ClearRock

BOSTON - More managers are managing employees better today than years ago, according to ClearRock, an executive coaching and outplacement firm headquartered in Boston.

"A combination of factors have coalesced, resulting in managers committing fewer glaring management mistakes, and coming to appreciate the benefits of career development, teamwork, recognition and reward," said Greg Gostanian, managing partner for ClearRock. "Contributing elements include huge damage awards arising from wrongful termination lawsuits, more widespread use of management coaching and training, and a better job market for, and a greater need to retain, high-performance employees and technical experts."

Among the things managers are doing better today, compared to years ago, according to ClearRock, are:

• Properly delivering criticism and negative feedback. "This is due to a mixture of better management training and more formal employee evaluation processes, with which organizations are documenting negative performance as a defense against wrongful termination actions," said Annie Stevens, managing partner for ClearRock. "But whether managers have been enlightened or forced, not many criticize employees in front of others anymore - and those who do are considered in need of coaching."
  
• More career development for more levels of workers. "The better job market, a shortage of talented employees, and the increasing preference among organizations to grow their future leaders internally, have prompted more managers to develop a broader assortment of employees earlier in their careers," said Gostanian.
  
• More teamwork, employee recognition and rewards. "Managers were sometimes among the last ones to get that there is no 'I' in 'team,'" said Stevens. "Teams used to be considered by some managers and executives to be vehicles for making them look good. Now, more managers realize the need to give credit to those who earn it, and recognize and reward them for their contributions. Fewer managers are threatened by sharing the limelight with their direct reports, and are more frequently seeking their input," added Stevens.
  
• Greater willingness to accommodate flexible hours and schedules and telecommuting. "The shortage of qualified talent and impending Baby Boomer retirements have influenced managers' better acceptance of flexible hours and workdays and telecommuting. This is viewed as a necessity to accommodate high-performance and critically skilled employees," said Gostanian. "The extensive and successful use of telecommuting has contributed to more managers' comfort with a flexible, virtual workplace."
  
• Better appreciation that not everyone is cut out to be a boss. "There is less pressure on technically proficient employees to become managers and executives in order to advance in their careers. Managers have recognized the value in keeping technical experts within their areas of expertise and developing them along separate career tracks if they don't want to manage other employees," said Stevens.