrounds, behaviour,recommendations.
DeleteHR can create an working environment which employees love to be in, employees need to feel honestly company cares.
very useful information Thilina, and also Effective HR management must help an organization increase its modest benefit. This benefit is increased by distinguishing the importance of the human capital of the organization and finding conducts to make people more efficient and effective.
ReplyDeleteThanks Vijendra, Efficient and effective people always take the organisation to a great position but HR should always guide them for a long term career.
DeleteAgreed with you Thilina. good management can motivate employees and bad management demotivate employees. also HR has a responsibility on managing organisational activities to retain motivated employees to take the competitive advantage.
ReplyDeleteThanks Chandana, I don't know exactly what you mean by
ReplyDelete"compatitive advantage" but internal competition is a must. Anyway internal competition is encouraging employees to be highlighted in the company.Which creates many opportunities. Even it creat opportunities within the organisation.