Skills You Need to Be a Great Manager of Part Time Workers
In today’s world, more and more people are craving flexibility at work. Research supports the fact that hybrid models of work have become more desirable to employees and for many, rank higher than salary. There has been a marked increase in flexible models like hourly and part time work.
As a manager, it is your duty to guide and bring out the best in your part time workers. Having the right skills will take you from an Okay manager of part time workers to a great one.
Beef up your technological skills
The ace in the deck for managers of part time workers is the rich technological landscape. There are suites, apps and platforms to help you manage communication, accounting, auditing, project management, recruitment and so much more. From more traditional tools like Excel to Trello, managing of part time workers is easier and can in some cases be done via mobile. Take the time to educate yourself on the tools available and both your productivity and that of your staff will thank you for it.
Communication skills
If you are a manager of part time workers, chances are high that you manage more than one at a time. It is important to be able to effectively communicate with all your workers. It may seem like a juggling act but once you streamline their schedules, communication becomes easier. Your communications should cover these areas and more:
- Communication should be timely: This means that when workers reach out to you, you are able to provide speedy feedback. As a manager you should also give instructions ahead of time in order to avoid confusion and missed work.
- Communication should be reciprocal: Send information and respond to communications from workers. When doing so, make sure you use the prior agreed on channels of communication. You don’t want to send an email to someone who is more likely to be reached via phone call.
- Communication should be clear: Do be clear and ask if a worker has any questions.
- Listen: An important part of proper communication is listening. Be open to ideas and feedback from your workers. Ask questions about their work so they can know you are champion.
- Give both positive and corrective feedback: Hearing that they did a good job will give your workers a boost of morale. Whenever they receive positive feedback, pass it along. Likewise, if there is negative feedback, share it and include advice on how they can overcome a challenge.
Good organisation skills
To be a successful manager of part time workers, you need to have great organisation skills. You need to be able to come up with work plans, schedules, track progress of work and update your jobs board. Good organisation involves understanding the needs of your clients and deploying workers with the skills to match them. You can improve organisation skills with something as simple as a to-do list or you can make use of technology and streamline everything through a schedule management platform.
Leadership skills
With a team of part time workers to manage, you must have strong leadership skills. These include, the ability to articulate goals, give direction and support workers in achieving them. Be ready to offer advice and to troubleshoot problems when they arise and your workers will be glad to have you as a leader.
When it comes to leadership, some are of the view that it is an inborn talent but we are of the view that it can be improved. Boost your leadership skills by attending leadership trainings, reading books and resources on better leadership practices.
Basic knowledge of your clients’ business
While you certainly do not need to be an expert in your clients business to successfully manage part time workers, an understanding of it will make you a better manager. If your client runs a bistro, you should be aware of the inputs they need, systems common in the industry and what makes their business tick. In this way you can assign workers who are more suited to the needs of the client.
You will also be of more value to the client since you will be able to offer insights and or advice. At the very least, you will be familiar with the language of that particular business.
Emotional intelligence
Emotional intelligence is one of the soft skills that differentiates great managers from basic ones. Some managers run the risk of treating part time workers as interchangeable but this is a mistake.
Exercising empathy and understanding, listening and being flexible will increase engagement. Being seen as an understanding leader will create room for openness with your teams and will likely reduce attrition.
Team building skills
If your part time staff work in teams, it is just as important for them to have healthy team relationships as it is for their full time counter parts. But because part time work may not be permanent, both employees and their managers may feel like that is a waste of time.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Good managers know that a team that runs smoothly will produce superior results. They will therefore invest in activities that encourage team cohesion amongst their part time workers. This might include a virtual meet and greet for people to get to know each other or a get together on a weekend for everyone to relax and bond away from the job.
Delegation skills
Managing part time workers is a time consuming task but you do not to do it alone. The best managers have mastered the skill of delegation. Trust your workers to take on more challenging roles and reap two rewards simultaneously: more motivated workers who will be excited to try their hand at something different and more time for yourself.
It may seem safer to do everything yourself but letting your people contribute in a more meaningful way will open your processes up to different ideas that could improve the business.
Final Word
Managers of part time workers should remember that all skills necessary to get better at their craft can be improved and learned. There is a wealth of experience available in the form of management courses, training, paying attention to leaders in the industry and even watching a TED talk or two on how to be a better manager.
