Do you have an employee who is good at their job? Are you considering promoting them? Promoting from within is important; it drives engagement and retention… but, what do you need to consider before giving employees line management responsibility?
The first thing to take into consideration is the role a line manager plays within your business. What type of management style or leader are you looking for? Do you know the difference between a line manager and a leader?
Whether you want a line manager or a leader, those with responsibility for your people needs to understand what managing your people entails, whilst also being able to effectively communicate across different levels of the business.
Often, a line management position is given to an employee who is experienced at what they do, but it is not a given that they will have the people skills you may have assumed they have.
We would advocate putting any training in place before any promotions are made, allowing the employee to have all the tools they will need. This allows you, and them, an opportunity to highlight any learning and development opportunities.
Of course, we understand that putting plans in place in advance can be easier said than done and it may not always be possible to ensure an employee has had all of the training necessary before embarking on a new job.
We advise that at the very least, any employee who takes on line management responsibilities is aware of and able to implement the following five skills:
- Motivation – having a team who are enthusiastic and inspired makes everything easier to deal with! A good manager should be able to effectively motivate their team and navigate through challenges with a supportive and engaging approach
- Understanding what it means to lead and manage- realising the difference between working alongside fellow team members and being able to direct, lead and manage situations where appropriate
- Appraisals and managing performance – this could encompass a myriad of tasks, including being able to identify the specific strengths and weaknesses of any one individual, and being able to navigate situations where employees are not fulfilling their duties
- Team meetings – a line manager will also need to be adept at organising, holding, and often leading team meetings. Ensuring a free flow of communication between employees, and across different levels of management, is one of the main duties expected of a line manager – holding team meetings is a good way to ensure this happens.
- How to deal with “difficult employees”. This can be harder to be prepared for as you may be dealing with an individual who does not respond rationally or logically to any given situation. It will likely require the art of negotiation and compromise, especially when the line manager works with both employees on a day-to-day basis
Whether you are thinking about promoting one of your employees to a line manager position, or you have a line manager in your company who you think would benefit from additional training, it is always worth taking time to reflect on what you can do to support them.
As always, please let us know if you need any further support!
