Have you revisited your management training programs lately?  If your training programs are from the Reagan era, or worse, don’t exist, seize the new year to develop the skills of your management staff!  A carefully planned and implemented training plan can help build a more effective and confident management team, which can go on to lead and shape the company’s future managers, and so on.  So whether your company has recently hired new leaders or has a cadre of seasoned veterans, everyone can benefit from these five management trainings that are not to be missed:

• Customer Service.  Employees will look to their managers to make the tough calls.  So when customer-service issues become sensitive or escalated, customers will interact directly with management.  That’s why it’s critical that managers are trained in customer service, in areas such as conflict resolution, problem-solving, and communication, as it relates to the customer/client.  Of course it’s also important to be trained in customer service as it relates to the company and employee relations, but managers especially should be fluent in this special type of customer service.

• Business Ethics.  Proper ethical procedure helps protect the company and its employees, so management training—and retraining—in ethics is critical.  Ethics encompasses a wide umbrella, including sexual harassment, employee diversity, and corporate responsibility.  Ethics also includes following proper legal and environmental procedures (such as how the company disposes of hazardous materials), and the proper treatment of employees and customers/clients.  Managers should be equipped to make the right ethical decisions as those choices present themselves, to help prevent legal or HR concerns.

• Safety and Emergency Protocol.  Employee safety should be a top concern in any business!  Responsibility often falls to the managers to oversee employee safety, not only in day-to-day job duties, such as personal protective equipment and proper machine operations, but also in potential emergencies.  Managers are typically assigned important roles in emergency situations, such as responsibility for their team during an evacuation.  This critical role could be greatly aided by knowledge of emergency evacuations, fire safety, and intruder awareness—and a good set of drills never hurts!

• Leadership.  Leadership styles can affect everything from employee morale to productivity, and can also help avert human resources issues.  From new managers to experienced ones, every supervisor can benefit from leadership training, especially as management strategies grow and change.  Leadership training includes effective supervision, team-building skills, and leadership strategies.  This training also presents an opportunity to discuss different management styles, and to learn the scenarios where each style is most effective. 

• Human Resources.  Managers are often the first line of defense in potential HR issues, such as employee conflict and disciplinary situations, and even new hires and terminations.  Leaders should be well versed in basic employment law and the company’s policies and procedures, and should be able to explain the reasoning behind key points.  They should also learn proper documentation strategies to stay on top of any potential issues as they arise.  Managers should also learn when a matter qualifies as an HR issue, and when that matter should be formally referred to the Human Resources Department for handling.

Could your business use a helping hand in management training?  Whether it’s Supervisor 101 Training or one specific training area, YES! Your Human Resources Solution offers efficient solutions customized for your business and its employees.  Backed by over 20 years of Human Resources experience, we pride ourselves on our ability to connect your business initiatives with employee needs to achieve strategic objectives.  We’ll give you that extra push to keep your business running at its best!  For more information on our comprehensive HR-consulting services, visit our website or contact us for a free consultation!