Dear Future Aliya - management edition
Dear Future Aliya,
If all has gone according to the very vague plan that I have now, you should be a manager of an aquatic centre somewhere- maybe Iqaluit, maybe not. And chances are, you are still trying to be a better manager all of the time. Some tips for you based on past experiences (positive and negative alike, both compiled into one positive, possibly passive aggressive, list, depending how this goes):
1) New instructors need support. Try to be present during lessons to make the crazy kids behave or just help out on tough days.
2) If your employees are trustworthy, TRUST THEM. When you are new, treat everyone like they are trustworthy instead of immediately doubting everyone.
3) If someone doesn't have a history of skipping shifts by crying sick, accept their sickness as legitimate. Don't make them find their own coverage.
4) Non-management employees get first dibs on overtime, and after that lower management. When you're the top, you should be last to take overtime.
5) Try to keep track of what's happening on deck, even when you aren't always present on deck. If something is broken, you should remember that. If you can't, then write it down.
6) If a staff member has gone to HR or upper management to complain about you, chances are SOMETHING IS WRONG! Do what it takes to make it right- don't lose a valuable staff member over a misunderstanding or a misstep.
7) Make your emails understandable.
8) Please talk to deck staff before you make changes that affect them! Want to add lane ropes to a swim? Ask some lifeguards how that would affect them. What to change the swim schedule? Talk to some lifeguards about what the people want and what the guards need.
9) Make sure lifeguards have a chance to get off deck for at least 15 minutes after every two hour block. They need the break from scanning.
10) Let them eat food in the lifeguard office. They can't always take a proper break; they still need to eat.
11) Keep information and resources available. Your staff should know how to access employee benefits, CISM help, Human Resources, Payroll, and the Workers Safety Compensation Board (or commission, depending on where you are). They should also have drowning statistics, prevention methods, and first aid resources available.
12) Utilize social media to communicate with the public.
13) Don't ever announce changes on social media before telling staff.
14) Don't ever announce changes to staff before telling management under/alongside you.
15) Please don't ask crying staff members what is wrong with their eyes.
16) Listen when a staff member has a concern, even if you don't see why they're concerned. Their concerns are valid, even if they appear small.
17) Try to explain what you're doing even if you can't explain the entire situation. Lifeguards deserve to know why they're enforcing rules, and they won't really enforce them if they don't know.
18) Do not edit staff timesheets.
19) Respond to emails. Even if they don't contain any questions, send back an email saying 'thank you for this information!' or 'I appreciate the feedback'. Just be nice to staff.
20) #19 especially applies if the email is explaining a concern about your behaviour/management style/changes you've made. If a staff member is concerned enough to reach out to you, they're concerned enough to need an understanding response. Don't make them go to HR or upper management for help dealing with you.
21) Do not withhold overtime or leave request forms from staff. Leave copies available to them even when you are out of the office.
22) Locking your office for no apparent reason (especially when you're at work) makes you look dishonest. What do you need to hide?
23) Schedule staff properly. If you schedule their classes to start at 4:30 but schedule them to start work at 5:30, they are going to miss classes and it will be your fault.
24) Act understanding when employee go to HR about you. Chances are, someone is going to have a beef with you. Take it in stride- a little pressure will make you a better manager. Your options here are as follows: a) don't mention your meeting with HR if it's not necessary, b) thank staff members for being honest with their concerns and explain how you are addressing them, c) schedule a meeting with the staff member to allow them to explain what they need to happen. Just find a solution. This one is going to sting, clearly, but humility is an important management quality, and this is a good time to practice.
25) When you change employees' scheduled hours, ask permission. Or, if it is absolutely necessary to make the changes, take time to explain why and listen to their concerns.
26) When you make a new schedule, give casual employees a few days to say if they can't make a shift before finalizing the schedule.
27) Give employees birthday cards. It's just nice.
28) Encourage staff to come to you with concerns.
29) Prioritize lifeguards who have been around for a while. Don't give their shifts to brand new guards who you don't even know.
IN CONCLUSION: you aren't really that important. Take a deep breath, be nice to your staff members, be a little extra nice sometimes. It's not that hard. Very, very little is worth losing a dedicated worker over, so weigh your actions carefully. Not every rule is as important as you think it is.
You'll be great if you remember these things. Everything will be okay.
