How to manage a group of new employees

Managing a team isn't a skill we're born with. Some people seem naturally better than others at it, but team management is something that's learned over time. Unfortunately, many people in management positions aren't born leaders and lack the necessary skills to lead a successful team, often leaving employees to fend for themselves when it comes to major projects. Sadly, this type of management can lead to confusion, lack of process, and poor overall team performance. If you're wondering how to manage a group of new employees, you've come to the right place. Let's discuss team management in the workplace and a few tips to help you effectively manage employees.

What is Management?

Management in the workplace refers to a leader's ability to coordinate team tasks and projects to help team members reach their goals. Managers may not be the project lead, but they should ensure everyone on the team has everything they need and understands their roles and tasks. A manager may use different types of RPA automation tools and software to track performance and stay organized and create a positive team culture while setting goals and deadlines.

A good manager is crucial in organizations. Remember, people often don't leave their jobs; they leave bad management. Therefore, being a good manager can greatly enhance employee retention strategies and keep employees happy and motivated. However, a bad or toxic manager can have the opposite effect, potentially destroying the company culture.

Tips for Managing New Employees

When you manage a team of new employees, you'll need to spend extra time with them for the first few weeks of their employment because they'll need to know everything from certain processes to who to go to for certain tasks and questions. For example, a new marketing associate might need a graphic for social media and need to know which graphic designer on the team creates social media posts. While the new employees are getting acclimated, you should start planning their projects. Here are a few tips to help you be a good manager:

Be Clear and Transparent

Miscommunications are common in the workplace, especially when managers aren't clear and transparent about expectations, goals, and tasks. Employees can't stand miscommunications because it causes additional and unnecessary stress. Ineffective communication prevents employees from focusing on their designated tasks, and the stress caused by miscommunication can cause poor performance. On the other hand, effective communication ensures clarity on every aspect of a project, including goals, deadlines, and individual tasks. Transparency into the process and communication through the project will ensure everyone knows what they should be working on and when.

Have a Clear Vision

Effective leaders must have a clear vision for everything, especially projects. If you're unsure how you want a project to turn out or what you want from employees, they won't be able to deliver. In addition, if you don't know what you want, you won't be satisfied with what you get, which adds even more stress to your employees. Managers who aren't focused on a clear vision will never ensure their employees are doing what they're supposed to be doing. Meanwhile, a clear vision can help you highlight the goals of the projects and allow employees to get on the same page so they know exactly what to expect.

Promote Collaboration

Teams must work together on projects, but they can't do that without an effective leader who encourages collaboration. This doesn't mean a manager needs to be involved in all team communications. If you trust your employees, whether they're new or not, you should allow them to communicate with one another freely to collaborate and boost productivity.

Offer Constructive Feedback

New employees will need more feedback than employees who have been in the organization for years because they need to be assured they're doing everything correctly. That being said, constructive feedback is important for every employee's performance. Constructive feedback throughout the process offers clarity to ensure employees are headed in the right direction. You should schedule feedback sessions during each stage of a project to ensure no one is experiencing roadblocks that prevent them from getting their work done.

During these feedback sessions, you should also listen to employee questions and concerns instead of just providing criticism of their work. If employees aren't allowed to ask questions, they may walk away still unclear of your expectations. These scheduled feedback sessions also allow managers to offer praise to top-performing employees to keep them motivated and engaged in the project.

Introduce Everyone

If you want to manage a group of new employees that will be working together, they have to have time to get to know each other. While employees will get to know each other better over the course of their employment, everyone should know everyone else's names, positions, and duties within the organization. It may be helpful to have a short introductory period on the first day to let everyone meet one another.

Offer Mentoring

The best managers act as mentors to their employees, allowing the younger generations to learn from them while providing them with opportunities for growth within the organization. You can offer one-on-one mentoring for each and every new employee as long as you have the skill set to offer them such teachings. Of course, if you're managing someone and have no idea what their job entails, you should talk to someone else within the organization about mentoring them to ensure their skills can grow.

Set a Good Example

As a manager, it's up to you to set an example for new employees. These individuals may not get to know others in the organization right away, so you'll be their first point of contact and example of how everyone else in the organization should act. If you're kind and courteous and provide praise when employees deserve it, they'll take it as a lesson to act the same towards their coworkers. However, if you're a toxic manager and spread rumors or talk negatively about other employees, you'll make new employees feel like they can do the same.

Setting a good example is crucial because you're the best example of company culture for new employees.