Sixty-five per cent of frontline supervisors in the United States obtained their positions based on individual performance or years of experience rather than supervisory skills, according to new research from Gallup.
The data reveals only 30 per cent of frontline supervisors were placed in their roles based on supervisory skills, experience as a supervisor, or because they began their career in supervision.
Frontline supervisors are defined as those managing workers in core operations including manufacturing, healthcare, retail, food service, and other service roles. They represent 60 per cent of all supervisors surveyed.
Engagement gap among promoted workers
Supervisors promoted based on individual performance show significantly lower engagement levels compared to those selected for supervisory capabilities, according to the research.
Thirty-one per cent of supervisors promoted through performance or experience are engaged, compared to 42 per cent of those selected for supervisory skills or experience.
The engagement gap among supervisors can affect their teams, according to Gallup. Research cited in the company’s publication Culture Shock found that managers’ own engagement, effectiveness, and natural talents account for at least 70 per cent of the variance in team-level engagement.
Managers in the top quartile of engagement have teams with engagement levels that are, on average, 11 percentile points higher than teams of managers in the 50th percentile, according to the research.
Frontline workers already less engaged
The impact on frontline workers could be particularly significant given their existing engagement challenges, according to Gallup.
Frontline workers in the U.S. have lower engagement levels than the broader workforce, at 26 per cent compared to 32 per cent.
The research references the Peter Principle, introduced by Laurence Peter and Raymond Hull in 1969, which suggests employees rise to “a level of respective incompetence” when organizations promote high performers until their performance declines.
The National Bureau of Economic Research found a 7.5 per cent decline in subordinates’ sales performance when organizations promoted high-performing sales representatives to managerial roles, according to Gallup.
Training gaps identified
Only 45 per cent of frontline supervisors participated in supervisor training or education in the past year, according to the data.
Another 32 per cent took part in such training but not in the past year, while 23 per cent have never participated in supervisor training.
Frontline supervisors who completed training focused on becoming a better supervisor in the past year reported better outcomes. They were 79 per cent more likely to be engaged, 19 per cent less likely to feel burned out very often or always, and 11 per cent less likely to be actively looking for a new job.
Selection and training recommendations
Gallup recommends using science-based structured interviews and assessments to identify individuals with supervisory talent.
A meta-analysis of 136 studies involving 14,597 managers found that hiring based on managerial talent increased sales or revenue by 21 per cent per manager and profit by 32 per cent per manager, according to Gallup.
The research suggests investing in more careful selection processes and timely supervisory training to address lower engagement levels among first-time frontline supervisors.
