Do you feel heard, led, and cared about by your manager?
The relationship between a manager and an employee is not always an easy one. It takes time to get to know each other, how you both work, what you need from your manager and what’s expected of you as an employee.
Having good communication, mentorship, and a caring relationship seem to be the top three biggest gaps between managers and employees in aviation right now.
But, where there are gaps, there are promising opportunities for growth.
At The Aviation Collective, we recently conducted a workplace culture survey with participation from more than 350 aviation professionals from every region of the world, with respondents split among women and men, managers and employees. We created a report to show you all of the data and insights.
In comparing the submissions of managers and employees, there are three areas with a 20% or greater gap in response to the statement, with managers more strongly agreeing than employees.
1. Managers saw growth potential in their direct reports but employees reported not being able to identify that as clearly.
When it comes to growth potential, managers have an opportunity to lay out a clear advancement path which will in turn help the employees see their potential for growth at the company.
2. Managers reported mentoring employees informally or formally but employees didn’t report being mentored by someone at work or in the industry to the same degree.
When it comes to mentorship, employees do not recognize informal membership in the same way as managers. If a manager is engaging an employee in an informal membership, we recommend they develop a clear structure around the communication cadence and intentionality of development to ensure employees are recognizing the opportunity for development.
3. Managers say their team cares about each other and is invested in other people’s success but employees reported not agreeing with that as strongly.
Being invested in success ties growth potential and mentorship together. By investing in employees’ growth in these ways, managers have an opportunity to demonstrate their care of and investment in the success of their team. This is often a communication gap more than a real one.
All of these gaps present opportunities for managers and employees to get on the same page on a number of different aspects and create a healthier, more cohesive work relationship and environment.
Companies can also stand out by providing and encouraging participation in external professional development opportunities. If you’re looking for access to professional development, visit https://theaviationcollective.com/membership/ to learn more about our mentor membership. We offer industry specific mentorship, leadership development, private communities, and goal-setting tools to help you live with balance and purpose, find greater meaning in your career, and make a mark for years to come!
Interested in reading the full Aviation Workplace Culture Report? Download it today and let me know what you found most eye-opening!