Managers are the backbone of a successful business. They plan, organize, oversee, evaluate, and lead the work of your company’s employees. In addition to managing people, managers are also responsible for their own day-to-day technical and operational activities.
There is a long list of management skills required in today’s workplace. To remain competitive and successfully manage in this shifting world of work, managers may find that they are regularly trying to update and improve their skillsets.
This guide provides information on how the expectations of managers have changed and what skills are increasingly needed to align with today’s practices and modern approaches.
Management practices have been evolving over the past 10-15 years to deal with emerging and ongoing recruitment and retention challenges, advances in technology, and the changing values and needs of the workforce. The response to the pandemic also produced an immediate need to adjust and embrace new ways of leading.
In March 2020, the spread of Covid 19 was relentless and businesses scrambled to alter how they delivered products and services to customers while accommodating imposed closures and restrictions. Managers also had to pivot and were immediately faced with the challenge of managing people within a new context (e.g., working remotely). Broadly speaking, the following trends emerged:
The pandemic introduced the need for managers to shift from seeing work being done to trusting that employees were working, productive and achieving results. Remote work also required managers to be efficient with technology, including online collaboration tools, messaging apps and virtual meeting platforms.
The shift to remote work resulted in employees working in often less-than-ideal workspaces at home. There were added pressures placed on them, including, dealing with home schooling, and navigating increasingly blurred lines between personal and work life. For many there was also an increased sense of being disconnected and lonely. As an ‘essential service’ the trucking and logistics sector has many employees that can’t work from home so there was a heightened stress and anxiety related to contracting the virus.
More than ever, managers are required to assess and provide support to those struggling with the effects of the pandemic. The post-COVID-19 workplace will not look the same either, managers will have to adjust their skillsets accordingly and companies will benefit from supporting these adjustments.
Advancing technologies will continue to have an impact on trucking and logistics operations.
Some of the collaboration and communication tools surfacing from the increased adoption of remote work structures can benefit how organizations manage drivers. Technology can enhance how drivers meet and interact with their teams, have their work evaluated, share results, and communicate challenges. Adopting these tools can lead to stronger relationships and higher productivity. Training managers on these tools isn’t generally a one size fits all, meeting managers where they are as it relates to technology is a helpful approach, providing guidance and support as needed.
Changed perceptions on where and how we work opens the possibility to attract talent from outside local regions. Governments have been making strides, expanding communication networks so that rural and remote communities have access to the internet and more stable connections. This will increase a company’s ability to hire from these areas. Remote Access to technology can also remove barriers for those populations that have a disability or mobility issues. Technology provides the opportunity to attract and build a more diverse workforce. As a result, managers benefit from building skills and knowledge around diversity and inclusion.
Implementation of workforce management systems and the increased use of artificial intelligence (AI) has provided organizations with the enhanced capacity to manage, store and access information about their operations. As platforms evolve, and companies incorporate these practices into their business strategy, managers will benefit from greater access to data and metrics. This allows for improved decision making, increased efficiencies and managing to results.
Explore the Innovative Practices of our TFE’s in the following areas:
Visit Innovating Our HR Practices – One Top Fleet Employer at a Time.
Trucking HR Canada’s Top Fleet Employers (TFE) program recognizes positive change and innovation that support HR best practices within trucking and logistics. Our TFEs are leaders.
Another key factor driving the need to re-evaluate management practices is the changing demands and expectations of employees.
For many employees, the pandemic provided an opportunity to re-evaluate priorities. With no commute, more time with family and a lived experience that proved they did not always need to be in the office to be productive – many want to retain some form of flexible work option. To attract and retain talent good managers are championing flexible work arrangements.
Employees want to work for companies where they can create, innovate, and collaborate with individuals that have different perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds. This will result in the delivery of more impactful and meaningful outcomes for the business and means that managers will need to foster diverse and inclusive environments.
Today’s employees are also looking for purpose in the work that they do. This has caused the growing need for companies to move towards values-based leadership practices and to support corporate social responsibility initiatives.
How well leaders understand these new desires, and respond and deliver on them, will ultimately set an organization apart.
THRC has a better understanding for the types of expectations Millennials have of employers. Learn more about how to create a millennial friendly fleet in Trucking HR Canada’s Guide – Millennials Have Drive 2
To be a successful manager in this new world, the following skills and competencies can be practiced.
Workplace well-being are actions that help people feel their best: physically, mentally, socially, and financially. They are prioritized so that employees can more effectively perform their work. While HR, and the organization at large, has a big role in developing and maintaining these initiatives, there are many ways managers can support the overall well-being of their team members on a day-to-day basis.
Here are a few suggestions:
THRC’s Top Fleet Employers talk about doing Pulse Surveys – check-ins conducted virtually via video calls or online surveys performed on a regular basis to gauge anxiety levels, seek input, and keep a finger on the pulse of the workforce. This provides management with real-time information while demonstrating a commitment to their employees.
Managing and rewarding performance based on results is not new. However, with the increasing shift to remote and hybrid work models, the increased access to data, and evolving expectations of employees, focusing on results vs time is growing in importance. Here are some suggested best practices:
These practices can be included as part of a formal performance appraisal program, or they can be documented and agreed to as part of a goal setting process. What’s most important is that both the employee and employer are clear on what should be accomplished and less focused on when and where the work is performed.
