Richard Reinhardt, Vice President
Whether you are in upper management or an hourly employee, the leadership ability of the person to whom you directly report is a major contributor to your job satisfaction. If your supervisor cares about you, listens, provides positive and negative feedback in a proper way, supports you when you need help, etc., then the Company is a good place to work. Conversely, if you work for someone who treats you with disrespect, then regardless of the pay, benefits and working conditions your attitude toward your work and Company will be negative.
Therefore, top management needs to focus more attention on improving the performance and attitudes of all managers, especially front-line supervisors. One way is to make sure they are well informed and too often they are not. For instance, we ask supervisors “Do you usually receive information about Company plans and changes before your employees?” The percentage that respond to this question favorably is:
a. 67%
b. 73%
c. 79%
d. 86%
Choose one on the poll to the right and click the link below to check your answer.
The favorable rating from supervisors is 73%. This indicates that a large number of the front-line supervisors are not being kept as informed as they should. One consequence is that employees will not view them as being very knowledgeable. Yet one major criteria of being a good supervisor, from the employee’s perspective, is that they can provide answers.
If supervisors are “the Company” to their employees, we need to make sure they know what is going on --- before their employees. Thus, they need to be included in the development of plans or policies that affect them and their employees. By doing this they can communicate and implement them properly and thus they are the “answer person.”
How would your supervisors answer the question, “Do you usually receive information about the Company plans and changes before your employees?” Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
"The Survey Says" is written by Richard Reinhardt, Vice President of F&H Solutions Group. You may contact Richard by email at rreinhardt@fhsolutionsgroup.com or by phone at 901.291.1546.
You are correct about the importance of supervisors communicating promptly as soon as they know something that will affect their people. At most companies, the grapevine is very active. There are no secrets! So if we don't communicate facts, the grapevine will be buzzing with misinformation. Drama is never good for productivity and morale!
ReplyDeleteAfter working with you for over 25 years, I must say this is one of your most progressive educational tools,that will allow companies to "see the real world" through easily accessible internet sources. I have to admit your question is one area that more companies need to place greater emphasis. Allowing uninformed personnel "educate" employees in the direction their company is heading is one of the greatest downfalls in too many organizations today. From personal experience, I know your group certainly concentrates its efforts on improving these communications and most importantly their accuracy to all employees. Keep up the forward thinking
ReplyDeleteYou are right. Supervisors who are informed will reduce or eliminate the grapevine effect. However, it is up to upper management to keep them informed. Too often supervisors tell employees that they can't answer their question about a posting because they too just saw it on the board. If this happens it is a reflection of upper management not deomonstrating the proper respect for other members of the management team, the first line supervisors.
ReplyDelete