The Most Important People Management Skills

Introduction 

Poor people management skills may have permanent effects that may influence the whole organization. The effects of misguided and toxic leadership may reach far and wide. They may affect the selection and retention of employees. About 50 % of workers have ended up quitting their jobs because of inconsiderate employers ( Whetten, 2014) . Contrary to that, effective leaders who use proper management skills have a positive impact on the organization in various ways such as empowering the employees, reducing turnover and improving their morale. Good management tends to lead their employees by example. There are various problems that come up due to poor people management skills. A company should find proper solutions to such problems. The paper will seek to analyze various issues regarding people management. 

One of the management challenges is instilling fear. Some managers tend to threaten their employees with job security. When there are rumors of a possible layoff, the gossip is often spread around the office. The rumors often leave the employees quite scared, and they may start using company time searching for new jobs. Furthermore, it may reduce their morale and respect towards their management. Such types of managers tend to give vague answers, assign blame, and withhold crucial information from their employees. The other problem is a lack of recognition. Despite some of the accomplishments of the employees, they have not been recognized, and they feel less valued and fear to make the wrong decisions ( Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, & Wright, 2016) . Most employees feel that they have not been recognized for all their valuable efforts. When employees work quite hard, and they are not recognized, they will tend to look for another employer who will appreciate their contribution. If such an incident occurs, the company ends up losing some of their best employees. 

The two management challenges described above have various solutions. The management should create a work environment that is based on honesty and trust. They should not carry out their daily activities with uncertainty and whether they will last another day at the company. The management should also implement transparency by sharing all the required information. Furthermore, the management should not shift blame. Instead, they should take responsibility for all the failures that may have occurred and turn them into opportunities for growth ( Cabrera, E. F., & Cabrera, A. 2015) . Employees can be better recognized for better management skills such as excellent communication skills. Better management is not just about the delegation of duty; it also involves the ability to recognize the efforts of employees and understanding that they are crucial to the company. Most employees would feel appreciated if the manager mentioned their strengths because it would motivate them. Furthermore, there should be continuous and open communication to ensure that there is valuable feedback. 

There are various actions that a manager can take to improving the performance of employees. The management should come up with incentives that will benefit the employees. In most situations, the company focuses on senior management incentives. However, it is critical not to ignore the work input of junior staff. When junior employees receive incentives, they will become more committed to attaining the objectives of the company ( Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, & Wright, 2016) . The management should also ensure that incentives are properly structured. The other way of improving their performance is by respecting their individuality and personalities. It is a simple trait that acts as a very powerful motivator while the opposite, lack of respect, has devastating effects on employee performance. If an employee feels that the company appreciates them, they are more likely to perform better because they will develop loyalty to the company. Ultimately, they will be motivated to offer better services to the company that respects their welfare. 

There are two insights that were gained during people management. The first insight is providing support to all employees when it is genuinely required. The support can take place in various ways such as proper work-life balance, purchasing proper equipment, and giving emotional support when there is a crisis. Management support during tough situations is critical because it enhances employee loyalty and goodwill. The other insight is that the senior management should behave in a model that will make the employees be proud of working in the company ( Cabrera, E. F., & Cabrera, A. 2015) . Poor behavior by senior management demoralizes the staff. However, when senior employees act in an ethical and professional manner, the employees feel challenged to perform better. People management involves walking the talk because the employees are quite keen. Proper management behavior ensures that employees have good role models in the company. 

The paper has analyzed various issues regarding people management. There were various problems facing the management such as instilling fear and the lack of recognition. The management should create a work environment that is based on honesty and trust. They should not carry out their daily activities with uncertainty and whether they will last another day at the company. Better management is not just about the delegation of duty; it also involves the ability to recognize the efforts of employees and understanding that they are crucial to the company ( Whetten, 2014) . A manager can improve employee performance through incentives that will benefit the employees and respecting their individuality and personalities. If an employee feels that the company respects them, they are more likely to perform better because they will develop loyalty to the enterprise. The insights that were gained include offering support to all employees when it is genuinely required and the senior management behaving in a model that will make the employees be proud of working in the company. 

References 

Cabrera, E. F., & Cabrera, A. (2015). Fostering knowledge sharing through people management practices. The International Journal of Human Resource Management , 16 (5), 720-735. 

Noe, R. A., Hollenbeck, J. R., Gerhart, B., & Wright, P. M. (2016). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage. 

Whetten, D. A. (2014). Developing management skills . Pearson Education India.