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7 Common Managerial Horrors and Simple Ways to Cope With Them

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Written By Samantha Kaylee

It is globally accepted that managerial role is strenuous and challenging. The reasons behind managerial horrors could be beyond our imaginations. 

Not only personal reasons, but there are tons of different workplace factors that are contributing to the managerial horrors and management stresses that ultimately leads to business weaknesses

Multiple factors cause increased stress levels at work, including keeping up with technology changes, increased workloads, and interpersonal conflicts (According to Korn Ferry Survey). 

And nearly two-thirds of professionals say their stress levels at work are higher than it used to be five years ago. 

Managers and top executives perceive several threats related to their employees. But all these horrors and businesses can be overcome with proper management tactics and agendas. 

Managerial horrors and ways to cope with them

I have already mentioned that managerial horrors are beyond imagination, and there could be plenty of ways in which they could be disturbing and trouble causing.  

Here I have gathered some central horrors and also provided tips to overcome them.  

1. The fear of losing old employees

Every business owner, manager, and senior management member always has a fear of losing their old employees. This fear is natural as there are plenty of reasons that could make them depart even after spending several years in the company, such as limited growth opportunities or low pay. 

In an interview with Forbes, the president of Lavender Home Care Solutions, Bernard Dalichau, also talks about his fear of losing his employees. He says, I put up so much effort into hiring them, and I put so much effort into developing them, the fear of losing people was a huge anxiety point I had.’

Why organizations want to keep their old employees

Why are they so valuable? Why can’t the company afford to lose them? Why have the clouds of fear always been around?

These are the perplexing questions that trouble many minds and cause fear, leading to anxiety and increased stress levels.

  • Old employees know the core secrets of the company.
  • They were there with you in your difficult times.
  • Their experiences are the driving factors for your company’s success. 
  • They have earned their value, and they must be respected.
  • Losing them means losing a significant amount of potential business.

It is indeed daunting for managerial and upper staff to lose their asset as they could probably join the rival. With their expertise, they could help the opponent in mounting and succeeding.  

Overcoming the fear factor

I am 100 percent sure that no organization wants its crucial employees to go away. So, how could you retain them? What actually can be a pro tip for you here?

I am sharing what I feel at my organization and how I feel the old employees could be retained for long. 

  • The second is by using brand new strategies, such as using technology to drive ease, using empowering questions, giving liberty of decision making, etc.
  • The third is to have appreciation, compensation, and recognition of them.

2. Employee layoffs during the crisis

the-layoffs-are-comingThe future is uncertain and considering the 2020 mishaps, the crisis and ambiguity are even more severe.

You can’t imagine more destruction than the Covid-19 has done already in the past six months. With the pandemic situation, businesses were asked to shut down their physical operations and pursue the digital paths. 

But it wasn’t easy for many businesses around the world. The closures and lockdowns around the world have pressed firms to lay off their employees. The management didn’t want that to do, but the pressures and ongoing situation made them do so.

These increasing layoffs also gave birth to negativities. Massive numbers of employees worldwide have been left mercilessly on their own, which turned their loyalties and sincerities away from the company.

What could be done is to have a well-developed communication channel with the employees and understand why this situation has come, and what measures you are taking for them? They must be aware that their organization, to whom they bound their loyalty, is doing for them.

Over the years, they have been shedding blood, sweat, and tears for your organization. They have been the labor that helps you build your empire, and in the hour of need, you must not leave them in the middle. 

3. The fear of losing important information

Another horror that terrifies the upper management is losing the essential company information

For example, as being associated with digital marketing, I must say that we have employees who contain vital information, including client and employee details, budgeting documents, important passwords, and supplier contract details, etc.

Retaining employees must be a task on the to-do list. If you are not focused or concerned about this, you might lose some crucial information with them. This could leverage against you if placed in your competitor’s hands.

4. Employee resistance to change

When discussing the managerial horrors, one thing sure to take its place is that the world is changing rapidly. However, technological advancements may not sound well-to-go with several employees. 

Before bringing and practicing change, the best is to discuss it and prepare the employees for the change in advance. So, when the time comes, every other mind is ready to accept it with open arms.

Generally, employees believe that change would bring a lack of job security, uncertainty, and makes the working environment tough. Discussing the change beforehand allows you to remove the fear of employees regarding change implementation.

5. Poor morale of workers 

Team-meetingsDo you know that employees’ poor morale is the silent-killer for the productivity and growth of the company?

It happens thousands of times that management gives promotions to performing and deserving candidates. Many times, this promotion may not please the other employees, as in the eyes of the management, their performance was just satisfactory and not extraordinary. This created an atmosphere in which the unappreciated employees feel a little rebellious.

Demotion never pleases anyone. Although it is a better way-out than terminating the employee from the position still, the demoted employees start becoming hostile. 

But, the horror that strikes the management a little is that letting a resource go, which can be worked on and utilized to its fullest. Try using new measures and techniques to overcome the problem. 

The management fears that the poor morale of some employees might gain gravity and lead to increased numbers of employees leaving the organization. They might infect the other performing candidates with the same bacteria that are troubling them.

It is vivid that one poor work ethic candidate can transfer the virus to several others. The management must conduct training and career-development sessions to boost low morale employees.  

6. Natural disasters

This is applicable mostly for organizations that run production and manufacturing facilities. Natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, and storms are uncontrollable factors that have the potential to negatively impact organizations. Disasters are uncertain and could swamp everything in their way. 

Managers should be ready for disaster and unprecedented circumstances. The best practice is to have a step-list prepared for any unforeseen scenarios. Disaster management practices must also be added to your business guide no matter small or large enterprise you run. 

It is evident that an unprecedented situation could be menacing and probably lead to devastating results. In this regard, you must mentally prepare your employees and adopt alternate policies and measures. 

7. Conflicts due to cross-cultural teams

Cross-cultural teams can bring a great number of problems as soon as the novelty of meeting and work with new people fades. There could be many reasons that could contribute to the organizational conflicts and increase the horrors for the management for having teams of cross cultures.

  • It could be like simple language barriers, improper understanding of the phrase, or the used idiom. The proper message isn’t conveyed, and it might create a problem.
  • Belonging to different religions might leverage the chance of getting into heating arguments and sometimes blasphemous accusations.
  • Workforces from different cultures might support different ideas and have loyalties for various political parties. 

I have mentioned some of the problems. But, a little disagreement could lead to horrendous results. 

So, what could be done? What I think is;

  • Communication channels must be made uniform. The use of uniform language must be promoted.
  • Employees must be nurtured and educated about the importance of working with people from diverse cultures. 
  • Dominating influences must not be appreciated within the organization, and every employee must be respected.
  • Workstyle has to be of high-caliber. 

It’s a Wrap!

Everyone sees the perks and benefits that managers are getting. But, have you ever wondered what it would have taken from them to reach the level they are today. 

Being in this position requires a lot of pressure handling. Some of which I have mentioned myself. When you admire the perks that the role brings, look at what they are going through. 

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