BY Kathy Crosett
Company leaders who plan to hire or promote an individual into a position that oversees the sales department have a unique opportunity. They can onboard an individual who will make a big difference in terms of achieving business goals. As they make their decision, leaders should know that manager performance and engagement is dropping. Hiring the right person can turn around that situation.
The state of today’s manager class
New Gallup research shows that manager engagement across the board is falling. Part of the decrease may be linked to overall organization turmoil that businesses have encountered in the past five years. But there are other factors to consider. Not every person is a good fit for a manager role. In addition, training does not always prepare them for the role.
The overall well-being of managers in the U.S. has dropped from 60% to 52% between 2011 and 2024. In the recent past, workers have suffered through the pandemic, supply shortages and the ongoing dispute about whether they must return to the office.
In addition, businesses have reduced the size of the management workforce. Managers are worried about their own employment prospects, especially as AI continues to improve.
How managers are responding to change
These changes lead to a variety of undesirable impacts on the workforce.
- Stress: Let’s start with increased stress. Around 50% of all North American workers, including managers, feel stress at work on a daily basis. This percentage is significantly higher than the 40% global figure. Our research shows that 28% of sales managers are finding it more difficult to navigate issues of employee stress, anxiety and mental health.
- Reduced engagement: The stress ultimately leads to reduced engagement. Around 34% of managers in North America say they are engaged, while 30% of individual contributors say the same. These are not great numbers, and leadership must take action to improve them.
- Job searches: Gallup analysts also point out that 50% of managers are looking for a new job. This job hunting is happening despite the fact that 9% fewer managers believe the job market is healthy and will result in new work for them.
The impact on employees
Stress and overwork negatively impact manager performance. And the problems roll into the general workforce. A KornFerry survey reveals that employees are concerned about the lack of managers in their organizations. 37% believe they have poor direction. And team members report a general lack of “communication and alignment.”
How to improve the state of managers
To reduce lack of engagement and performance issues, organizational leaders must put the right people in management roles. This means considering how well an individual may fit into the role of manager.
A person who is excellent in sales, for example, will not necessarily be a great manager. And they may not be happy in a managerial position.
Using assessments
When considering who to promote and hire into a management role, business leaders should focus on specific traits. A psychometric assessment such as TeamTrait can make the process easier. For example, a person who wants a manager position should possess good scores in the following areas:
- Critical thinking
- Leading others
- Setting realistic goals for others
- Holding others accountable
Customized training
Some of your candidates may have excellent skills when it comes to leading others. But they may lack the experience or confidence when they need to hold team members accountable. If a team member hasn’t delivered a completed project or updates to the CRM, the manager must have skills they can draw on. They should be able to discuss the issue calmly with the team member, learn the cause of the problem and encourage them to find a solution.
Your sales manager training may include components that address general topics like processing sick leave requests and engaging with HR. It should also contain segments about how to motivate others and set and measure goals. Not every new manager will need every training segment. Enroll them in the segments that will result in helping them improve outcomes and build their confidence.
Manager performance is linked to business success. When leaders take the time to use assessments to hire the right manager and provide customized training, businesses can achieve their goals.
Photo by Yan Krukau on Pexels.
