Several years have passed since the changes made to the Federal Labor Law with the objective of regulating union matters. However, it is only now that we are seeing the real impact, particularly in workers that now have more challenging expectations and more defiant behaviors toward their immediate supervisors.
This pressure is being capitalized on by some unions, creating imbalances in the work environment; above all, it is becoming a great challenge for middle management. Therefore, more than ever, we need to ensure that people in these positions have the necessary training and tools to manage these key aspects in their work teams.
Through a study conducted by Tamim HR Consulting, within the framework of the preparation and training sessions of more than 1,400 middle managers in several organizations, four key issues that currently have an impact on the role of these leaders in organizations have been identified.
» 1. Workers that are increasingly less willing to do everything that is asked of them
This is not exclusively a generational issue; today, supervisors in companies belonging to different sectors report the same problem: workers, of all ages, question their leaders more and more and are not open to doing everything that is asked of them.
The analysis that was conducted shows specific examples related to little collaboration to work overtime or swapping shifts, for example. But they also currently report a greater difficulty in applying operational discipline, as workers are not willing to admit their mistakes or accept improvement plans, administrative reports or major sanctions.
» 2. Work is no longer an end; it is only a means for achieving personal goals.
Part of the transformation of the world of work brings with it a new dimension to the sense of work. Supervisors share that many operational-level workers find it difficult to connect emotionally with their work or with the company, and they are saying more and more that people see their work solely as a means for obtaining resources for their true goals, which makes the supervisor’s job more difficult and generates high turnover.
A very significant finding shows that this new reality has even led to a high level of reluctance among operators to take on higher-level jobs. Middle managers report that many workers prefer to stay in their current position as they are not willing to invest time in becoming prepared to obtain a promotion or having more responsibility that entails a greater dedication or effort at work.
» 3. Communication is increasingly more difficult, even though there are more means of communication today
A curious aspect of the information obtained in this study has to do with the fact that it is now more difficult to ensure a clear delivery of communication to the team. Supervisors report that the pressure for results is having an impact on the day to day routine, reducing the time that is available for being able to connect with their work teams.
This poses one of the most important challenges as, in practice, it translates into unproductivity, a low sense of belonging and high occupational risk, as these gaps are being filled by negative informal leaders or, occasionally, the door opens for new unions to take advantage of the situation to win workers over through complaints. A worker that is disconnected from his leader will always be more vulnerable.
» 4. Workplace violence is not as distant as we think
Lastly, among the topmost relevant findings, we have workplace violence as a concerning issue. Supervisors today report that the way employees treat one another has become rougher, particularly at the level of workers. “Welcome” rituals for new collaborators have led to serious acts of violence and “challenges” in the night shift end up endangering the lives of those involved and are increasingly being the cause of serious accidents and injuries.
Faced with this reality, supervisors themselves say that they do not have sufficient tools to prevent and manage this type of situations.
What to do about these challenges?
It is clear that middle managers today face much more complex problems in managing their teams, which calls for a more comprehensive management. However, in a high percentage of cases, it is seen that these individuals reach these leadership positions without proper preparation, and their training is usually insufficient, both academically and internally within the company.
Given the foregoing, we also analyzed the results of the preparation through programs like the ABC of Labor, the results of which present practical aspects that are being appreciated by mid-level supervisors and leaders. In this regard, we found the following:
- Middle managers value training when it provides them with practical tools that allow them to address their real-life problems.
- Conceptual leadership training is no longer effective; today, supervisors prefer tailored capsules and not generic diplomas.
- Middle managers value training arenas in which they can practice trial and error, where they can ask about aspects that may seem basic, but are fundamental to them.
- Supervisors suggest that an effective way for learning their role of people managers before being responsible for a team is having internal programs of substitution during vacations with mentorship by their own bosses.
- Middle managers value having guides for solving their day-to-day problems; therefore, these programs include “toolboxes” that supervisors can access though their mobile phone and have an online consultation to address the issues they are facing.
These programs permit measuring real progress, as they rely on the application of tangible tools and not just on awareness or concepts.
Occupational risk, increasingly present in Mexico, makes it necessary for organizations to seek more efficient and appropriate solutions. Above all, more precise ways for meeting the needs of leaders within companies, particularly for those that face a double pressure on a daily basis: on the one hand, the need for improving results and, on the other, managing people in an increasingly complex environment.
