Find out if you’re interviewing a stellar supervisor — or someone who’ll make employees miserable
Eighty-seven percent of employees have worked under a bad manager, according to a LaSalle Network survey; and the outcome can be grim.
More than a third of U.K. employees dread going to work every day due to a bad manager, according to an Expert Market survey. A Gallup study found just a third of U.S. employees are engaged — and only roughly one in five say their performance is managed ina way that motivates them to do outstanding work.
Sixty percent of employees have left jobs — or considered leaving — because they didn’t like their direct supervisors, according to Randstad US research. In a decade-long study, Swedish researchers found working under poor leaders could even be associated with a higher risk of heart disease.
Clearly, hiring a manager who is supportive, competent and personable should be a central goal; yet employers’ screening efforts sometimes falter.
To ensure a the person you hire will be a strong addition to your team — instead of a source of disengagement and retention issues — consider asking manager candidates the following questions:
How have you addressed a specific issue with an employee?
Behavioral-based queries are some of the best interview questions to ask a potential manager because they’ll provide a more comprehensive view of a candidate’s abilities than traditional situational interview questions can. Tailoring them to employee management situations can also illustrate how the individual has treated workers in the past — and likely will in the future.
Who was responsible for your department or team’s biggest successes?
Seventy-five percent of employees say their boss taking credit for their work is unacceptable and might make them want to quit; yet only 52 percent of managers feel that strongly about it, according to a BambooHR survey. A 2018 Yoh survey found more than half (53 percent) of employees would consider leaving their company because of a disrespectful boss, even if they were otherwise happy; so your organization may want to take note if a manager candidate seems to favor an approach that employees would find impolite, such as failing to recognize their contributions.
How do you communicate with and motivate employees?
Forty-five percent of U.K. employees feel like their boss ignores them, and 44 percent don’t think their manager provides enough praise, according to Expert Market. Gaining insight into a candidate’s preferred communication frequency, methods and goals could either highlight a dedication to providing the frequent feedback employees crave — or reveal the candidate actually has a more detached management style than workers may want.
Respondents in a Monster poll indicated power-hungry bosses, who caused problems for 26 percent of employees, were the most common type of bad manager; 18 percent said their supervisor micromanaged them, 17 percent felt their manager was incompetent and 15 percent reported their boss was never around.
If you’re concerned someone you’ve already brought on board is a difficult supervisor, our blog post on bad manager signs to watch for may be helpful.
For more information about recruiting and hiring a manager — and filling other positions — view our blog posts on recruiting executive hires the right way, why you shouldn’t overlook Gen X or Y managers, 3 signs a candidate is right for a leadership role — and hiring the right candidate for the job.
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