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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Want to see more? Get all 16 tips to help your first-time managers be more successful. Download the full reference guide below. It’s free!

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