{"id":2831,"date":"2017-02-07T19:38:53","date_gmt":"2017-02-07T19:38:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.comparehris.com\/blog\/?p=2831"},"modified":"2020-05-01T19:42:06","modified_gmt":"2020-05-01T19:42:06","slug":"bad-managers-employee-engagement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comparehris.com\/blog\/bad-managers-employee-engagement\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Ways Bad Managers Undermine Employee Engagement"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"5<\/a>Recently I talked to a friend who shared with me some struggles she encountered with her manager at work. When she went to the manager with a problem, he\u00a0brushed aside her concern and she was met with radio silence for the next 3 months. Needless to say, this caused a fair amount of frustration as she\u00a0tried\u00a0to resolve the issue\u00a0on her own.<\/p>\n

This incident got me thinking about the role managers play in employee engagement. How could my friend\u2019s manager have handled\u00a0her situation differently, both to address the current need\u00a0and head off future\u00a0problems? And how can companies hire the kind of managers who\u00a0contribute positively to employee wellbeing?<\/p>\n

How\u00a0Bad Managers Sabotage Employee Engagement<\/h2>\n

According to Gallup, managers cause employee engagement scores<\/a> to vary by as much as 70%.<\/p>\n

Let that sink in.<\/p>\n

Good managers have the power to make employees feel motivated and happy at work. Bad managers do the exact opposite. They make employees feel frustrated and unhappy with their jobs.<\/p>\n

But how do you know if your managers contribute to stress on the job? Here are five signs to watch for:<\/p>\n

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  1. Poor soft skills. <\/strong>Ineffective managers communicate infrequently and don\u2019t develop positive relationships with their employees. Good managers, by contrast, encourage regular meetings, communicate consistently, and return calls or messages within a day or two at most. They also show interest in their employees as people, staying up to date on what\u2019s happening outside of work and making employees feel valued.<\/li>\n
  2. Unclear expectations. <\/strong> When managers fail to cast vision and set measurable goals, employees don\u2019t know what is expected of them at work. Effective managers<\/a> contribute to employee performance by setting clear expectations, checking up on progress, and holding all employees to the same standards.<\/li>\n
  3. Infrequent feedback. <\/strong>There\u2019s a reason most companies no longer value the annual review<\/a>. Infrequent feedback leaves employees feeling disconnected from their jobs and unsure how to improve. Annual reviews feel superficial and provide no actionable insight into daily decision-making. When managers provide frequent, actionable feedback, workers become more productive contributors.<\/li>\n
  4. Focus on weaknesses<\/strong>\u2014Every employee has strengths and weaknesses. Bad managers focus on the weaknesses, while good managers help employees develop their strengths. By placing workers in a position to excel, managers can boost morale and encourage productivity.<\/li>\n
  5. Emphasize hierarchy as a measure of value. <\/strong>Poor managers see themselves as the sole source of ideas and solutions, and\u00a0expect their subordinates to implement\u00a0those ideas. By contrast, effective managers know how to solicit contributions from every member of the team, understanding that each person\u00a0brings different strengths to the table.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Unfortunately, companies choose the wrong manager more than 80% of the time<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    So how can you\u00a0reverse the trend?<\/p>\n

    How to Hire Managers That\u00a0Foster Productivity<\/h2>\n

    Managers hold the power to make employees happier\u2014and more productive\u2014on the job. And that means\u00a0hiring the right ones should take top priority. Here are a few tips for finding the right people:<\/p>\n