MANAGEMENT STYLES
As Business owners we can all agree that the recruitment and onboarding process for each new staff member is a timely task and a considerable investment. If you are finding you are regularly replacing employees, you may start to wonder how you can reduce turnover save time and money in this part of your business.
Through carrying out exit interviews, we have found the most common reason an employee leaves a business is because they had problems working with their Manager. So, we ask our audience, what is your Management style?
In terms of employee retention, there are two main Management styles that are common in pushing staff out the door; the micromanagers and the under managed.
Micromanagers
Most commonly identified as the ‘control freaks.’ Micromanagers are often criticised for their lack of creativity, dominant decision-making and lack of delegation leaving employees feeling they aren’t trusted in their role.
While micromanagement may come from stress or a fear of employee underperformance, rather than promote the desired outcomes, it can result in driving down employee creativity and productivity, and eventually cause staff to leave.
In other cases, micromanagement can occasionally constitute bullying. The Fair Work Commission held in one case that micromanaging can amount to bullying if coupled with the intent to bully – such as the aim to fire an employee disguised as over management of their work.
In a separate case the Fair Work Commission held that “management must be conducted in a ‘reasonable manner’, which is dependent upon the nature of the action, the facts and circumstances around the action, and the resulting impact of the action on the employee”.
Under Managers
In the opposite corner; under managers. At some point in time, your employees would have dreamed of having a hands-off boss. These are the ones to let you get on with what needs to be done, and trust that you will come through with the results.
These managers are the type who tend to avoid conflict and confrontation in hopes of being everybody’s friend and avoiding stressful situations. They also tend to be unable to give the required feedback to their employees confidently which can then lead to underperformance over time. In many cases, under managers may seem distant from their employees, or disengaged and this management style can also contribute to employees leaving.
In the process of avoiding confrontation, under management can leave employees without feedback, which we all need. Eventually, lack of feedback will leave employees running around in circles, chasing their tails, without knowing how they are really doing.
So, what is your Management style? Do you have aspects of both a micromanager and an under manager leaving you placed somewhere in between?
Our DiSC profiling service may be able to assist you identify your management style if you’re still unsure.
Wanting to try it out? Contact one of our HR consultants today to find out how we can help you!