Why JDM Invests in Manager Training

As a fully remote workforce, we need to be especially mindful in how we build our culture; maintaining consistent systems, engagement, feedback, and communication is challenging but essential. We have found the best way to ensure this happens is through people manager development and training. 

At JDM, we've invested much time, effort, and resources into developing our people managers. Our journey began with employee coaching, progressed to manager workshops, and implemented a still-standing, in-house, new manager training. 

Our Head of Operations, Gina Race, recently worked with Oliver Eldredge of IntroLytic Talent Development to establish a custom-built Leadership Development Group, meaning all levels of the company now have access to relevant training resources.

The Stakes of Manager Training

Often, employees are promoted to management positions without receiving training to support their development in the new role. The traditional mindset suggests that if an employee excels in a role as an individual contributor, they should be able to train others or manage a team.

This can lead to overwhelmed managers, job dissatisfaction among employees, and a broader negative impact on organizational culture, morale, standardization, and employee retention.

When managers are unprepared, they may struggle to lead their teams, resulting in inefficiency and disengagement and ultimately contributing to higher turnover rates and a disrupted workplace environment. (A Betterworks article from 2022 highlights that 57% of employees leave their jobs because of their bosses.) 

At JDM, we recognize the role of effective management in employee retention. This is why JDM continuously invests in its people managers. Our initiatives are designed to empower our managers, ensuring they have the tools and training needed to lead effectively and uphold our organizational culture.

Working with IntroLytic Talent Development allowed us to customize our training to ensure JDM’s core values were included and allowed managers to get real-time feedback during the training cohorts. 

Some people are naturally gifted managers who may not need training to shine, but good management is not something companies should leave to chance. The benefits of the training for both parties (the company gets higher employee satisfaction and more consistent client service; the managers get career development) are well worth the investment.

 
If you’re curious about our overall approach to employee development and retention, hit us up to chat!