Managing a team for any supervisor or higher management can be a very difficult task. This is where people management comes in. “People Management” as it covers a wide range of activities, but if you want to trim it down, the following 5 are the fundamental practices that cover this field completely in terms of running a business smoothly.
Most of them are related to HRD and written in a way that makes my reader the owner of a business / top executive. Let me describe all of them briefly so that you can get an idea about how a company can benefit greatly from applying these 6 practices in essence and help them in how to manage multiple tasks at work.
- The Role and Power of HRD in Transforming the Workforce
The role of the Human Resources Department (HRD) in any company is vital with the entire burden of managing appraisals, bonuses, leaves, hiring, firing, etc. Not giving them the power and total freedom to make decisions and overhaul the working environment is one critical mistake the management or the owner does. This can be very costly as a charged-up HRD can motivate the workforce like no other and can manage and oversee the drastic changes required in the way each employee works.
The persons running the HRD should have special qualities to help managers and supervisors build a great time. The entire workload of hiring appropriate persons for a position is on HRD, and they should boost of the people management skills for best results.
- The Evaluation System Shouldn’t be a Complex Affair
The evaluation process needs the kind of rigor and importance as if you are recruiting and then appraise a person for a job in the armed forces. Most of the times, the practice we see is just paper-pushing and nothing else. That’s why I am emphasizing this aspect so much. An employee should know exactly for what reason he was hired and then at the time of appraisal would be notified, about his performance and prospects.
Very few companies possess a meaningful evaluation system as mentioned above, and that’s why the problem arises in the form of dissatisfied employees thinking of the whole process as unfair and rigged. The management should think about it seriously to praise and retain the best talent they have. Use of an online task management tool can be good for a small company here so that they can start without much damage to their pocket.
- Motivate and Retaining the Top Performing Employees
I’ll start this aspect from where I left the last one, making employees motivate and retaining the best of the best. The recognition of their performance is necessary for every possible way. They should be pampered in a way that makes them feel special and part of the company. In other words, reward them what they need with the monetary benefits topping all of them.
The recognition of the performance of the employees over some time is the next step with awards, certificates, and appraisal in front of everyone makes them feel good and motivated. And if the management thinks that some or all employees need a bit of training concerning their work, then the process should be started immediately. All of these are part of people management skills that the owner of a company or senior managers should know in detail.
- Dealing with Unions, Top Performers and the Ones Making all the Trouble
This aspect is the trickiest one to handle for management of any company, especially with the unions making it hard for the top executives or the owner of a firm. As an owner, always try to handle them without bowing down too much. On the other hand, you can’t be too stubborn in your approach as this will be seen as a negative way by the union leaders and the employees. Try to create a win-win situation so that there isn’t any situation where a lockdown or strike is seen as a last resort by the union.
Dealing with the top performers is easy and hard at the same time. For example, you have to treat your top salesperson in the best manner giving him all the perks and benefits along with a handsome raise. But too much leniency that would harm his performance in the future should be avoided. Giving the top performer all the accolades and monetary benefits is important but at the same time look to check his performance regularly and don’t let them dictate the terms as you are the boss.
Management needs to deal with them bluntly, and head-on as the small problems they create can be ballooned into something huge and unimaginable. So be proactive in this aspect and pinpoint employees who can be turned into disruptors in the future.
- Treat the Middle and Lower Hierarchy with Due Respect
You will find this a common practice and can take a wrong cue from this blog too that only the top performers are rewarded and CEOs and Executives are the ones who take home all the bonuses. The middle and lower hierarchy is also important as it comprises roughly 70-80% of the workforce in most companies. You need to feel them special and not just a cog in the wheel as these employees get all the wrong signals from the management in their entire career.
You need to search the little gems which can be lost in the 70-80% lot quite easily. The lack of recognition of their efforts can lead them to switch, or their performance can deteriorate as a result. Maybe they won’t know things about project management like Kanban board or other aspects, but judge them according to their performance in their own domain, not in the domain of PM.
Final Word
I am sure after going through the above six practices; you will be very much on song about how people management works in a large organization. Even if you work in a small or medium sized firm, this blog will help you in getting to the point what it takes to deal with problems that can arise at any given time.
If you need any clarification concerning an aspect mentioned in this blog, you can ask without thinking twice, and I’ll be happy to answer your questions. If you want to offer your valuable feedback too, you are more than welcome. Either way, please use the comments section below.
Contributed by Taha Ahmed
