Guide 15 min read
1. Introduction
Managing staff effectively is a wide-ranging topic and this fguidet will give the highlights of what you need to consider but is by no means a definitive guide. To obtain further support and gain a deeper understanding, please contact your local Business Gateway office.
To ensure that you are able to allow your team to work effectively, efficiently and productively it is important that line managers are aware of their responsibilities.
2. A Line Manager's responsibilities
Becoming a Line Manager is often seen as progression, when an individually has demonstrated that they are a high achiever in their technical /area of expertise they can easily step up and manage a team. Before embarking on taking on the role of managing people think carefully about what this involves, just because the individual is successful in their current role does not mean they are suited to being a line manager, allow them to understand what the responsibilities are and whether this is something that fits in their skill set.
Stepping up to a position where you are responsible for people can be exciting and rewarding and allow for personal development however it can also be very challenging and requires excellent interpersonal skills, pragmatic approach, perseverance and an open mind.
3. The impact of good line management
Effective line managers play a critical role in shaping the employee experience and overall organisational success. Their leadership style, communication, and support directly influence team engagement, motivation, and satisfaction.
Key impacts of good line managers:
1. Engagement
- Foster a positive work environment where employees feel valued and listened to.
- Provide regular feedback and recognition, which boosts morale and commitment.
2. Motivation
- Set clear expectations and achievable goals.
- Encourage professional growth by supporting training and development opportunities.
- Inspire team members by modelling strong work ethic and positive behaviours.
3. Happiness and Wellbeing
- Promote work–life balance by managing workloads fairly.
- Offer support for both professional and personal challenges.
- Create a culture of respect and trust within the team.
4. Organisational Performance
- Well-led teams are more productive, focused, and capable of delivering high-quality work.
- Strong management reduces errors, inefficiencies, and workplace conflict.
5. Retention and Turnover
- Employees who feel supported and appreciated are more likely to stay.
- Good management reduces staff turnover, lowering recruitment and training costs.
- Consistent leadership builds loyalty and long-term commitment.
4. The role of a Line Manager
As a line manager, your central responsibility is to ensure that, through the work of your team, the objectives of both the team and the wider business are achieved. This involves balancing people management with operational delivery.
Typical Areas of Responsibility:
1. Performance Management
- Set clear goals and expectations aligned with business objectives.
- Monitor performance through regular reviews and feedback.
- Address underperformance promptly and constructively.
2. Team Leadership and Development
- Motivate and engage team members to maintain morale and productivity.
- Identify training needs and support career development.
- Encourage collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.
3. Workload Planning and Delivery
- Allocate tasks fairly and effectively.
- Manage resources to ensure deadlines and quality standards are met.
- Anticipate challenges and adjust plans as required.
4. Communication
- Act as the main link between senior management/stakeholders and the team.
- Ensure team members are informed about business goals, priorities, and changes.
- Encourage open dialogue and active listening.
5. Employee Wellbeing and Support
- Promote a safe, inclusive, and supportive working environment.
- Recognise and respond to wellbeing concerns.
- Help staff manage workloads to avoid stress and burnout.
6. Compliance and Administration
- Ensure team adherence to company policies, procedures, and legal requirements.
- Maintain accurate records (e.g., attendance, performance, leave).
- Support HR processes such as recruitment, onboarding, and disciplinary procedures.
7. Retention and Engagement
- Build trust and loyalty within the team.
- Recognise and reward contributions.
- Take proactive steps to reduce turnover and improve employee satisfaction.
A line manager bridges the gap between strategic goals and day-to-day team operations, ensuring both people and performance are managed effectively.
5. Performance management and handling poor performance
All management is, at its core, is performance management. Line managers play a key role in ensuring that individuals and teams deliver against agreed objectives, while also supporting employee growth and development.
When poor performance is identified, it is vital to address it promptly, fairly, and consistently. Ignoring issues can lead to a decline in team morale, reduced productivity, and increased costs for the business.
Key Principles for Managing Poor Performance:
- Act Quickly
- Address concerns as soon as they arise to prevent them from escalating.
