5 Questions Every Manager Needs to Ask Their Direct Reports
Exit interviews provide “a way to find out what is happening, or what has happened, that may be motivating this employee… to leave,” according to Yuletta Pringle, knowledge advisor at the Society for Human Resources Management. Yet as the above dialogue illustrates, these conversations may be too little too late
How would you like to grow within this organization?
Figure out what growth opportunities each employee needs for optimum development
- What role would you love to do, and what can I do as your manager to encourage your development in this company?”
- Ask yourself the following questions:
What are we currently not doing as a company that you feel we should do?
Ask: What market opportunities the organization might be overlooking, and how to leverage company resources more effectively
- Are you satisfied with our current work from home/hybrid policy? If not, what do you think needs to change?
Do you have the opportunity to do what you do best every day?
Make checking in with these five questions a regular part of how managers interact with their employees
- It helps ensure that people feel seen and valued.
- And when managers help individuals on their teams feel that way, they’re more likely to be rewarded by employees who become advocates for the department and organization.
Do you feel a sense of purpose in your job?
Managers can play a meaningful role in helping employees understand how their roles contribute to the organization’s broader mission.
- To truly feel purposeful, however, employees must connect their values and values to their jobs.
What do you need from me to do your best work?
The most effective managers respect and care about their employees by knowing them as individuals, acknowledging their achievements, having performance conversations, and conducting formal reviews
- These supportive behaviors build a work environment where employees feel safe experimenting with new ideas, sharing information, exploring development opportunities, and supporting each other