the role of the manager an introduction

7/29/2019 The Role of the Manager an Introduction

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The Role of the Manageran introduction

Department of

Human Resources


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Contents

The role of the manager 3

People management 4

As a manager what responsibilities 5

do I have?

What does being a manager mean? 6

Tools and resources 7


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The role of a manager

There are managers in every profession it is not a standalone field. For those of

us who become managers, we reach a stage in our career progression where we

apply for roles which have management responsibilities. We then need to build

our managerial experience and gain the knowledge and skills to enable us tocarry out the role effectively.

How we develop will vary and take many forms. We learn from role models

and observing others, from our experiences on the job, from coaching (whether

informal or formal), from training sessions and from the conversations we have

with colleagues and our staff. However, there are two key points to remember:

As a manager, you are not on your own. You have your

own support network, in particular the support from your own

manager, peers and your staff. We offer support and advice as

a HR team; develop policies and guidance to help you; provide

formal opportunities for you to access training; and facilitate other

opportunities for your development (such as this tool box). You

should never feel that you cant ask for help or advice.

There is no simple how to manage rulebook that you are

somehow missing. You are not expected to know all the answers

to questions you will face as a manager and, very often, there isnot one answer. This is the most challenging but also the most

rewarding aspect of managing others people will react differently

in different situations and preparing yourself for this through

gaining an understanding of your staff is crucial.

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People management

In brief, if we think about the employment cycle, it covers the following areas:

As a manager, you will be supporting staff at different stages of this cycle.

Developing as an effective manager requires you to know what your

responsibilities are: your level of authority, your level of accountability, the duties

you are required to discharge as a manager and who is there to help you perform

effectively. It also requires you to understand the organisation you work for,

to understand the structure of the organisation, the mechanisms, the way it

behaves and the reasons why it behaves in the way it does - the culture of the

organisation.

Recruitmentand selection

Workforce

planning, role

analysis, jobredesign

Managing

leavers:

resignations,retirement, etc

Managing

performance,

attendance andwell being

Induction


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As a manager, what responsibilitiesdo I have?

As a University, we identify a number of responsibilities which are shared by all

managers:

To communicate with staff. Managers take on an essential

responsibility for communication. Particularly with the pace of

change, it is more important than ever to keep employees informed

of whats going on. In performing the informational role, managers

are essentially two-way information conduits. Managers must

keep employees informed of all things that affect their work and

provide information to their organisation (and, often, outside their

organisation) about what the team is doing.

To undertake PDRs with staff. Through the PDR process,

to engage in the setting of objectives in order to assist in the

monitoring of performance and the development of the individual.

To assess the training and development needs of staff to

ensure that they are adequately supported in relation to their

work responsibilities. Managers are also required to ensure that

staff have completed the relevant mandatory training for their role.

To ensure appropriate management systems and procedures

are in place to meet your health and safety duties. You will find

your responsibilities contained in the Universitys Health and Safety

policy. You are required to ensure appropriate risk assessments are

carried out in respect of significant hazards and safety inspections.

To apply the Universitys Equal Opportunities Policy. Line

managers are responsible for maintaining a working environment

that is free of discrimination, harassment, victimisation and

bullying. In applying the Universities Equal Opportunities Policyand associated training, line managers have an important role

in ensuring that no person associated with MMU receives less

favorable treatment on the grounds of: gender, race or ethnic origin,

nationality, disability, sexual orientation, social background or for

any other identifiable discriminatory cause.

There will be other responsibilities for you dependent on your managerial level

within the University. You should speak to your own manager if you need to

clarify any of these.

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What does being a manager mean?

What a manager does

motivates and works with others,

helping them through coachingconversations to recognise

approaches to take/identify

solutions

keeps their staff informed, gives

explanations and reasons for

actions/changes and asks for

feedback and ideas

sets priorities with staff, ensuring

that they are clear on theirresponsibilities and the authority

that they have to make decisions

works not only with their

employees, but also with peers and

superiors, other employees and

customers

looks outwards, considering the

needs of the wider team, the

department and the Universitycreates an environment where

team members are listened to and

respected and deals with conflict

where necessary.

creates a healthy and safe

environment for their team.

What a manager does not

know all the answers (and should

not feel that they have to!)

use information as power (there

may be occasions where discretion

is necessary, but this power should

not be abused)

monitor each action staff take and

micro manage

work in isolation

take a narrow approach which

means that they and their team

members cannot understand the

wider fit across the University

avoid issues in the team, in the

hope that they will just go away.

ignore or take unnecessary risks

which endanger the health and

safety of the team.


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Tools and Resources

For further information, see:

HR Policies

MMUs policies to support managers. Many of these are supplemented by guidance on

how the policies should be applied in practice.

http://www.mmu.ac.uk/humanresources/policy/

University Staff Development Programme

This includes information about the Management Essentials suite of training, which must

be attended by managers and supervisors within the University.

The Programme also includes the Universitys Institute of Leadership and Management

(ILM) programmes. These nationally recognised qualifications include an Award in First

line management for those new to managing staff together with a Level 5 Certificate in

Leadership for more experienced managers.

http://www.mmu.ac.uk/humanresources/devandtrain/

PDR documentation

This includes information about the Universitys PDR Scheme, guidance for reviewers and

guidance for reviewees.

http://www.mmu.ac.uk/humanresources/devandtrain/

Health and Safety intranet site

This site contains the Universitys Health and Safety Policy and Safety Manual and various

support tools for you and your staff.

http://www.mmu.ac.uk/humanresources/health/

Equal Opportunities intranet siteThis site contains up-to-date information on the Universitys policy but also the action

plans which are in place to support this.

http://www.mmu.ac.uk/humanresources/equalities/

the role of the manager an introduction

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