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Issue No 20
May 2012

Middle managers under pressure, says CIPD 


Greetings!   

 

Almost half (49%) of middle managers say that they are under excessive pressure either everyday or twice a week, according to the CIPD's Winter 2011/12 Employee Outlook survey. That compares with 30% of those without managerial responsibilities and 37% of all UK employees.  

 

Results found a growing 'plight of middle managers', with managers also more unhappy with their work-life balance; 44% agreed that they were satisfied with it, compared to 70% of non-managers.

The survey of 2000 employees also found a higher proportion of middle managers concerned for their job security, with one in three (29%) believing it likely they could lose their job as a result of the economic downturn, compared to 21% of non-managers and 15% of senior managers. Perhaps unsurprisingly, middle managers are also more likely to be looking for alternative employment; 29% compared to the survey average of 21%.

Many organisations currently face pressure to maintain productivity and innovation, whilst cutting costs throughout this year and the next. Middle managers often bear the brunt of much of this extra pressure, caught in the middle between supporting their line managers and delivering strategic objectives.

Yet middle management is not a layer of management structure that should be undervalued; highly skilled, trained and supported middle managers are essential for managing organisations through periods of change and translating communications from the senior leadership team into tangible improvements across the organisation.

The health and wellbeing of middle managers should be viewed as a priority if they are to provide a strong asset to businesses; this month's newsletter provides some advice for managing employee stress at work; not just for middle managers but all of your employees.

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How to reduce employees' stress


-    Give employees autonomy
Employees given the autonomy to make decisions in terms of how they manage their workload and carry out instructions, are likely to feel under less pressure. In addition, managers who grant their employees autonomy will foster greater employee engagement, motivation and initiative. For managers under great pressure, coaching can be an effective intervention in order to support managers' own decision making, rather than dictating the answers.

-    Identify unnecessary pressures
Take time to consult employees to discover what may be causing unnecessary stress, such as inefficient processes and irrelevant or overly complex policies. Often your very best people become overloaded because they are capable and conscientious, making it easy to delegate things to.

-    Build a coaching culture
A 2011ILM report called for coaching to be made available to all employees. Whilst a regular coaching and development plans for all employees may not be financially viable, organisations can encourage a coaching culture where managers are accessible to their employees, investment is put into highly trained internal coaches and employees at all levels are given the time and space to both think and to seek help. Coaching can encourage self-awareness and self-efficacy. In addition, either coaching or one-to-ones with managers provide an opportunity to identify the root causes of stress, whether that is personal pressures or frustrations such as under- or over- promotion, or interpersonal relationships.

-    Support personal development
It isn't necessarily contradictory to provide employees at all levels with opportunities to develop their skills and employability, in ways that may not immediately relate to their current position. Employees who feel valued are more likely to remain loyal and if they feel confident about their long-term marketability then they are less likely to spend time seeking other employment or worrying about their job security.

-    Don't be afraid to challenge your employees
Middle managers may find themselves under sudden pressure in times of organisational change. However, they will meet difficulties more easily if they are encouraged on a daily basis to challenge themselves. Giving all employees the appropriate level of autonomy and opportunities to take charge of projects can be a way to build their confidence and their resilience. In addition, training and coaching can be ways to give employees the tools and support to assertively solve problems and build a 'can do' attitude. In times of change when challenges are inevitably ongoing, take care to assign shorter term projects which can award a sense of achievement even if against a backdrop of ongoing pressures.

-    Keep employees inspired
With ongoing change, it is important that employees are engaged with the organisation's long-term vision and goals. Business successes as well as achievements of employees should be communicated and celebrated. Managers should be supported to ensure that connections between cause and effect are clearly communicated and all rewards should be clearly justified in order to avoid demotivating and disempowering other employees.

-    Trust employees and communicate more
When business is uncertain and jobs are insecure it can be tempting to avoid communicating with employees. However, employees who are not entrusted with the facts will be likely to assume the worst, and may continue unmotivated in their jobs whilst searching for alternative employment. On the other hand, morale can be maintained if employees are kept informed of organisational changes and reasons along the way, and are made to feel valued for their role during difficult periods. This also applies to other information such as understanding of performance goals and a manager's role. Organisations that communicate well will incite trust and encourage a workforce that has faith in their vision and goals. In addition to written and group communications, also ensure that employees at all levels have face-to-face access to their managers to express their concerns. See our introductory video guide to internal communications.

-    Support a work / life balance
Create a workplace which communicates the benefits of healthy living, supports employees to make health lifestyle choices (such as cycle to work schemes or gym membership subsidies) and offers emotional support by encouraging employees to communicate and even form friendships, without being reprimanded. In addition, put in place flexible working policies which support those with family and other demands outside of work. Team work can be an effective way to reduce stress, as it encourages the building of supportive relationships with colleagues.

-    Give managers the tools and training to support their teams
For many of the above suggestions, it will come down to managers to ensure that they are effectively fulfilled. Therefore managers need regular training and coaching support to develop their own management style and interpersonal skills. Many managers may adopt a counterproductive controlling approach to leadership, and require training that demonstrates how trusting and empowering their teams will lead to better results.

***

It is crucial that middle managers themselves are fully supported if stress and workplace wellbeing are to be effectively managed. The above steps apply to employees at all levels, however they are perhaps most important when applied to middle managers, as they play a crucial role in supporting their teams during difficult and stressful times. They also the key to humanising the business and translating directives from senior management into communications that motivate all employees.

If you would like a copy of our guide for managers on handling difficult conversations at work - a common stressful job for middle managers tasked with breaking bad news - then email [email protected] with 'difficult conversations' in the subject line.

Further reading

Many useful research and guides from the Health and Safety Executive:
A page of tips and resources aimed at individuals on how they can reduce their own stress levels: http://www.businessballs.com/stressmanagement.htm
Also see this excellent guest post for the LCP blog, 'Leadership: how you can recover your balance': http://lcp.org.uk/blog/index.php/2010/11/leadership-recover-balance/


In This Issue
How to reduce employees' stress
Caption Competition
 

Professional service firms (PSF) face unique challenges. They rely on highly skilled and knowledgeable employees and they must retain employee engagement and remain competitive on the recruitment market, whilst meeting the needs of their clients. For PSFs it is essential that both client and employee relations are at the top of leaders' long-term agendas. LCP's paper looks at some of the particular issues facing leaders and outlines what should be addressed in the future.

 

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LCP is a Sussex-based firm that provides bespoke management training, leadership development, business consultancy and coaching.

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