Sincerely,
Past Aliya
If all has gone according to the very vague plan that I have now, you should be a manager of an aquatic centre somewhere- maybe Iqaluit, maybe not. And chances are, you are still trying to be a better manager all of the time. Some tips for you based on past experiences (positive and negative alike, both compiled into one positive, possibly passive aggressive, list, depending how this goes):
1) New instructors need support. Try to be present during lessons to make the crazy kids behave or just help out on tough days.
2) If your employees are trustworthy, TRUST THEM. When you are new, treat everyone like they are trustworthy instead of immediately doubting everyone.
3) If someone doesn't have a history of skipping shifts by crying sick, accept their sickness as legitimate. Don't make them find their own coverage.
4) Non-management employees get first dibs on overtime, and after that lower management. When you're the top, you should be last to take overtime.
5) Try to keep track of what's happening on deck, even when you aren't always present on deck. If something is broken, you should remember that. If you can't, then write it down.
6) If a staff member has gone to HR or upper management to complain about you, chances are SOMETHING IS WRONG! Do what it takes to make it right- don't lose a valuable staff member over a misunderstanding or a misstep.
7) Make your emails understandable.
8) Please talk to deck staff before you make changes that affect them! Want to add lane ropes to a swim? Ask some lifeguards how that would affect them. What to change the swim schedule? Talk to some lifeguards about what the people want and what the guards need.
9) Make sure lifeguards have a chance to get off deck for at least 15 minutes after every two hour block. They need the break from scanning.
10) Let them eat food in the lifeguard office. They can't always take a proper break; they still need to eat.
11) Keep information and resources available. Your staff should know how to access employee benefits, CISM help, Human Resources, Payroll, and the Workers Safety Compensation Board (or commission, depending on where you are). They should also have drowning statistics, prevention methods, and first aid resources available.
12) Utilize social media to communicate with the public.
13) Don't ever announce changes on social media before telling staff.
14) Don't ever announce changes to staff before telling management under/alongside you.
15) Please don't ask crying staff members what is wrong with their eyes.
16) Listen when a staff member has a concern, even if you don't see why they're concerned. Their concerns are valid, even if they appear small.
17) Try to explain what you're doing even if you can't explain the entire situation. Lifeguards deserve to know why they're enforcing rules, and they won't really enforce them if they don't know.
18) Do not edit staff timesheets.
19) Respond to emails. Even if they don't contain any questions, send back an email saying 'thank you for this information!' or 'I appreciate the feedback'. Just be nice to staff.
20) #19 especially applies if the email is explaining a concern about your behaviour/management style/changes you've made. If a staff member is concerned enough to reach out to you, they're concerned enough to need an understanding response. Don't make them go to HR or upper management for help dealing with you.
21) Do not withhold overtime or leave request forms from staff. Leave copies available to them even when you are out of the office.
22) Locking your office for no apparent reason (especially when you're at work) makes you look dishonest. What do you need to hide?
23) Schedule staff properly. If you schedule their classes to start at 4:30 but schedule them to start work at 5:30, they are going to miss classes and it will be your fault.
24) Act understanding when employee go to HR about you. Chances are, someone is going to have a beef with you. Take it in stride- a little pressure will make you a better manager. Your options here are as follows: a) don't mention your meeting with HR if it's not necessary, b) thank staff members for being honest with their concerns and explain how you are addressing them, c) schedule a meeting with the staff member to allow them to explain what they need to happen. Just find a solution. This one is going to sting, clearly, but humility is an important management quality, and this is a good time to practice.
25) When you change employees' scheduled hours, ask permission. Or, if it is absolutely necessary to make the changes, take time to explain why and listen to their concerns.
26) When you make a new schedule, give casual employees a few days to say if they can't make a shift before finalizing the schedule.
27) Give employees birthday cards. It's just nice.
28) Encourage staff to come to you with concerns.
29) Prioritize lifeguards who have been around for a while. Don't give their shifts to brand new guards who you don't even know.
IN CONCLUSION: you aren't really that important. Take a deep breath, be nice to your staff members, be a little extra nice sometimes. It's not that hard. Very, very little is worth losing a dedicated worker over, so weigh your actions carefully. Not every rule is as important as you think it is.
You'll be great if you remember these things. Everything will be okay.
Sincerely,
Past Aliya
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