What is a line manager? –
Introduction ๐
When you start a new job, it’s common to be overwhelmed with new people to meet.
One of the first people you’re likely to meet is your “line manager”.
But what is a line manager? ๐คทโโ๏ธ
And what do they do?
Today we’re explaining everything there is to know about line managers. โจ
What is a line manager? ๐ฉโ๐ผ
A line manager is the person who is responsible for overseeing your work and looking after you.
They are sometimes called “team leaders” or “supervisors”.
Your line manager is someone you will hear from/see regularly, and you might even work closely with them.
They usually sit one position above you, meaning they’re likely to get paid a bit more than you and have more responsibility. ๐ธ
Line managers usually oversee day-to-day work, and act as a “middle man” between you and senior leaders at work.
Line managers are there to help and guide you at work, so that you can deliver your absolute best work. โจ
What are the responsibilities of a line manager? ๐
Line managers usually have different responsibilities depending on where you work, but some of the most common responsibilities they have are:
- managing a team of employees
- making sure you hit your targets ๐ฏ
- helping to train you (to make sure you can do your job properly)
- managing a budget for your team๐ธ
- reporting to bosses about you and your team’s performance
- approving/denying employee holiday requests ๐๏ธ
- leading team meetings
- interviewing and hiring new employees ๐ค
- managing disciplinary action when employees have broken the rules
- doing performance reviews/appraisals for the team ๐
- keeping your team up-to-date on changes in the organisation e.g. sometimes teams swap employees around, merge teams together
- making you as useful and productive to the organisation as possible ๐
What do managers do? ๐คทโโ๏ธ
Managers have lots of different responsibilities, such as:
- Leadership and team management ๐งโ๐คโ๐ง
- Planning and setting goals ๐
- Making decisions ๐ง
- Communication ๐
- Managing performance ๐
- Solving problems ๐ค
- Development and training ๐ฉโ๐ซ
- Building relationships ๐ค
- Hiring new employees ๐โโ๏ธ
- Promoting a positive work environment โ๏ธ
- Managing budgets ๐ท
- Delegating tasks and responsibilities ๐
- Providing feedback and coaching ๐ฃ
- Resolving conflict ๐ฅ
- Celebrating success ๐
- Continually improving ๐
- Managing changes ๐
How to make your line manager happy โ๏ธ
The saying goes that “people don’t leave bad jobs – they leave bad managers”, and it couldn’t be more true.
Research has found that 57% of people have left at least one job because of a bad manager!
Your manager can have a huge impact on your:
- wellbeing at work ๐ง
- career progression ๐ช
- stress levels ๐ฅด
- feeling of accomplishment ๐
- relationships at work ๐ค
- pay ๐ธ
- ability to learn at work ๐ซ
- workload ๐๏ธโโ๏ธ
This makes it really important to:
- have a great relationship with your manager ๐ค
- understand your manager ๐ซก
- know how to raise problems with managers ๐โโ๏ธ
- know how to give your manager feedback to help them improve ๐
In our article How to manage your manager: 10 tips to survive a difficult manager ๐งโ๐ผ, we explain the best top tips to keep your manager happy!
To make your manager happy, you should:
Look after yourself โจ
- Set boundaries๐งฑ
- Try to keep your emotions in check๐ฅน
- Stay positiveโ๏ธ
- Donโt talk badly about your manager behind their back๐คซ
- Prioritize your wellbeing๐
- Deliver good work๐โโ๏ธ
Make your manager happy โจ
7. Try to understand their perspective๐ต๏ธโโ๏ธ
8. Try to always bring them solutions, not problemsโ
9. Keep it short, get to the point๐ฏ
10. Be proactive โ think ahead๐ฎ
Conclusion ๐
So that’s it!
A line manager is the person who is responsible for overseeing your work and looking after you.
They are sometimes called “team leaders” or “supervisors”.
Your line manager is someone you will hear from/see regularly, and you might even work closely with them.
They usually sit one position above you, meaning they’re likely to get paid a bit more than you and have more responsibility. ๐ธ
Line managers usually oversee day-to-day work, and act as a “middle man” between you and senior leaders at work.
Line managers are there to help and guide you at work, so that you can deliver your absolute best work. โจ
If you know any friends or family members who might benefit from learning about what a line manager is, share this post with them!
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