#Working Wisdom

How to Develop Your People Management Skills

Mohamad Danial bin Ab Khalil
by Mohamad Danial bin Ab Khalil
Jan 22, 2022 at 11:52 PM

People management is a crucial component of every company's success. However, developing the proper abilities isn't always easy if you're a first-time manager. Even seasoned managers sometimes have trouble with productivity and communication.

This is especially true since the Covid-19 outbreak began, as many managers have had to adjust to remote and flexible working practices. According to the Harvard Business Review, many managers have trouble managing people who work from home, which results in many workers feeling untrustworthy and micromanaged.

So, how can we address this shift in working methods?

In this article, we will discuss the skills you need to become an effective manager and how you can develop your people management skills.


What is People Management?

Employee training, motivation, and management are all part of the people management process, aiming to improve performance and promote professional development. It involves putting in place a set of practices aimed at attracting, retaining, and maximising talent as well as productivity. Ultimately, it's about using the right talents to get the most out of your employees.

People management involves:

  • Development and training.

  • Onboarding and hiring.

  • Benefits and compensation,

  • Managing performance,

  • Organisation,

  • Retention and engagement,

  • Wellness, health, and safety,

  • Internal communication, and

  • Employee engagement.

Employee needs and career development are addressed through these strategies, which also align with the company's goals and values. Through the right skills, managers can communicate, encourage, and urge employees to work to their full potential. This inspires employees to learn and improve, resulting in higher levels of engagement and retention.


A Manager's People Management Skills

What qualities do you look for in a manager?

As a human resource or departmental manager, you are in charge of efficiently managing a variety of scenarios. To begin with, a significant portion of your job will involve nurturing a work environment that encourages growth and development. This also entails giving appropriate training and fostering a culture of continuous 360-degree feedback. This will inspire your personnel to be better in their roles.

Another crucial skill is the capacity to successfully handle disputes so that team members can collaborate and respect one another. You must also ensure that deadlines are met, and that work is completed. This includes regular encouragement and support. You must use a set of skills to plan, organise, lead, and control your employees so that they have the skills, confidence, and resources they need to complete their tasks and achieve their objectives.

People management includes soft skills, such as:

  • Clear vision and goal,

  • Communicating effectively,

  • Active listening,

  • Trusting and being trustworthy,

  • Empathy,

  • Friendly and able to connect with others,

  • Flexibility and decisiveness,

  • Able to keep your personnel motivated,

  • Accountability,

  • Problem-solving,

  • Encouraging professional growth,

  • Mentoring,

  • Able to provide and take feedback, and

  • Emotional intelligence.


How to Enhance Your People Management Skills

As we've seen, effective people management requires striking a balance between the correct work habits and personality qualities. Here are some tips to assist you to enhance your people management abilities:


Lead by example

Demonstrate what it takes to be a team player. Set the tone for a productive and lively workplace by demonstrating proper workplace behaviour to your employees.


Learn about your staff

Familiarise yourself with your workers. The yearly salary review or arbitrary performance evaluation shouldn't be the only time you meet with your staff on a one-on-one basis. Spend some time getting to know and connecting with each person in your team. Learn what drives them and what their long-term objectives are. This will assist you in determining each employee's potential so that you can make the most of their abilities for the company's benefit.


Respectful communication

Pay attention to how well you communicate. Any connection, including the one between the manager and the employee, is built on open and honest communication. Make sure your employees are on board with your vision and goals for the future. Encourage employees to speak up about any problems or concerns and practise active listening. This will assist you in cultivating strong interpersonal relationships that build a pleasant workplace culture and increase productivity. It will also help you gather valuable employee input to boost employee satisfaction.


Provide opportunities for development

Supporting the development of your workers is a crucial skill for any manager. Work with each employee to create a growth plan that ties their long-term ambitions to their current role. Implement mentorship programmes inside your organisation, and provide staff with resources such as educational platforms to aid in their skill development. You could even start a reward and recognition programme. This will make your employees feel valued and essential.


Create an atmosphere of trust

Obtaining your employees' trust is the next phase. Encourage conversation and be receptive to different viewpoints. Demonstrate to your coworkers that you care about their well-being. This can lead to a higher sense of camaraderie, belonging, and motivation in your department through fostering empathy. Furthermore, employees at companies with a high level of trust are less stressed, more engaged, and productive. 


Regular check-ins with staff

Finally, make it a habit to check in with your staff to see how they are. Regular appraisals have been demonstrated to be beneficial to employees in studies. However, regular informal discussions should also be prioritised. Check-in with each employee on a regular basis to see how they're doing and if they require any assistance. Give feedback and request feedback from your staff. Do everything you can to reassert your status as a reliable source of support and to remind them that you are there to help them.


Avoid the Following When Managing People

  • Feeling the pressure to show that you're an expert on everything. It is your responsibility to assist and guide your employees' professional development. Nobody expects you to be an expert, so don't behave that way. If you do make a mistake, accept responsibility for it and use it to learn from it. Your staff will appreciate you more if you show some humility.

  • Using your authority to demonstrate that you are the boss. If you're a new manager, your first reaction may be to show people that you're capable by using your authority. You might be tempted to do this by yelling and micro-managing. This, on the other hand, would be a major blunder. In reality, asserting your authority is more likely to erode your team's trust in you than to build it. It is more critical for you to provide counsel and assistance than punish them.

  • Being apprehensive about making changes. If you've recently taken over as manager of an established department, you may be wary about upsetting the status quo. It's a blunder to do so. You were put in this position for a purpose, so follow your instincts and make any adjustments you think will help the team. Encourage your team members to offer areas where they believe things may be done better, and then follow through on their suggestions.

  • You haven't taken the time to get to know your staff. Gaining your team's trust is the best method to become a more effective leader. Pay attention to what they're saying and respect them as people. Hold regular one-on-one meetings with them to discuss their professional goals and design a development and performance improvement plan together to help them achieve their long-term objectives.


There is still a lot you can learn about people management, but the above is enough for you to know where to begin.


Source:  FactorialHR