Managers need better training and support to nurture happy, healthy and productive teams, finds new CIPD research

A new report from the CIPD explores fresh evidence to show that the quality of management people experience at work has a direct impact on their lives outside of work. It found that managers who treat people fairly, provide effective feedback and support, and focus on developing their staff are likely to have happier, healthier, and higher-performing teams.  

The report examines how the quality of line management has an impact on employees and affects their health and wellbeing. The evidence speaks volumes about the importance of providing managers with the tools they need to strengthen their management skills.  When managers have access to regular and updated training and are supported, they can provide quality management that will help them develop their people and enhance employee performance and commitment.  But it’s up to organisations to cultivate positive and healthy workplace cultures to foster leadership and management styles that will end up defining their organisation.   

The report was based on data from the CIPD’s UK Working Lives survey, but the insights are applicable wherever you may work. Key takeaways include:

• There are clear links between line manager quality and employee health, especially mental health: half of employees with bottom-quartile managers thought work had a negative impact on their mental health.
• High-quality management encourages people to go the extra mile: for example, 72% of employees with top-quartile line managers were prepared to volunteer for duties outside their job description.
• Not everyone experiences management equally: gender, age, disability and ethnicity all seem to have an impact on reported satisfaction with managers, with those in minority groups less likely to rate their manager highly. 
• Managers need more time and support: just over half (53%) of line managers surveyed thought they received enough support (via training and information) to carry out their people management responsibilities well. And exactly half of all line managers agreed that they had the time they needed to manage people well.