5 Tips for Managing Employees More Efficiently

There are many factors that contribute to the overall success of an organization, from strategy and execution to company leadership. Employee management is a big contributor to success as a whole. When employees are effectively managed, they’re much more likely to be engaged and productive—but being a great manager is easier said than done. If you’re looking for insights on how to be a good manager, you’re in the right place. In this article, we share five employee management tips to help you build on your management skills and become a more effective leader.

1. Communicate openly and often

2. Manage performance expectations

3. Support career development

4. Provide balanced feedback

5. Celebrate employee success

1. Communicate openly and often

One of the best ways to strengthen your employee management skills is to make every effort to communicate with your direct reports on a regular basis. According to Gallup’s State of the American Manager report, employees who have regular one-on-one meetings with their managers are three times more likely to be engaged at work.

What’s the right cadence for one-on-one meetings? As a general rule, communicate clearly, openly, and often. Many managers recommend weekly one-on-ones with direct reports. That said, every employee has different needs—and according to former Intel CEO Andy Grove, good managers acknowledge those needs and use them to determine meeting frequency. One-on-ones are a great opportunity to discuss projects, tasks, and goals with each direct report.

Of course, just as there are positive ways to communicate, there are also a handful of things to avoid. Although it’s a good idea to meet and touch base with members of your team often, steer clear of scheduling too many meetings or micromanaging. These are detrimental management styles that can negatively impact your working relationships.

2. Manage performance expectations

Another great tip for managers: By setting clear performance expectations, managers can motivate employees to improve. Providing frequent opportunities for two-way feedback will help employees stay on track and make you a better manager.

What’s the best way to approach performance reviews? There are several types of performance review systems, such as employee ranking systems, 360-degree feedback from relevant supervisors and colleagues, management by objectives or collaborative goal setting, and more. Using a performance management tool will allow you to successfully manage members of your team and encourage career growth. Check out the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Performance Appraisal Form for a template to help you get started.

3. Support career development

Investing in career development benefits everyone involved—and employees today expect opportunities for growth. Work with your direct reports to create a plan and set goals for them to work toward. Hold meetings with your reports every 3-6 months to discuss career paths and see how team members are tracking against goals.

There are a number of career development options you can offer to employees, such as job shadowing and training sessions. Business owners or small businesses can empower employees to expand their careers by allowing them to think about the big picture of the company. Ask employees are every level how they would increase efficiencies around the office or how they would expand into additional markets. You can also consider lateral career shifts to help employees broaden their skill sets and explore additional roles.

4. Provide balanced feedback

Providing neutral, balanced feedback isn’t always easy, but neglecting to provide constructive criticism or a simple “good job!” is one of the common mistakes new managers make. It’s important not only to deliver constructive feedback, but also to recognize employees when they exceed expectations.

Shouting out employees in an email or team meeting is a great way to provide positive feedback—but, of course, it isn’t the positive feedback that’s challenging to deliver. When you have to give negative feedback, be as empathetic as possible and work with employees to arrive at solutions to problems.

5. Celebrate employee success

Employee recognition is essential for positive morale and engagement. Recognizing your team members when they go above and beyond is a great way to show them they’re valued and appreciated within the organization.

There are many different ways for good managers to recognize employees, such as social media posts, a points and rewards system, and gamification options like the ability for employees to unlock badges for their accomplishments. You can also do something unique, such as giving out custom employee recognition pins to recognize achievements.

Strong leadership qualities are essential to effectively managing your employees and ensuring they’re happy and engaged at work. By implementing these tips, you can improve your management skills and increase employee engagement in the process.

And effective employee management isn’t the only way to boost employee engagement.

Download The Definitive Guide to Org Charts to learn how managers can utilize org charts to improve communication, engagement, productivity, and more.