Do you have a pipeline of employees to step into supervisory roles? If not, the process may have become more challenging! Gen Z is into “lily pad” careers.
Many companies seek to promote from within, believing that an employee who has been an outstanding individual contributor would make a great supervisor or manager. Many companies also simply say, “You’re promoted, now go manage” without providing the training needed to transition from one role to another. The employee, who has been an outstanding performer, struggles in the new role, with less than satisfactory results. This was a scenario I repeatedly experienced when a former employer had a practice of promoting the best salesperson to a management role without providing guidance or training. As a result, we lost great salespeople, and other high-potential employees were reticent to step into the role after witnessing the frustration of those who had not been successful.
A recent survey conducted by The Harris Poll in conjunction with a staffing firm indicated that 26 percent of the supervisors/managers who were surveyed desired to leave their people management roles. Recent articles in Forbes, Fortune, and other publications cite Gen Z’s philosophy of “lily pad” careers, a model that finds employees hopping between roles that fit their personal and professional goals. This often results in a dearth of individuals who are interested in climbing the career ladder.
Lily pad career enthusiasts point to several reasons for choosing this path. The most commonly cited examples include a demand for work-life balance, wanting to stay clear of poor work environments, avoiding burnout, taking advantage of other opportunities that allow them to expand their knowledge and experience, and a lack of training for higher-level roles.
The Harris Poll identified the five top challenges supervisors faced. Not surprisingly, they included a lack of skills related to resolving conflict, providing constructive feedback, establishing an appropriate balance between managing and being approachable, managing workloads, and supporting the emotional needs of their direct reports.
So, how do you keep your employees on your lily pad? Ask where they see their career going. Provide support and opportunities for those who wish to expand their knowledge and skills. For employees interested in management, proactively preparing them for supervisory roles will help build confidence. Providing training and mentoring are perhaps the first steps in the process. MRA’s Supervision Fundamentals and PLX+ series address the knowledge, skills, and abilities that are needed to support success.
Stop the hop!
Sources: expresspros.com, forbes.com, and fortune.com
