Female managers engage employees better, study finds

The findings, cited on the Lee Hecht Harrison’s Workplace Insights blog, are particularly important since managers are responsible for at least 70 per cent of their team members’ engagement.

Moreover, better employee engagement usually leads to greater success for companies. It is estimated that if firms increase the number of talented managers and double the rate of engaged employees, they can achieve higher earnings per share than their competition.

According to Gallup, female managers possess three common characteristics which help them inspire and engage their subordinates more effectively, providing them with a lethal edge.

Firstly, female leaders often provide workers with professional development opportunities, thus creating an optimistic vision for the employees’ future.

Secondly, they tend to give their employees frequent feedback through conversation and ensure that the employees have adequate resources to work with. The feedback is usually tailored to fit the individual’s development goals.

Thirdly, female managers are more likely than males to develop positive relationships with their team members. Through the power of positive feedback, they often create a culture where each employee feels valued.
Gallup warns that although the above characteristics are more common in women, they are certainly not exclusive to female leaders. Instead, these are simply good management strategies which can be applied by managers of both genders.
The American study publisher concludes that engagement at the workplace should never be overlooked. In fact, the trickle-down effect of management engagement can have a profound impact on the bottom line.
Lee Hecht Harrison, a wholly owned subsidiary of Adecco Group, is the global leader in career transition, leadership development, employee engagement and change management with 350 offices in 64 countries, providing professional assistance to over 7,000 client firms and 200,000 candidates every year.