Managing in Uncertain Times: Seizing Opportunities in Change

Article

This three-part series explores management insights from Robert Half’s own leaders inspired by our e-Book, The Manager’s Guide to Uncertain Economic Times.

Skills shortages, remote and hybrid work, generative AI, virtual teams, and a new focus on mental health and well-being are reshuffling managers’ day-to-day priorities and bringing new challenges and responsibilities to the manager role.

“We’re not going back to 2018 factory settings,” says Ai Ling Lee, vice president for professional development permanent placement at Robert Half. “Managers are seeing the changes happening in their own workplaces and the need to adapt.”

For the confident manager, times of economic uncertainty can be the perfect moment to invest in leadership development, elevate your team’s performance and upgrade your own leadership capabilities. While competitors stay stuck in neutral over fear of the unknown, opportunities are open to develop new skills, build resilience and cultivate the future leaders on your team with succession planning in mind.

The best managers today have their eye on technology. Leaders in all fields, from factories to hospitals to government, need to understand how emerging tech — especially generative AI — is changing how everyone works.

“The way calculators changed math from memorization to application, technology has transformed management,” Lee says. With this new set of tools, managers can make smarter, evidence-based choices that can give teams a big edge, whether finding places to cut costs or delivering highly tailored training and development.

“Managers need to level up,” Lee advises. “Acknowledge the changing landscape, improve your technical skills, and adapt to new tools and methods to stay effective.”

Guillermo Jalomo, Robert Half regional vice president, believes new workplace realities demand next-level adaptability and openness from both managers and team members. “There was a time and place when managers just needed to match a skilled candidate or subordinate to a functional role and let them go, basically treating everyone as if they are functionally the same,” he says. “Today, we need to be more intentional in understanding how our people are managing change as individuals and look for ways to support their resilience.”

Without resilience, challenges become overwhelming. But “resilient teams support each other, trust each other and share a vision,” says Jalomo. Employee resilience can be built conscientiously into an environment “even when we are remote and we don’t have the benefit of sitting next to each other for consistent training, bonding and team building,” he adds.

Both Jalomo and Lee agree a key ingredient of resilient management today is a willingness to show vulnerability. Managers must be people who are approachable, transparent and human. “We can’t be afraid to admit we don’t have all the answers and we don’t expect our teams to necessarily have them either,” says Jalomo. If employees can’t reach out to a manager on a sensitive manner due to fear or awkwardness, “You’ll struggle with buy-in, growth and retention, as well as resilience,” he explains.

So, rather than maintaining an image of a cool, competent boss in possession of all the facts, “Be a manager who is approachable and honest,” Jalomo suggests.

That includes sharing the positive. Your team members need to know their efforts are paying off, so learn and share how they are objectively making a difference. This will help your team move forward confidently with their projects.

Lee adds managers can also use some grace and awareness that they’re learning too, especially amid today's breakneck technological expansion. “As resilient managers and leaders, I think we are more guides than gurus, and understanding that can release a lot of pressure. Your role can be to lead and learn, not deliver all the answers.”

The managers’ dilemma is that while they are evaluated for getting the best performances and engagement from the team, they are responsible for much more. “A manager is managing process and people, managing up, managing out, and managing down,” says Lee. “These talents and skills, in my opinion, are somewhat endangered. Managers are not necessarily given the right habitat for growing and enriching the talent needed for future leadership roles.” If we're not creating leadership paths and roles for people and building those skill sets for the next 10-15 years, she wonders, “What’s going to happen to businesses a decade from now?”

Leaders like Lee and Jalomo are concerned that a once-reliable talent pipeline of high-potential leadership — future managers, CFOs and CEOs — is drying up. “There seems to be a trend away from younger employees wanting leadership roles because of the cost to work-life balance,” says Lee. She cites companies that have told remote employees they won’t be eligible for promotion and others who require people managers to be in the office daily.

“I think there's a lot to unpack when you look at demographics alone,” Lee says. “There’s a generation of people right now — like employees with young families — who need flexibility but don’t want to wait to advance.” Companies should not limit leadership opportunities for anyone if they can help it, she advises.

A strong management development and succession plan is essential for resilience. Now could be the perfect opportunity to identify future managers among your team and help establish mentoring relationships and leadership experiences for them.

Finally, managers should look for the upsides that can present themselves in uncertain times — namely, the opportunity to view things from a shifting perspective and a new vantage point. Innovations frequently come when the chips are down and organizations are compelled to adapt. This is also when new stars emerge.

Instead of letting uncertainty get in the way of progress, consider proactive ways to keep momentum up.

Boost your team’s repertoire. Cross-training can build their skills and confidence to contribute in new ways, which can be reassuring to employees when the bigger picture is unclear.

Tap your team members at all levels to identify roadblocks in their work and help them craft solutions. Offer to help your staff oil their creative gears by brainstorming with them.

Don’t stop building your team. While some organizations are in low gear, you can gain the advantage by accelerating your search for talent and making hires more quickly.

Be kind to yourself. As a manager today, changes can come at you at alarming speed. Acknowledge when you’re struggling, and work with your own manager and team to generate ideas that will keep everyone moving forward, whatever the pace.

Robert Half can help you find the managers you need in uncertain times.

See more from Robert Half’s Manager’s Guide series:

Managing in Uncertain Times: Addressing Well-Being and Building Trust

Managing in Uncertain Times: Investing in Employees

Managing in Uncertain Times: Addressing Well-Being and Building Trust

Managing in Uncertain Times: Investing in Employees

From the Top: 7 Strategies to Help Strengthen and Prioritize Succession Planning