WYPS cuts stress‐related illness: Individualized training helps managers to become better supervisors

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to reveal how individualized training helped managers to become better supervisors at West Yorkshire Probation Service, UK.

Design/methodology/approach

Presents statistics on the costs of unplanned absences at work, the skills managers need to transform good case workers/employees into good managers, and the positive results that can be achieved by receiving managerial training.

Findings

Claims that the training helped WYPS managers to: understand the importance of keeping good notes and an audit trail when dealing with poor performance; practise the art of giving feedback; be able quickly to adjust to major policy shifts in practices and procedures; and have the self‐assurance to manage their people firmly, fairly and effectively.

Practical implications

Reveals that employee absence fell by so much after managers were trained to become better supervisors at WYPS that “it was like adding eight or nine new employees when considering the increase in efficiencies”.

Originality/value

Underlines the importance of setting clear objectives, which need to be specific, measurable, agreed, realistic and with a clear timeline (Smart) in their approach.

Citation

(2008), "WYPS cuts stress‐related illness: Individualized training helps managers to become better supervisors", Human Resource Management International Digest, Vol. 16 No. 1, pp. 35-37. https://doi.org/10.1108/09670730810848342