What Are the Responsibilities of a Manager?

Managers exist at all levels, across all departments, and in every industry. 

A manager is someone who oversees a team within a company. That means they’ll plan, organize, and direct guidance to employees to accomplish all the activities needed for the company to achieve the main objective. 

As a result, managers must be able to inspire, motivate, and communicate effectively with teams and individuals. Here, we cover the primary responsibilities of a manager so you can hire the right ones.

Different Types of Managers

“Manager” is a broad function that can describe the leadership role that requires a person to oversee a team. 

But that can happen at all levels within an organization. Let’s look at the various levels of management and what they’re responsible for. 

Top-Level Managers 

Top-level managers represent executive management at a high level.

Their primary objective is to determine the strategic direction of the organization. These managers build the future of their company by devising long-term strategies. 

Middle-Level Managers 

Middle managers are the go-between top-level executives and first-line managers. 

They focus more on translating the strategic goals set by top management into actional plans for their specific departments. 

For instance, a regional manager in a retail chain could be in charge of several stores in a region. They may implement new strategies, such as improving the store layout for better visual merchandising or training managers to optimize inventory levels to reduce the risk of stockouts. 

First-Line Managers 

First-line managers are people who directly supervise non-managerial employees. For example, in a manufacturing plant, the production supervisor oversees the entire assembly line to ensure all products are made following proper procedures. 

A store manager supervises the sales associates, manages inventory, and ensures a positive experience. 

Team Leaders

Team leaders help guide a group of individuals to achieve team goals. A team leader might be assigned to a specific project, task, or activity. They are responsible for overseeing the logistics regarding their assignment, which could include onboarding new employees, completing a project by a deadline, and assigning certain tasks to team members.

What Are the Five Key Responsibilities of a Manager?

Managers shape the culture of organizations in countless ways. They’re held to a high standard and have a handful of key responsibilities to fulfill. We cover five of their key responsibilities below:

Goal-Setting 

Managers act as a liaison between the executive leadership and employees. They must help carry on the vision that the company aims to charter. 

How? Through proper goal-setting and implementation. Managers must set calculated goals and milestones that align with the overarching mission. 

They’re responsible for quantifying the specific metrics that team members are expected to achieve. Doing so provides a clear direction for teams to follow.

On top of that, goals bring about key performance indicators (KPIs). Goals come with measurable outcomes, providing a basis for evaluating performance. 

Training and Development 

High employee turnover can harm a business since it can take months to find a quality replacement. Beyond that, continually replacing employees is costly because there are many recruitment expenses, productivity, and knowledge lost in the process. 

To make matters worse, 52% of exiting employees believe their manager or organization could have prevented them from leaving their jobs. Managers spend a lot of time with each team member. It’s their job to get individuals to perform their best and provide the support they need to excel. 

When employees aren’t performing well, they lose interest. Individuals who excel in their roles are more likely to be satisfied with their jobs. 

Also, incorporating training and development programs helps employees continue to improve their skills and can lead to internal promotion opportunities, which allows employees to grow from within. 

Managers should establish hands-on training with employees. That means regularly reviewing performance and working with them individually to help them improve. It may also mean developing workshops, documentation, or on-the-job training to develop the skills they need. 

Team and Individual Organization

Managers often use project management strategies to assign tasks, set deadlines, and track progress. 

The goal of the manager is to keep the operations running like a well-oiled machine. They can tweak and establish clear workflows so everyone understands how tasks move through the team. 

Managers organize teams and individuals by setting regular team meetings and one-on-one discussions. Clear communication sets the tone and helps employees feel comfortable sharing their ideas.

Leadership 

There’s a big difference between leadership and micromanagement. The idea is to look for managers who can empower their team without micromanaging. 

Managers should trust their workers to make decisions and get the job done. Ultimately, they should be giving employees the space to think creatively and problem-solve solutions. 

When workers feel they have freedom, they’ll likely be most satisfied with their jobs. That, in turn, will improve employee retention in the company. 

At the same time, every great leader offers constructive feedback to their subordinates. Weekly, monthly, and quarterly reviews help employees understand areas where they can improve. 

Administrative Tasks

Not everything about being a manager is all glitz and glamor. There’s plenty of backend planning and paperwork to do. 

For example, the role of a manager is to schedule employee hours and distribute workload accordingly based on skillset and availability. They also need to monitor progress and keep accurate records of all team activity. 

On top of that, managers must create reports that display metrics and key data points. That way, the higher-ups can better assess what’s going on at the ground level and make better decisions. 

Essential Skills of a Manager

While the responsibilities of a manager can vary, the qualities and skills that make up a good manager tend to be similar. 

If you’re hiring first-time managers and promoting from within, these are also great skills and traits to look for. 

Leadership

Companies will go as far as leaders take them. Managers set the tone in everything they do. They can inspire and motivate their team members, ultimately getting the best out of them. 

As leaders, they set the standard, ensuring all individuals perform at a given level. On the flip side, they also create a positive and inclusive work culture. That way, they can help facilitate more team collaboration and increase job satisfaction. 

A good manager can manage the attitudes of their employees. That means motivating them to do their best and genuinely showing interest in helping individuals reach their potential. 

Communication

Every manager needs to effectively communicate so everyone understands their roles and responsibilities. 

Often, they’re required to provide constructive feedback. During performance conversations, they need to clearly articulate areas of improvement so employees know what to work on and how they can fix it. 

Decision-Making

Decision-making is an essential skill for a manager. Making good decisions is important for the success of an organization. For example, they may decide to incorporate weekly workshops for skill development. If an employee is underperforming, the manager may have to decide whether to let go of the individual. 

Time Management 

There are a finite amount of resources. Managers must allocate their teams efficiently by assigning tasks to the right people. 

On top of that, they need to ensure all team members are working efficiently. For example, sales leaders may train employees to use certain tools to reduce manual data entry work and focus on higher leverage activities like sales calls. 

Expertise 

The best managers are industry experts who know the marketplace inside and out. 

Ideally, the manager has been in the same shoes as the people they manage. For instance, a retail manager knows how to stock the floor, manage the cash register, and do all the tasks they expect their sales associates to do. 

That way, they can lead by example and train employees on how to perform activities when called upon. 

Final Thoughts

Managers are essential to the success of most companies. Managers create and implement actionable strategies to help achieve the mission of an organization. On top of that, they guide employees to achieve the necessary milestones needed for the company. 

They’re a key component in the system, which is why you need to carefully bring the right managers on board. 

The first step is understanding what managers do and what skills to look for. Once you’re ready to hire managers, you’ll need to perform proper background checks. That way, you’ll know whether candidates are qualified and trustworthy. 

The good news is that ScoutLogic has all types of background check search types, so you can find all the critical information you need, including employment verification, education verification, and more. Try Scout Logic today to see the difference it makes in your hiring process!

David Garcia

David Garcia, co-founder and CEO of Scout Logic, is an industry leader in the bulk background check world. With his strategic acumen and expertise in the HR sphere, specifically in hiring, recruiting, legal compliance, background checks, and resume screening, he’s an invaluable asset and consultant.

David's counsel extends across the boards of ScoutLogic, YipitData, and Supplier.io, drawing from his impactful stints on the boards of Infutor and Avetta. With an extensive 25-year journey, he champions unparalleled B2B commercial leadership within data & analytics, significantly shaping the HR landscape.