Ninety-Eight Percent of U.S. Managers Want Better Management Training, Grovo Study Reveals

USA - English

• USA - English

New York, NY (PRWEB) September 28, 2016 -- According to a new study released today by workplace learning innovator Grovo, U.S. businesses have a mandate to upskill their middle managers with better training or risk their bottom line. Fielded by Wakefield Research, an independent research consultancy, the survey takes the pulse of more than 500 middle managers across an array of industries to determine challenges and opportunities in management development.

Within the survey, key findings included:

• A startling 98% of managers surveyed feel managers at their company need more training to deal with important issues such as professional development, conflict resolution, employee turnover, time management, and project management.
• Mid-level managers said more than two out of five of their company's managers, on average, were unprepared for management when they assumed their role, and that less than half of managers are highly effective.
• Moreover, 76% of those surveyed say ineffective managers are frequently rewarded or promoted, while according to 84% of managers themselves, companies need a better way to evaluate manager ability.
• A staggering 87% of middle managers wish they had received more management training when they first became a manager.
• However, even with training, behaviors often don’t last; 80% of managers who do change their behavior after training maintain those changes for just 6 months or less before going back to their old ways.
• 98% of middle managers believe key objectives of their company - such as employee retention, office morale, client satisfaction, and revenue - would improve if managers were trained to be effective more quickly.

With more than 10,000 baby boomers retiring every day, it’s no surprise that nearly 90% of companies say that finding and developing strong leaders is an urgent challenge, according to Deloitte. Grovo’s research identifies the key obstacles companies are facing when it comes to management development.

“Rapidly growing companies often have an abundance of new managers,” said Jeff Temple, Sr. Manager, Learning and Engagement at Appirio, an information technology consulting company. “This is both an incredible opportunity for new perspective and ideas, and a challenge for training; what makes someone a great consultant or salesperson doesn’t necessarily make them a great manager -- at least not initially. Finding training solutions that are engaging, provide flexibility in delivery, and provide relevant content for all of our global audiences is critical.”

While 99% of managers surveyed say their companies offer management training, the majority agree its ineffectiveness is often due to the training itself. They have this advice for learning and development professionals:

• Don’t Be Boring. 92% believe they would be more likely to use new managerial skills if management training were more engaging.
• Don’t Overwhelm. 74% believe the large volume of information in most management trainings makes it hard to remember and apply.
• Do Follow-Up. 36% infrequently have follow-up sessions to reinforce their management training.
• Do Set Specific Goals. 28% infrequently have specific measurable goals set for them after management training.

“When ineffective managers are moving in and up, companies should consider that a development red flag. Quality of management is one of the biggest predictors of employee engagement, productivity, and company culture,” said Joris Luijke, VP of People at Grovo. “Organizations can shorten the learning curve by identifying the specific behaviors of their best managers and delivering bite-sized, engaging learning experiences that turn that knowledge into action.”

The proprietary research and additional Grovo resources are designed to help companies develop leaders, increase employee retention, and create thriving workplaces. For a closer look at the research and to review key findings, visit http://www.goodmanagerbadmanager.com. For more information on Grovo, please visit http://www.grovo.com.

About the Survey
The Grovo Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research, among 500 U.S. middle managers at companies with 500+ employees between June 3rd and 13th, 2016, using an email invitation and an online survey.

Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. For the interviews conducted in this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 4.4 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample.

About Grovo
Grovo is reimagining learning for today’s teams. The workplace learning company combines beautiful technology, engaging content, and hands-on advisory support to deliver a better way to learn at work. The heart of Grovo’s approach is microlearning -- bite-sized video lessons, exercises and real-world practice delivered in the right way, at the right time. From digital skills to leadership training, Grovo teaches employees the behaviors to be extraordinary at what they do, on a platform that learners and trainers love.

Founded in 2010, Grovo has delivered more than 15 million microlearning moments at organizations in over 190 countries. Its own culture of learning has earned the company recognition as a "Best Place to Work" by Entrepreneur Magazine, Crain’s, and Internet Week. Headquartered in NYC, Grovo has raised venture financing from some of the world’s best investors, including Accel Partners, Greg Waldorf, Costanoa Venture Capital, SoftTech VC, and Vayner Capital. Learn more at http://www.grovo.com.

Elliot Schimel, [email protected], +1 (516) 448-1472, [email protected]