How bad does it have to be for you to leave a job paying £27,000 a year without another position to go to? For some this is as risky as abandoning ship without a life jacket.
Ok, so the economic position is tough, few would disagree, however, spare a thought for those responsible for managing others, they too are under incredible and sometimes conflicting pressure to “grow the business” often, at the same time as “control costs.”
Inevitably this pressure spills over into managers’ behaviour and affects how they interact with members of their team.
My client, we’ll call him John, resigned from his job because he was experiencing intense pressure from his line manager which resulted in headaches, sleepless nights and a general state of “dread,” his words.
It’s tough out there, the working environment is probably more pressured than it’s ever been and prospects are, at least in the short-term, uncertain.
All the more reason to employ managers who are skilled in leading others; managers who understand how people tick. Failure to have the right people in leadership roles will result in: resignations, a talent drain (good people have options elsewhere) and, this should focus the mind: employment tribunals!
Employment tribunals will:
1. Require time and effort;
2. Cost money (win or loose the case);
3. Affect the morale of those who remain;
4. Damage the employer’s reputation;
5. Affect how customers feel about the organisation.
So what’s the solution?
Make sure the people who manage others are up to the job. Identify the critical skills needed to do this in your organisation, define them, test for them and in a way which is reliable (do not rely on ‘gut-feel’ alone.) Not sure how to do this then talk to someone who does.