Don’t promote the wrong people
In April 2024, research company Gartner Inc., Stamford, Conn., surveyed human resource leaders and found only 35% are satisfied with midlevel manager effectiveness and 27% are satisfied with frontline manager performance. Additionally, a July 2024 Gartner survey of 3,529 employees found only 38% of employees reported satisfaction with the quality of their manager and only slightly more than half said they trust their manager.
When managers are not effective, it can affect productivity, performance and morale. Gartner surveys from 2025 show 80% of managers are overwhelmed by increasing responsibilities and one in four managers would prefer not to be a manager at all. Many reluctant managers took on their roles without knowing whether they were a good fit.
Individual performance often is a main factor when companies select managers rather than assessing the management potential of employees. And reluctant managers tend to be less committed and engaged in their role.
One way to prevent reluctant managers is to show candidates the most challenging aspects of the job so they can make an informed decision regarding whether they want to make the move to manager. This could include candid conversations openly discussing workload. It is also crucial candidates be allowed to opt out of managerial roles and consider roles that are a better fit.
If a manager’s reluctance has deep roots, try to find a different role where that individual could thrive. If a manager’s reluctance is caused by a lack of confidence and feeling overwhelmed, identify skills the manager uses in his or her personal life that can be transferred to management methods at work to build confidence. To address overwhelm, help managers develop techniques such as scheduled email blocks or turning off email notifications to decrease interruptions.
Being proactive about assessing the management potential of employees can help ensure your company has the right people in place.
NYC unions launch mental health initiative
On March 5, the Building & Construction Trades Council of Greater New York joined other industry leaders to address mental health and reduce the construction industry’s high suicide rate, according to Construction Dive.
The council, which consists of local affiliates from 15 national and international unions, launched a Building Trades Peer Support Network with a goal of decreasing the negative effects of stress and lower suicide rates among unionized construction workers in the city.
The program seeks to train 1,000 rank-and-file peer supporters throughout the trades, which represent 1% of the total share of 100,000 members.
In 2024, the fatality rate of construction workers dying by suicide was 41.9 per 100,000 workers, according to North America’s Building Trades Unions and CPWR—The Center for Construction Research and Training. This was four times the rate of on-the-job deaths in the industry and puts construction only second to the mining industry for the highest suicide rate among all industries.
The program implemented two training programs: a two-hour session meant to educate members about suicide prevention and awareness, and a seven-hour follow-up class to become a “peer.” Trained peers will be able to conduct risk assessments and refer cases to support staff for more assistance.
NRCA is also committed to improving mental health awareness in the roofing industry and offers a range of resources, including a toolbox talk, available at betoughenough.org.
