Gartner Says Out-of-Touch Managers Are Driving Disengagement in Australia
Announcement posted by Gartner 06 Dec 2018
Manager quality is now ranked among the top three reasons Australians will leave their job, according to new research from Gartner, Inc.
Data from Gartner’s 3Q18 Global Talent Monitor report reveals that manager quality rose three places from last quarter to become a key driver of attrition for Australian employees. At the same time, people management – an organisation’s reputation for how it manages its employees – is now the number one reason employees choose to leave one job for another, followed by future career opportunity and manager quality.
Manager crisis
Gartner warns that management practices must evolve as Australian organisations embrace technology and new working styles.
“For years the traditional manager model provided ongoing, consistent employee coaching and development. However, as technology and innovation impact job requirements, organisations need managers who can provide employees with the tools, knowledge and connections to succeed in the midst of change,” said Aaron McEwan, HR advisory leader at Gartner.
“During the last 12 months, Australian employees have consistently cited a lack of future career opportunities and development as a key reason to leave their job. It’s clear that employees have become frustrated with managers who fail to support their professional goals and aspirations,” said Mr. McEwan.
Discretionary effort stalls
Another knock-on effect of poor manager quality is employee engagement. Gartner’s data shows that high discretionary effort levels stalled at 17 percent in the third quarter of 2018.
“For employees it’s a catch 22. They’re unfulfilled with their current roles, but the last three months of the year are a notoriously slow period for hiring, making workers reluctant to seek new opportunities. There’s only one thing worse than employees walking out the door, and that’s having a workforce that’s mentally checked out, but still showing up each day,” said Mr. McEwan.
According to Mr. McEwan, to win back employees who are disenchanted and dissatisfied, organisations need to seek out ambitious, high-performing managers who can develop employee skills and unite talent from within and outside of the business to deliver results.
Connector managers needed
According to Gartner research, the manager best positioned to improve performance in the current work environment is the “Connector Manager.”
“A Connector Manager links employees to the right people and resources at the right time to get the job done,” said Mr. McEwan.
Gartner data reveals that this type of manager can improve employee performance by up to 26 percent and increase employee engagement by up to 40 percent.
Just one in four managers demonstrate the connector leadership attributes organisations need. However, Mr. McEwan said that while these managers may be rare, they are not impossible to find. Gartner recommends HR leaders develop Connector Managers by finding those managers who:
Highlights From the 3Q18 Global Talent Monitor
Source: Gartner (November 2018)
Global Talent Monitor data is drawn from the larger Gartner Global Labour Market Survey that is made up of more than 22,000 employees in 40 countries, including 1,044 in Australia. The survey is conducted quarterly and is reflective of market conditions during the quarter preceding publication.
About Gartner for HR Leaders
Gartner for HR Leaders brings together the best, relevant content approaches across Gartner to offer individual decision makers strategic business advice on the mission-critical priorities that cut across the HR function. Additional information is available at www.gartner.com/en/human-resources/human-resources-leaders.
Data from Gartner’s 3Q18 Global Talent Monitor report reveals that manager quality rose three places from last quarter to become a key driver of attrition for Australian employees. At the same time, people management – an organisation’s reputation for how it manages its employees – is now the number one reason employees choose to leave one job for another, followed by future career opportunity and manager quality.
Manager crisis
Gartner warns that management practices must evolve as Australian organisations embrace technology and new working styles.
“For years the traditional manager model provided ongoing, consistent employee coaching and development. However, as technology and innovation impact job requirements, organisations need managers who can provide employees with the tools, knowledge and connections to succeed in the midst of change,” said Aaron McEwan, HR advisory leader at Gartner.
“During the last 12 months, Australian employees have consistently cited a lack of future career opportunities and development as a key reason to leave their job. It’s clear that employees have become frustrated with managers who fail to support their professional goals and aspirations,” said Mr. McEwan.
Discretionary effort stalls
Another knock-on effect of poor manager quality is employee engagement. Gartner’s data shows that high discretionary effort levels stalled at 17 percent in the third quarter of 2018.
“For employees it’s a catch 22. They’re unfulfilled with their current roles, but the last three months of the year are a notoriously slow period for hiring, making workers reluctant to seek new opportunities. There’s only one thing worse than employees walking out the door, and that’s having a workforce that’s mentally checked out, but still showing up each day,” said Mr. McEwan.
According to Mr. McEwan, to win back employees who are disenchanted and dissatisfied, organisations need to seek out ambitious, high-performing managers who can develop employee skills and unite talent from within and outside of the business to deliver results.
Connector managers needed
According to Gartner research, the manager best positioned to improve performance in the current work environment is the “Connector Manager.”
“A Connector Manager links employees to the right people and resources at the right time to get the job done,” said Mr. McEwan.
Gartner data reveals that this type of manager can improve employee performance by up to 26 percent and increase employee engagement by up to 40 percent.
Just one in four managers demonstrate the connector leadership attributes organisations need. However, Mr. McEwan said that while these managers may be rare, they are not impossible to find. Gartner recommends HR leaders develop Connector Managers by finding those managers who:
- Take an active role to ensure high-quality development connections rather than just delegating development responsibilities
- Invest time to diagnose and understand individual employee needs
- Help employees get more value from their development connections by focusing on quality not quantity
- Create an environment of transparency and trust within their teams and recognize peer coaching and development
Highlights From the 3Q18 Global Talent Monitor
| Talent Monitor | Australian | International average |
| High Intent to Stay | 38.6% | 30.1% |
| High Discretionary Effort | 17% | 14% |
| Job Opportunities | 48.4% | 51.20% |
| Drivers of Attraction |
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| Drivers of Attrition |
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Global Talent Monitor data is drawn from the larger Gartner Global Labour Market Survey that is made up of more than 22,000 employees in 40 countries, including 1,044 in Australia. The survey is conducted quarterly and is reflective of market conditions during the quarter preceding publication.
About Gartner for HR Leaders
Gartner for HR Leaders brings together the best, relevant content approaches across Gartner to offer individual decision makers strategic business advice on the mission-critical priorities that cut across the HR function. Additional information is available at www.gartner.com/en/human-resources/human-resources-leaders.