Simple Ways to Help First-Time Managers Succeed A Guide for HR Leaders in Tech

 

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Dear HR leaders: You have a huge opportunity. What if we told you that by doing just one thing, you could dramatically increase engagement, reduce turnover, and improve the bottom line?

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Any guesses on what the one thing is? It’s simple: Help first-time managers become effective managers.

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We get it. Who has time for manager training? Especially when you work in tech. When you’re trying to scale. When the talent war is so fierce. When you’re promoting rapidly. When a lot of tech managers don’t even like formal training.

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But here’s the thing. Weak managers lead to all kinds of expensive problems: •  Low morale •  High turnover •  Ineffective teams •  Poor performance •  Less top talent

•  Bad hiring decisions •  Toxic attitudes •  Less innovation •  More politics •  Lower profits

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The bottom line: if you’re growing fast and scaling faster, weak managers can literally Break. Your. Company. But don’t be too hard on your managers. It’s not entirely their fault...

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Good managers aren’t born. It’s a learned skill, and it’s really hard. New managers rarely get the training and support they need to be effective.

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Now for the good news: The solution to this problem is simple.

In fact, dear HR leader, it’s within your power to solve it right now.

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Here are 16 simple things you can do to help your first-time managers succeed. Most of these things aren’t hard. Some are so simple, you can get started today!

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Encourage them to create a 90-day plan for success. 1

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The first 90 days are critical to success in any new role, and they can be especially overwhelming for first-time managers. To help ease the transition, encourage new managers to work with their bosses to develop 90-day plans that include clear goals and expectations for the role.

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Help them establish clarity about their new role. 2

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If someone has never managed before, they may have unrealistic or unclear expectations for their role. Encourage them to work with their bosses to know exactly what’s expected of them in this new role. The 90-day plan can help a lot with this.

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Teach them the basics of effective 1-on-1’s. 3

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1-on-1’s are the cornerstone of effective manager-employee relationships, which means they have the potential to make or break a team’s success. Don’t leave this one up to chance! Give your new managers a primer on the purpose of 1-on-1’s and how to run them productively.

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Make sure they know how and when HR is there to help.

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First-time managers may not know when, or even how, to ask HR for help with common problems, or they might come to you a little too often. Set clear guidelines for exactly how HR can support and assist managers. You might even consider establishing regular office hours just for new managers.

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Provide ongoing support, not just one-time training. 5

Most learning happens on the job, not in a training class. Give first-time managers ongoing support, such as an online resource or on-demand tools, so they have access to help whenever they need it. Shameless plug: Jhana’s online learning solution can help! We’re built for tech companies, and new managers love us.

Learn More

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Make sure they understand the law (without boring them too much!). 6

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New managers may not fully comprehend the potential liabilities of their new role, especially if they’re transitioning from peer to manager, so a solid grasp of employment laws and protections is a must. Make it relevant with specific, relatable examples to help managers really understand what’s at stake before they accidentally get into hot water.

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Help them make the mental shift to being a manager. 7

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Becoming a new manager isn’t just a new job– it’s a new career. Even if you’re promoting from within, set aside some time to walk first-time managers through the responsibilities that come with their new role. This will help them make the mental shift to being a manager.

Help them get to know their new team.

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Give first-time managers an org chart of their new team and how it fits into the broader organizational structure. Include team members’ names, resumes, photos, job descriptions, and any other relevant information.

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Teach them about the many different kinds of motivation. 9

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Different things motivate different people. This may sound like common sense to you, but new managers may not realize that their team members have different life and career goals than their own. Help managers understand the different kinds of motivation, and encourage them to get to know their team members’ unique motivators and goals.

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Help them learn how to give effective feedback.

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Giving effective feedback is one of the hardest things your first-time managers need to learn. Give them a quick primer on the importance of giving regular feedback (both positive and negative), and include a few specific examples to help them deliver it effectively.

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Give them tools for managing stress. 11

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First-time managers often feel tremendous pressure to do well, while also facing a steep learning curve. This can lead to stress and burnout. Give them some tools to cope with the stress in a healthy way – you might include useful articles, mindfulness tips, maybe even some aromatherapy!

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Connect them with a mentor who has been in their shoes.

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Connect managers with a mentor, ideally someone who has succeeded in a similar role, to offer guidance and sympathetic ear. An easy way to get started: ask leaders inside your company to sign up to mentor first-time managers. Lunch or coffee once a month is all it takes.

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Help them become a good coach. 13

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A 2011 Google study identified eight traits of effective managers, and being a good coach tops the list.* Help new managers understand that effective coaching is a key part of building a great team, which, in turn, is the key to their success as a manager. Give them a few pointers on how to do it well, too.

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Check in with them regularly.

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Becoming a manager is a challenging, often isolating career transition, so check in with them regularly. This can be as simple as a quick email once a week or a link to a helpful article. Just make sure they know you’re here to support them.

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Help them navigate office politics. 15

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Even if your company culture eschews office politics, there are probably some organizational quirks that your first-time managers don’t know about. Educate them early on any unspoken rules, departmental dynamics, or challenging personalities they might have to navigate.

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Show them that they’re not alone.

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Start a monthly support group where first-time managers can get together and share their struggles and successes. Host discussions and role plays to help managers feel comfortable dealing with a wide variety of common management challenges.

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Next Steps Supporting new managers is simple, but it isn’t easy. Jhana can help. We help companies like Groupon, Eventbrite, and Match.com support and develop their managers, and we can help you, too. Click the link below to learn more about Jhana:

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