NEED A TOOL? Trucking HR Canada has you covered. Performance Appraisal: Best Practices Guide and Template Examples- find information about, and tools to support, the development and implementation of performance appraisals.
Performance Appraisal: Best Practice Guide and Template ExamplesIt is important for a manager to understand how to effectively give feedback. Feedback should be provided frequently, at least once every 7 days, and it should include both positive and constructive observations.
Employees want to know how they are doing. They also can’t improve or do more of what’s working if they don’t know what that is.
Below are some guidelines to help you provide better feedback:
Change is constant. Today’s manager must ensure their team members are building skills and the knowledge required to keep up with these changes. A great manager will recognize and maximize employee strengths. They will also identify gaps and help employees close those gaps.
A growing number of employees expect to have training and development opportunities provided to them by their employer. They want to be successful, build their skills and continue to contribute to the organization in new ways. To support employee development, managers should consider:
It’s important to have on-going discussions with your team members to help identify what their goals are and to ensure you are providing them with development opportunities that align with those goals. Organizations may want to implement individual development plans for employees within their organizations. These could include specific outlines of what their goals are, what the company sees as future opportunities for them, timelines and training needs.
G = GOAL -> What are you looking to achieve or accomplish?
R = REALITY -> What’s happening right now to help or hinder your ability to achieve that goal?
O = OPTIONS -> What are some actions you can take to help you realize this objective?
W = WHAT’S NEXT -> What are you going to do about it and by when?
Trucking HR Canada has you covered. A tool to help managers support employee learning and development.
The Individual Development PlanOrganizations at-large have an opportunity to really drive a culture of learning through focused programs and on-going intention. In doing so, they can positively impact their retention rates, increase innovation and service levels and ultimately, benefit through increases to their bottom line.
Below are recommended best practices for industry managers to ensure a strategic approach to employee development is achieved.
Succession and Development Planning
Knowing the talent that exists in the company today, along with understanding what the future needs and potential gaps in the organization can impact your success. Best practices in this area include:
Structured Training
By implementing a structured approach to the development of your team, you will not only enhance their skills and competencies, but you will also ensure the focus of the learning is in-line with the company’s goals and objectives. Some approaches might include:
Mentorship
Mentorship programs provide opportunities for development for both participants. The mentor is recognized for their hard work and expertise and provided a job enrichment opportunity and the person being mentored has access to learn from an established, credible employee in an authentic, personalized and non-threatening way. When implementing a mentorship program:
Job Enrichment
Development doesn’t always require promotion. Employees can grow in the roles that they are currently in, and for some, that development is enough. Job enrichment opportunities allow employees to stretch and grow within their current roles, thus motivating and ultimately helping to retain them. Some examples and ideas include:
Learning Together
Don’t underestimate the value of knowledge your employees can provide each other. Creating opportunities for employees to learn together may help expedite learning and enhance team collaboration. Ideas include:
Despite changing and evolving requirements for managers, they must also continue to address and lead in areas that have traditionally been challenging for people in this role.
Effective communication is essential. It’s even more important when guiding teams and lifting morale during times of change and uncertainty. Here are some recommendations:
Be a great active listener by:
Paying attention – Listen without distraction to what the person speaking is saying. When applicable, maintain eye contact and use body language to demonstrate understanding.
Avoiding interrupting – Do not interrupt with thoughts, solutions or questions. Let the person finish their thoughts fully. Take notes if helpful to remind yourself what you would like to address.
Seeking clarity – If something the person says is unclear, ask for additional details, examples or other information that will help you understand the message they are trying to relay. Do this when there is a natural pause in their speaking.
Withholding judgement – Don’t impose judgement on the words or actions being described – even internally. This will help you avoid jumping to conclusions and missing important details or information that is counter to your judgement.
Confirming what you heard – A great way to demonstrate that you were listening is to repeat back to the other party what you heard. Allow them the opportunity to correct anything that was mis-heard or to clarify and add details that might have been missed.
Conflict between employees is inevitable. Managers should work under the premise that every team member has a different set of personal goals and needs. The manager’s job is to mediate discussions and find a compromise that satisfies everyone so productivity can continue, and morale remains unaffected. Consider the following:
It’s important for managers to respond to any office conflict quickly and effectively. The organization has a legal responsibility to respond to any conflict situation that may be deemed as harassment.
Trucking HR Canada has resources to help guide you through what to do if there is a chance that the conflict has escalated to harassment.
Negativity in the workplace can decrease productivity, reduce employee engagement, and increase turnover rates. These are obvious negative impacts to the business. But how does a manager know that there is increasing negativity amongst the team? In addition to those consequences already mentioned, the manager will notice an increase in complaints and criticisms, as well as reduced energy and enthusiasm. There may even be more gossip, blaming and refusal to participate in meetings and workplace events. If negativity is becoming a concern, here are some tips that can help you deal with it:
Workplace processes are changing rapidly, and as a manager, it is important to set an example of flexibility and the willingness to readjust.
Being flexible is about having an open mindset, being able to work well under pressure, adjusting to new and unexpected deadlines, prioritizing tasks and, in some instances taking on additional responsibilities. How can a manager develop these skillsets in their teams?