You can say a lot of things about being a manager, but one thing is for sure though — it is not an easy job. As a manager, you are aware of all the tasks you have to juggle. From strategy to less tangible issues, part of your job is to surpass these management problems as soon as they occur.
Because at the end of the day, these management problems are the main culprit as to why most businesses shut down. If one tries to run down the list of all the organizational problems they could think of, he will probably see the fingerprints of the managers all over it. In retrospect, it’s the actions and the lack thereof of the managers that cause all of the major and critical issues of an organization.
For you to prevent such issues with management and organization, you have to identify these management problems first. That’s why we will take a closer look at them in this article.
1. Employee turnover
This is probably one of the biggest and most painful management problems that can ruin your organization.
Most of the time, managers tend to misdiagnose the root cause of employee turnover. They just shrug off the issue by blaming it on the quality of the job offer or claiming that the employee doesn’t fit the job description anyway.
But here’s the truth: according to research, most employees who recently left their job leave because of their manager. The reason might be a direct problem with their manager or other secondary reasons that are also caused by managers.
There are a lot of good and easy ways you can do to retain your employees. By failing to address this issue as soon as possible, it will become a never-ending problem that will eventually lead to your organization’s failure.
2. Management problems related to miscommunication with remote workers
Almost all companies are switching to a work-from-home setup due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But despite technological advances, communicating with someone remotely is still not quite as good as communicating with someone in the same room. From language barriers to cultural misunderstanding, this management issue can lead to bigger problems and frustration for everyone involved.
3. Not giving enough chances for your employees on career development.
Career development is such a critical part of management for a lot of reasons you can ever think of. Unfortunately, most organizations fail to prioritize this issue. Tons of studies show that neglecting career development can lead to employee disengagement and retention problems.
From your standpoint as a manager, showing genuine interest in your employee’s career development sends a positive and powerful message. And there is only very little downside to providing such career support to your employees. If anything, the only reason why managers don’t invest in this function is that they “just don’t have time for it.” Plus, they only see it as a soft activity with short-term operational payback.
By simply prioritizing career growth and giving time for your employees to do it, you and your employees will be surprised by the results.
4. Management problems related to process management
As a manager, you are responsible for determining the processes for your team. How you handle your decision-making process determines what and how employees will get tasks done.
Sadly, bad managers play favorites when delegating tasks. They choose which tasks to give depending on their favorites rather than their skills and strengths. As a result, it slows down their decision-making, product releases, and other processes that their team tackles daily. Additionally, bad managers who use politics and play favorites frustrate their team members, which leads to their company’s damaged reputation.
5. Relationships with their clients
Managers lead by example. They set the tone for how their team deals with their customers. If they show diligence in handling their customers, their team will do the same as well. And if they are abrupt and brief, sadly, their employees will do the same as well.
Managers must take care of their customers well because if they don’t, neither will their teams. Failure to satisfy your clients can cause huge problems for senior leaders, especially when it costs you to lose your major clients.
6. Management problems related to productivity
If there’s anyone with the biggest impact on team effectiveness, it’s none other than the manager of the team.
According to research, managers cause 70% of the variance in employee engagement. That percentage is significantly huge if you consider the relationship between employee engagement and its benefits.
Despite this, most employees state that their managers don’t help them perform at a high level. In fact, only about 21% of employees feel that they are managed in a motivating way. As a result, it can harm the long-term performance and goals of the entire company. After all, it’s hard to remain productive in an office where the manager doesn’t help you stay engaged at work.
7. Employees don’t feel heard.
One thing is true about all employees: they will leave any time they feel exploited and oppressed. No matter how much you emphasize that you value their opinions, some of them are still afraid to speak out against policies they disagree with. The most obvious reason is that they believe their views will be ignored as soon as they tell them to the management.
8. Management problems related to innovation
Even though companies claim to be innovative, most of them fail to get beyond buzzwords. The biggest reason for this is the failure to get ideas from their front-line staff, which is the greatest source of new ideas. As a manager, you must be open to hearing out your employee’s ideas.
On the other hand, some managers like to take credit for their team’s ideas. This leads to employees feeling discouraged to come to them with new ideas. According to BambooHR’s research, this is the biggest complaint of employees about their managers.
These are just some of the most common management problems that most organizations struggle with. By familiarizing yourself with these management problems, you will be able to avoid the trap of failure once it occurs.