Table of Contents
One of the primary roles of an employer is managing your employees. People management is a crucial skill, and effective management is essential for staff morale and business productivity. When you do not manage your employees effectively at work, they may lose enthusiasm and look for new jobs elsewhere. Consequently, high staff turnover can be expensive and time-consuming. To help, this article will explain what employers need to know about employee management for your business. It will present five key tips for effective staff management.
1. Clear Communication
It is easier to carry out effective staff management when you communicate clearly to your staff. Your staff will understand what you require of them, and clear communication is essential when giving staff feedback on how well they are working and how they can improve.
It is also essential to create clear communication channels in the workplace. Your workplace policy and procedures are part of this. Written communication clarifies how your business will deal with specific issues and what staff should do if they, for example, need to raise a grievance. In addition, employment law requires you to communicate particular policies to your staff. Therefore, while clear communication is vital for effective staff management, it is also part of your employment law obligations.
Also, as part of employment law, you have an obligation to write to your staff during specific procedures. For example, if you are carrying out a disciplinary procedure, you must write to your employee to schedule a disciplinary meeting and tell them the outcome. Again, being able to communicate clearly will make you more effective at this.
2. Effective Listening
Successful staff management involves not only leading and setting an example but also listening to your staff. Effective listening helps you understand the needs of your staff. Likewise, when your staff feel their voice is heard, they are more likely to feel valued in the workplace, contributing to increased morale and productivity.
Also, various areas of employment law require employers to demonstrate good listening skills. For example, you have a duty toward the health, safety and wellbeing of your staff. Part of this duty involves considering their mental wellbeing. If you can listen as an effective manager, you are more likely to be approachable should they wish to confide in you about any issues. Also, you will be able to understand how to support your staff.
Additionally, specific procedures require you to listen to your staff, such as when they raise a grievance with you. Grievances can concern sensitive areas such as accusations of harassment and, therefore, might be something your staff find difficult to discuss.
Continue reading this article below the formCall 0808 196 8584 for urgent assistance.
Otherwise, complete this form and we will contact you within one business day.
Tip 3: Be Fair and Consistent
Being fair and consistent is part of effective management. It helps to build trust between you and your staff and helps ensure they know what to expect and, in turn, how to behave.
More importantly, employment law requires you to be fair in many areas. For example, it is unlawful to discriminate against your staff based on any of the nine protected characteristics, such as age and race. It is also essential to be fair and consistent when dealing with disciplinary issues.
Tip 4: Clarify Staff Responsibilities
As part of effective staff management, it is essential to ensure that your staff are clear on their responsibilities in their job role with you. It is good practice to have these in writing, including clarifying any changes in writing. This avoids any discrepancies between you and your employee. When your staff understand what is expected, they are more likely to carry out their job more productively and avoid unnecessary performance issues.
Tip 5: Deal With Poor Performance
Part of effective staff management is dealing with the poor performance of your staff. Importantly, do not ignore this issue as it can escalate into a larger problem that affects the productivity of other employees.
As always, it is critical to communicate with your staff and follow a set procedure. You should have either a capability or performance policy or procedure outlining your business’ approach.
Key Takeaways
Effective staff management is essential as part of being a good employer. There are many ways to be an effective manager, such as communicating well, listening to your staff, and acting fairly and consistently. Notably, effective staff management helps you carry out your legal duties as an employer in employment law. For example, being able to communicate helps you to share your policies and procedures with your staff.
If you need help understanding effective staff management in England and Wales, our experienced employment lawyers can assist as part of our LegalVision membership. For a low monthly fee, you will have unlimited access to lawyers to answer your questions and draft and review your documents for a low monthly fee. So call us today on 0808 196 8584 or visit our membership page.
Frequently Asked Questions
As an employer, managing your staff is a core responsibility. To do so effectively, you should, for example, deal with poor performance issues and clarify your staff’s responsibilities.
Adequate staff management can aid in you carrying out your legal obligations as an employer. For example, having good listening skills helps you manage effectively, which allows you to listen to your staff if they have issues regarding their mental health. Indeed, you have a legal obligation towards your staff regarding their health, safety and wellbeing at work.
We appreciate your feedback – your submission has been successfully received.
