The data is in, and it says the chances are high that you’re not doing an excellent job as a manager. Why do we say this? The latest research shows 57% of employees leave because of their boss. People quit bosses, not companies, the research concludes, and in the era of employee shortages, this could spell problems for any company. How can you be more effective at managing your team? Even more importantly, how can you change your leadership style so that more employees respect and want to work with you?

4 Warning Signs for Managers

If these things start to happen to you at work, they are clear warning signs you need to be more effective at managing your team.

  1. You’re not hitting departmental KPIs. Employee roadblocks and missed goals could mean you’ve set the bar too high—or your workers are simply unhappy, unmotivated, and out of sorts. Could it be your management style?
  2. You feel like company morale has declined. Employees lack motivation or they’re unclear about why their goals matter to your organizational mission. Are you being clear about the “why” behind the tasks?
  3. You never chat with your employees. Being a task-driven manager is one thing, but having healthy one-on-ones with your team members will help you understand the challenges their facing.
  4. You’re unclear on where a project stands. Things seem to be going south but you’re not clear why or what it will take to push teams and their output forward. Do you have the right tools for this job?

How to Be a Better Manager

Achieving effective team management can help your organization be more productive. It can also foster more positive relationships between you and your employees to help retain them longer. How can you make this happen?

  1. Remain transparent by clearly tracking benchmarks, setting goals, and providing 360-feedback. Transparent work environments foster trust and trust keeps people in the job longer. When everyone is clear on their goals and where they stand, it makes for a more productive work environment. 
  2. Improve your communication for a more cooperative and productive team. Create a positive work environment where teams collaborate in the overall success of the organization. 
  3. Offer feedback and listen to feedback. This give and take will open the door to a better relationship with your team. Feedback can help you and your team develop professionally and personally. When you know where each employee stands in relationship to their individual goal, it allows you to provide not only constructive feedback but the support the employee needs to succeed.
  4. Invest in better tools. Exelare offers managers an applicant tracking system designed to help you assess KPIs across departments, teams, or by the individual. Our software serves as the foundation for true transparency between employees and managers. It can help you be the kind of boss you’ve always wanted us to be.

Click here for an Exelare demo that could change everything.