In last week's blog, we wrote about the importance of authentic leadership when fostering employee engagement. The ‘Taking Responsibility: Why UK plc needs better managers’ study by the Chartered Management Institute and YouGov found that one in three people have left jobs because of a “negative work culture”. At the same time, a study by the Society for Human Resource Management found that replacing an employee can cost as much as six-to-nine months’ worth of their salary.

Cultivating employee engagement is not a quick fix. Investing in it will save the business time and money in the long run. It will equally lead to more productive employees who have ‘oneness’ with the company i.e. they feel part of a community.

A myriad of predictors for good employee engagement exists. However, having effective management is an important step to cultivating genuine employee engagement. Effective managers know how to communicate and listen to feedback. This creates a safe space for employees to express themselves and feel heard. They can provide performance feedback, both good and bad. They don’t allow a performance issue to spiral out of control so that it negatively affects the rest of the team and business. Equally, they know how to value each contribution. When a manager is effective, they know how to motivate the team to be innovative. This creates quick problem solving, nurtures talent and enhances engagement. The manager is the first point of contact between the employee and the business therefore, they play a pivotal role in employee’s engagement level.

So, what happens when managers are ineffective? Firstly, the aforementioned survey by Yougov and the Chartered Management Institute found that half of respondents who rated their manager as ineffective are planning on leaving the organisation within the next 12 months.
According to the study, 46% of respondents cited ‘accidental managers’ for the cause of ineffective management. Accidental managers are those managers that are promoted without preparation. For example, the business is growing fast therefore it needs a quick solution to manage a growing team and responsibilities. Moreover, you may have an excellent employee who reaches all their targets and want to promote them. So, you promote them based on their current skill set rather than them showing a knack for leadership and people management, the skill set of a people manager.

In a nutshell, effective management is key to creating a team of motivated, committed and innovative employees. This level of employee engagement does not happen overnight, but training people managers to lead, inspire and be effective is a good place to start.

Come along to our free seminar ‘Accidental Managers: Promotion Without Preparation’ where you will learn how to avoid the ‘accidental manager trap’ receive insightful strategies you can take back to your business. Click here to book your free place/s. Do you know an accidental manager? We have set dates for our First Time Manager course. Click here to book your managers on.

Alternatively, get in touch by giving us a call on 01452 331331 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..