- Provide timely feedback so employees have a chance to improve.
- Be Objective and Unbiased
- Base discussions on evidence such as work quality, attendance records, or missed deadlines.
- Avoid favouritism or singling out individuals unfairly.
- Ensure all team members are held to the same standards.
- Respect Equality and Diversity
- Apply performance management processes in line with the Equality Act 2010.
- Avoid discrimination based on any protected characteristics, which include:
- Age
- Disability
- Gender reassignment
- Marriage and civil partnership
- Pregnancy and maternity
- Race
- Religion or belief
- Sex
- Sexual orientation
- Support Improvement
- Clearly explain the performance concern and the standard required.
- Offer guidance, training, or mentoring where appropriate.
- Set realistic goals and timelines for improvement.
- Follow Procedure
- Document conversations and agreed actions.
- Ensure compliance with the organisation’s policies and procedures.
- Escalate formally if performance does not improve
Performance Management must be fair, consistent, and supportive performance management not only protects the business from risk but also gives employees the opportunity to succeed.
Identifying Poor Performance
Spotting poor performance is often easier said than done. However, as a line manager you should have a clear understanding of what “good” performance looks like within your team and business.
As soon as you notice performance falling below expectations, it is essential to address it early. Delaying feedback can allow issues to escalate and may create misunderstandings about what level of performance is acceptable.
Setting Clear Expectations
Employees need to know:
- What is expected of them
- How their performance will be measured
Objectives should always be:
- Specific – clearly state what needs to be achieved.
- Measurable – include criteria to track progress and success.
- Achievable – realistic given the role and resources available.
- Relevant – aligned to the employee’s responsibilities and the wider business goals.
- Time-bound – include deadlines or timeframes.
This SMART model, created by George T. Doran, is widely used by businesses to set clear objectives and measurable goals.
6. The importance of timely feedback
Managing poor performance should not be left until:
- Annual appraisals
- End-of-probation reviews
- Formal performance meetings
Instead, employees should receive regular, constructive feedback to help them understand how they are performing in real time.
This doesn’t always mean a formal or heavy-handed approach. Often, an informal conversation can resolve issues quickly by:
- Clarifying expectations
- Highlighting gaps in performance
- Offering guidance and support
The key is ensuring employees are not left unaware that their performance is below expectations. Early, open communication helps to correct course and prevent long-term problems.
7. Difference between poor performance and misconduct
When dealing with employee issues, it is important to distinguish between poor performance and misconduct, as the management approach and procedures will differ.
Poor Performance
Poor performance is usually linked to an employee’s ability, skills, or approach to work, rather than deliberate behaviour. It often reflects an inability to meet the required standards despite effort.
Examples include:
- Taking longer than expected to complete tasks
- Disorganised or inconsistent work
- Difficulty prioritising or managing workload
- Low levels of motivation or engagement
In such cases, the focus should be on support, training, clear feedback, and performance management processes to help the employee improve.
Misconduct
Misconduct relates to deliberate or wilful behaviour that breaches company policies, rules, or standards of conduct.
Examples include:
- Taking extended lunch breaks without permission
- Consistently arriving late or leaving early
- Refusal to follow reasonable management instructions
- Inappropriate behaviour in the workplace
Misconduct typically requires management through the disciplinary process, as it is a matter of behaviour rather than capability.
Key Distinction
- Misconduct - intentional behaviour
- Poor Performance - inability or lack of capability
It is important to note that this distinction is not always clear cut. Each situation should be assessed carefully, considering the circumstances, evidence, and intent, before deciding whether it falls under poor performance or misconduct.
Difficult conversations
As a line manager, difficult conversations are an inevitable part of your role. Any conversation you would rather avoid may feel “difficult” because of the potential reaction from the employee. Common concerns include fear of the individual displaying:
- Denial
- Anger
- Verbal abuse
- Emotional responses
It is natural to feel uncomfortable raising sensitive issues. However, avoiding them rarely helps. In fact, tackling issues early often prevents escalation and can even turn the situation into a constructive and positive outcome.
