How managers direct their focus — and who they focus on — can have big ramifications on team morale and profits
A good manager can boost productivity, reduce attrition and pad the bottom line. But even the best managers only have 24 hours in their day, and to maximize team success they need to allocate their time efficiently. Many managers choose to focus on employees who are struggling, and allocate less attention to those who are not. But this might not be the best strategy — at least when it comes to organizational performance.
“Managers can be strategic, and talk to employees who have reported stress or mental health challenges. This is called the directed allocation of attention,” says Dr. Shannon Liu, an assistant professor at the Rotman School of Management. “Employees with low morale are more likely to leave a firm, and having a conversation with a manager significantly improves this. When an employee has low morale, the benefits of managerial attention are higher.”
[This article has been reprinted, with permission, from Rotman Management, the magazine of the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management]