Managers and supervisors can have the single largest impact on your organization. A good (or bad) supervisor has a direct impact on employee performance, job satisfaction, productivity, turnover, and the overall health of the organization.
Unfortunately, “bad” supervisors are not at all uncommon either. According to recent studies, 56% of American workers claim their boss is mildly or highly toxic and 75% of Americans say their “boss is the most stressful part of their workday.” (Source: What to do when you have a Bad Boss, Harvard Business Review)
When turnover and reasons for quitting are examined, it’s no surprise that the top five reasons for people leaving their job all have to do with a lack of progression or dissatisfaction with leadership. (Source: Why People Quit Their Jobs, January, 2020, Career Addict)
How to Measure the Cost of Bad Supervisors
How do you know if you have an issue with your supervisors? How do you measure the cost of that issue and lobby to fix it? Look at the following five key areas:
- High employee turnover
- Loss in productivity
- Low rates of job satisfaction
- Increased sick leave
- Negative image of company culture on social media
So why it is most companies do such a poor job of preparing people for roles as supervisors?
Formal Training for New Supervisors
Many companies prefer to promote from within which can be a very positive approach, except they make the mistake of assuming that the new manager possesses the skills they need from years of line experience. In fact, surveys have shown that close to half of all organizations have no formal training programs for new supervisors and those that do offer training, don’t measure its effectiveness. (Source: The High Cost of Bad Bosses, American Management Association)
This “throw them to the wolves” approach is not very successful in preparing a supervisor for his or her new role. No matter how talented someone is, a new role will introduce them to something foreign to what they’ve already learned to do. This is where they suddenly become ineffective and everyone under them suffers.
Whether your goal is to drive higher productivity, or prevent turnover, your managers can have the single greatest impact on achieving those targets. A formal supervisor training program, supported by senior leadership, will help ensure your managers contribute to the success of the business.
Grant Funded Front-Line Supervisor Training
NJIT offers a grant funded Front-Line Supervisor program that is designed to help organizations like yours develop and prepare your new hires and recent promotions for success. The program focuses on supervisory skills required to be successful managers.
Our front line supervisor training consists of four-modules covering seven critical topics
- Conflict Resolution
- Communication Skills
- Project Management
- Relationship Building
- Promoting Leadership Practices
- Coaching & Mentoring
- Understanding Supervisor Rules & Functions
In short, this course, developed by experienced professionals and professors has been proven to help new and existing supervisors improve employee performance, increase job satisfaction, boost morale, and reduce employee turnover. This program is conducted via live online instructor-led classes taught by experienced professionals and it is partially funded by the USDOL.
Poor supervision can have far reaching and dramatic effects on your organization. Contact us at apprenticeships@njit.edu or visit our website to learn more.