There is a popular post going around LinkedIn the past few weeks that says…

As a recruiter, I have had numerous conversations with managers who have this fear. They are hesitant to bring people in with less than ideal experience with the notion of training them because they are certain that they will finish that training an then take off to work for a competitor, getting no return for their investment. It’s a pretty pessimistic view, but I’m sure it is based on some previous experience. It’s one that seems to be resigned to the fact that people won’t want to stay and work with you. That – to me – is the bigger question.

The number one reason people leave jobs is not because of the company itself, it’s because of their direct manager. In some cases, that manager was moved into that role because they performed well in their previous role and were rewarded with a promotion. In most of those situations, the newly appointed manager receives little to no training or development in how to respond to others, manage others, interview others, etc. Then when you consider the issues many companies are facing due to multi-generational workforces, the manager has to understand that each generation approaches their jobs from a different point of view. Here’s what I mean:

When you consider how people have grown up, their learning structures, their experience with leadership styles – you can see how an untrained manager in any business might have issues communicating and leading a group effectively. Investing in your employees must be done if you want to keep morale up, keep turnover low, and production high. But I would suggest that your investment needs to begin with the leadership that is already in place. Teach them how to be a better manager, how to work effectively with a diverse team, and then your other investments in training and technologies and best practices will be rewarded with a team who loves working for your company.

A couple of the things that I provide through my consulting firm would be useful here:

1) Multi-Generational Workforce Training – helping managers and co-workers get on the same page when it comes to working with and enjoying each other.

2) Interview Training – helping those managers who have never interviewed much before know how to do it legally and effectively.

If you’re interested, reach out to me at info@dx2consulting.com.