Why Difficult Issues Must Be Addressed Promptly:
- Prevents escalation
- Minor issues can quickly grow into major problems if left unaddressed.
- Protects team morale
- Other employees may notice poor behaviour or performance going unchecked, leading to frustration and disengagement.
- Demonstrates fairness and consistency
- Taking timely action shows that all employees are held to the same standards.
- Supports employee improvement
- Employees may be unaware of the issue. Clear, early feedback gives them the opportunity to adjust and succeed.
- Reduces risk to the business
- Unresolved issues can impact productivity, increase turnover, or even create legal risks if not dealt with properly.
The earlier a line manager addresses a difficult issue, the greater the chance of resolving it positively and maintaining a healthy, high-performing team.
9. Feedback
Commonly used feedback models:
4C Framework
Context: Clearly and objectively explain the situation or behaviour that triggered the feedback, keeping it factual and non-judgmental.
Challenge: Express your concern or expectation about the behaviour, doing so clearly and honestly without resorting to blame or criticism.
Choices: Offer supportive, collaborative, and flexible suggestions for improvement or change, rather than imposing a specific solution.
Consequences: Describe the potential outcomes, both positive and negative, in a realistic and constructive way to motivate the person.
The Five R’s of Feedback – A Blueprint for Personal and Team Growth
By Gustavo Razzetti - Fearless Culture
1. Request- Taking the Initiative
2. Receive – Active Listening
3. Reflect – Gaining Insights
4. Respond – Constructively Reply
5. Resolve – Commit to Grow
Hints and Tips for Giving Constructive Feedback:
Providing constructive feedback is one of the most important skills a line manager can develop. Done well, it helps employees understand expectations, grow in their roles, and feel supported.
Key Principles of Effective Feedback:
- Be Problem-Focused and Specific
- Focus on the behaviour or outcome, not the individual.
- Clearly explain what happened, why it matters, and what could be done differently.
- Address the Issue, Not the Person
- Keep the conversation objective.
- Avoid personal criticisms or making the employee feel attacked.
- Balance Positive and Developmental Feedback
- Acknowledge what the employee is doing well.
- Combine praise with constructive points to encourage engagement and improvement.
- Be Direct but Informal
- Speak openly and honestly, without unnecessary formality.
- Avoid vague language – be clear and straightforward.
- Be Authentic
- Deliver feedback genuinely, not as a tick-box exercise.
- Employees are more likely to respond positively if they sense sincerity.
- Actively Listen
- Allow the employee to share their perspective.
- Show you understand by paraphrasing or asking clarifying questions.
- Make It Timely
- Provide feedback as close to the event as possible.
- Don’t wait for appraisals or formal reviews as regular, timely feedback is most effective.
Constructive feedback should be clear, fair, timely, and focused on behaviours and outcomes, not personalities.
10. Discrimmination
As a line manager you need to mindful that you do not inadvertently say or do something that may be discriminatory.
In your role, you will need to recognise and handle equality and discrimination issues, therefore a working knowledge of discrimination law is crucial to support and maintain an environment where employees are treated fairly.
There is no minimum length of service an employees needs to be afforded legal protection against discrimination, claims can be brought by job applicants also.
The Equality Act 2010 prohibits discrimination “because of” protected characteristics. The term “discrimination” has a very specific meaning in a legal context, because it occurs only when, it is because of a protected characteristic. Unfair treatment not linked to a protected characteristic is not discrimination.
The protected characteristic are:
- · Age
- · Disability
- · Gender Reassignment
- · Marriage and Civil Partnership
- · Pregnancy and Maternity
- · Race
- · Religion or Belief
- · Sex
- · Sexual Orientation
The law prohibits the following types of discrimination:
- · Direct Discrimination
- · Indirect Discrimination
- · Harassment
- · Victimisation
With regards to disability, the law also:
- · Prohibits discrimination arising from disability; and
- Imposes a duty on employers to make reasonable adjustments to help disabled employees overcome disadvantages created by their disability
If you are unfamiliar with discrimination and the law, please ensure that you seek further support to ensure that you do not unintentionally discriminate.