Every person on a team is unique, and this diversity of skills and perspectives is part of what makes a team successful. But the differences in personality also make managing employees a tad bit challenging.
Managing a diverse group of people in a face-to-face setting is already a handful. And with remote work becoming more widely adopted in many organizations worldwide, managers face a different set of challenges.
Knowing the don’ts in managing a team is just as important as knowing the do’s. Whether you’re managing staff in the office or remotely, these mistakes can kill your team’s productivity. Take heed: do not make these mistakes.
1. Micromanaging your staff
Micromanaging is hovering over your staff as they go about their tasks — or worse, doing the tasks yourself. Constantly nagging or supervising your employees shows that you don’t trust them to get anything done, and it could stifle their growth or dampen their morale.
Great leaders delegate. Take a step back and let your staff do the work they’re hired to do. If you give them the freedom to think and solve problems on their own, it will help boost their confidence, making them more productive.
2. Being complacent
If the first mistake is overly supervising your staff while they do their job, doing the exact opposite is also detrimental to productivity. Not paying enough attention to what your staff is doing can cause them to be lax.
Often, managers fall into this trap because they trust their team too much, relying that their staff can do whatever task is thrown at them. But even the best team needs guidance. Even your smartest staff can sometimes be at a loss when faced with an unfamiliar project. The most diligent staff can overlook deadlines. It’s your responsibility to check on your team’s progress. This moderated supervision promotes accountability: if your staff knows that you’re watching them from afar, they will be more compelled to be productive.
3. Misusing or overdoing meetings
Done right, meetings can drive productivity. They can be a venue where the team can clarify information, streamline processes, or make crucial decisions that will improve efficiency. And with remote workforces becoming the norm, meetings are especially critical to organizations nowadays. They can be an occasion to catch up, collaborate, and foster camaraderie within the team. However, when planned poorly, meetings can do more harm than good.
An impromptu meeting can disrupt an employee’s workflow, requiring them to reframe their state of mind and move their schedule around to accommodate the unplanned task. Meanwhile, a meeting without a clear agenda can bore employees, and may be perceived as a waste of time. Too many meetings can also hamper momentum.
A good manager knows when and why a meeting should be called, and invites only those who absolutely need to attend. Essentially, each participant in the meeting should know why they’re there, and what they can expect from it. Managers should also schedule meetings in advance to give participants enough time to arrange their own schedules or to do prep work if necessary.
4. Failing to recognize employee’s good work
Mood and morale affect productivity. If an employee’s hard work goes unnoticed, they may feel unimportant and lose motivation to deliver great results. On the other hand, praise boosts an employee’s self-esteem, increases their productivity, and motivates them to produce further stellar results. Public recognition also encourages others to do well, since it makes them want to receive commendation as well.
5. Not giving employees the right tools
Sometimes, your team isn’t as productive as you’d like them to be because they lack the necessary resources to work at their best. Their internet plan might not provide enough bandwidth, preventing them from joining virtual meetings. Their devices might be too old, so apps take a long time to load.
Good leaders are able to address hindrances that prevent their team from achieving the best results. They look for solutions that support and empower their team. If your technology can no longer keep up with your growing needs such as your shift to remote work, consider partnering with a managed IT services provider (MSP) like Midwest Data Center.
Our IT experts ensure your company’s technology is secured and optimized 24/7/365, so you can eliminate IT-related downtimes and productivity dips. At Midwest, we optimize your IT infrastructure to push productivity, increase revenue, and improve customer satisfaction.