Organisations need their managers, at all levels, to lead in new ways as they now need to manage hybrid and remote teams, while driving performance. Their people want flexibility, improved well-being supports and career opportunities. All of this is happening in the context of a highly competitive market, where retaining talent is a key focus.

In terms of how people feel about their jobs, the role of the direct manager is very significant. These critical leaders need to know how to get the best from their people, by building the strengths of every member of their team. As the world of work has changed in the past few years, the challenge now is to create strong working relationships with growth, agility, performance and new ideas central to a productive way of working.

Ibec’s 2023 CEO survey found 51% of those surveyed said retaining and attracting talent was still a concern. Keeping the right people and leading them in the best way possible, will give organisations a competitive advantage.

Developing the skills of those who manage and lead people, is also one of the key recommendations in the Workplace Learning Report 2023 on LinkedIn Learning, for the year ahead. Managers are the people who see the team performing day to day and are best placed to help each person to identify what they do well, and the areas they need to develop further.

Ibec’s 2022 Learning and Development survey also highlighted that 95% of respondents identified management skills as their number one priority, with leadership skills a close second, and managing performance and employee engagement ranked third and fourth. Therefore, developing inclusive leaders for our constantly changing world of work, is critical to the success of every organisation; especially with many people working from home or in a hybrid manner.

Building on this, the 2022 Gallup engagement survey showed that only 32% of employees were engaged. There are however, exceptional organisations where engagement levels average 70%. These organisations built this level of engagement primarily by embracing flexible and hybrid work, while maintaining strong connections between managers and employees, ensuring performance, collaboration and employee wellbeing were prioritised. Critically, equipping their managers with the skills and tools to have ongoing meaningful conversations with employees, was also a central theme.

Key Skills to Develop:

Focus on clarifying expectations

Gallup’s research highlighted that the lack of clear expectations for employees across all ages, is a critical element to feelings of disengagement. Team members can’t perform at a high level when they are confused as to what they are supposed to do, and confused employees are more likely to look for other work and eventually leave when they can. Leaders need to clearly communicate the organisation’s values and strategy in the new world of work, particularly when workers are remote or work in hybrid settings as the physical separation is likely to also contribute to this.

Communication and being present

The ability to listen to and understand the people in the team, as well as helping each one to achieve more than they thought they could achieve, differentiates good managers from great managers. Those who focus on the emotional connection with others and are really ‘there’ and present, demonstrate future leader attributes. The last thee years have shown how vital this support is and the critical role managers play in ensuring people in their teams are supported through the rapidly changing work environment. Having weekly one-to-one meetings, reviewing progress against goals, identifying supports needed, and building on what the person does well, is an activity that makes a significant impact on engagement, when done regularly and done well.

Leadership

The demands of today’s working environment have left many managers completely out of their depth. They feel pressure from above and below. They are expected to implement corporate strategy with regard to hybrid work, while also providing a sense of purpose, flexibility, and career opportunities. Gartner’s Nine Future of Work Trends 2022 reported that 60% of hybrid employees say their direct manager is their most immediate connection to company culture.

It outlined that in 2023, leading organisations will take two key actions to relieve pressure on managers. The first is providing fresh support and training to mitigate the widening managerial skills gap. The second, is clarifying management priorities in areas such as building relationships, inclusive leadership, supporting their people, driving for results while empowering the team, and giving the right levels of autonomy at the right time.

Emotional Intelligence

As a manager, it is empathy and real compassion for people, while self regulating personal emotions, that enables connections to develop. It is this capacity for true empathy that sets great managers apart from those who purely manage others.

The last three years have highlighted the value of having a direct manager who can support each member of the team. This may include reading signals that may not be articulated directly, while at the same time building their own resilience. The cornerstone of forming a true bond with another person involves seeing a situation from another’s point of view, along with an ability to recognise personal emotions, and to respond in a positive way. This is helped by also stepping back and listening to issues instead of giving solutions immediately. Leaders of the future, need to develop this skill to a greater degree if they are going to attract and retain top talent.

Digital literacy and adaptability

As technology continues to play an increasingly important role in the workplace, managers must be digitally savvy. They must be adaptable and quick to learn new technologies, ensuring data and AI informs decision making, productivity and strategic decision making. The ability to adapt quickly to change and to learn quickly are core skills for all managers in the years ahead as they support their teams to do the same. Prioritising time for upskilling in digital skills and overall learning, is something that future focused managers will do for both themselves and their teams. Taking 20 minutes a week to build this habit of proactive learning is a practical way to stay informed and up to date, ensuring a growth mindset is a behaviour that is demonstrated and lived.

In conclusion, the importance of skills such as clarifying expectations, communications and being present, leadership, emotional Intelligence, digital literacy, adaptability and openness to learning are critical for people managers of the future. Those who can develop these skills will be better equipped to navigate the complex and rapidly changing business environment, and to lead their teams to success in the future. The role of the manager has never been more important.

Jenny Hayes, Head of Ibec Academy