What Makes a Supportive Manager? 5 Key Traits Employees Value Most

More than salary or benefits, employees want a supportive manager. Dominic Ashley-Timms and Laura Ashley-Timms outline 5 qualities to develop.

A supportive manager is one of the most critical factors of a job and only marginally second to salary, according to Owl Labs’ 2024 State of Hybrid Work report. 92% of employees said having a supportive manager is important — salary (94%), benefits (91%), pay equity (88%) and growth opportunities (84%).

As a result, the impact of unsupportive managers on staff and organizations can be disastrous. According to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2024 report, those who work in companies with bad management practices are nearly 60% more likely to be stressed than those working in environments with good management practices.

As the saying goes, people don’t quit jobs; they quit their boss. In fact, nearly 7 out of 10 U.S. workers say they would quit their jobs over a lousy manager. So, what exactly is a “supportive manager,” and how can you become one? Here are five traits managers can develop to achieve this:

1. Actively listen

Active listening is part of effective communication and is a vital skill that managers should cultivate. It’s not just about hearing what an employee has to say; it’s about acknowledging it, too. Active listening is crucial for building rapport with employees and helps to understand better what each member of your team values, expects from you, and may be struggling with.

An excellent active listener focuses entirely on the conversation, picking up on body language and what another isn’t saying. For example, imagine an employee coming to you with a problem. Instead of interrupting with your input, develop the skill of demonstrating your acknowledgment of what your employee is saying. You can form more supportive and empathetic responses like “I hear what you’re saying. That sounds really difficult. I absolutely get it. Let’s work together on this.” This will help the employee to ease into a more natural conversation. In turn, you will foster more trust with your employees by developing a more human connection. 

2. Ask powerful questions

Asking powerful questions is, in fact, a management and leadership superpower – one that’s primarily under-utilized because we’ve never been taught how to use purposeful inquiry as a skill. It’s a natural extension of having listened actively and requires managers to let go of the idea that they must hold all the answers and provide constant direction and advice.

You can be much more supportive as a manager by asking employees insightful questions that stimulate their thinking to find solutions rather than simply telling them what to do. For example, thought-provoking questions like “What would have to change?”, “What would the best outcome be?” or “What might a colleague say about the situation?” show that you’re genuinely interested in what they have to say and will help you create an authentic bond with your team members. It demonstrates that their thinking and contributions are valued and encourages them to feel more autonomy over their roles. 

More than that, actively listening and asking powerful questions benefits the organization. The most successful companies work collaboratively from the bottom up by tapping into the diverse experience and expertise of the entire workforce, drawing on their skills and talents. This can only work if managers and leaders at every level within the organization are equipped to ask authentic and well-intentioned questions and listen to the answers.

3. Give appreciative feedback

Everyone likes praise for a job well done. However, many managers are nervous about giving feedback and tackling potentially awkward conversations. Leaders can easily fall into the trap of only giving out constructive feedback to employees when there is room for improvement. But appreciative feedback is about more than this. It involves noticing when someone has done something well and praising them for it, which reinforces positive behaviors, builds confidence and motivates employees.

For example, taking the time to acknowledge simple things like “I really liked the way you presented that complicated topic so succinctly — it helped us make an informed decision to move forward — thank you” can motivate an employee who seems to be struggling.

When offering appreciative feedback, try to provide it as soon after observing the positive action as possible. Be genuine and detailed, concentrating on the action or behavior itself (objective) rather than on the person (subjective). Also, connect the behavior to the positive outcome you observed, for example: “What stood out to me about your action was … and here’s the positive impact I noticed …”

4. Celebrate success

There are many ways to recognize success at work, from pay increases, bonuses and promotions to a simple “well done.” However, the most supportive managers embed an authentic culture of recognition within their department or organization.

To do this, try and create multiple chances to celebrate small successes by setting achievable goals throughout a project or timeline. These goals help to contribute to a deep sense of collaboration within teams and also motivate them, improving engagement at work. People who feel valued and recognized will feel less like a “cog in a wheel” and more likely to be productive and driven.

5. Build trust

All these traits help managers build the most crucial element of a supportive manager-employee relationship — trust. Employees want to trust that their manager cares about their growth and development. They also want to be trusted by their managers to find solutions to problems themselves and do a good job.

Developing these new traits allows you to ditch old, unsupportive habits, develop situational awareness at work and embed a coaching mindset – which is all part of a new approach to management called Operational Coaching®. Bringing coaching into the flow of everyday work in this way is crucial for setting solid foundations of trust in your organization. It means that employees feel supported on a daily basis, without the manager needing to step in to fix every problem brought to them, which ultimately leads to more collaborative, engaged and motivated teams. 

Written by: Dominic Ashley-Timms and Laura Ashley-Timms, CEO and COO of performance consultancy company Notion, creator of the multi-award-winning STAR® Manager program, for SmartBrief.