Mia
Many employees look at the responsibilities of their managers and determine that higher levels of employment are not worth the hassle. Indeed, members of business management tend to experience more pressure than the teams of employees they oversee; managers are accountable for the performance of their subordinates as well as their own decisions and behavior, and managers tend to come into work earlier and stay later to ensure that they are keeping the organization on a path to success.
Yet, all that time and effort does not go to waste. Management jobs are much more rewarding than the lower-level positions being supervised. Here are a few of the outstanding benefits of being a manager — and how any employee can reach the management level early in their career.
Higher Pay
Managers earn more than non-managerial employees. Managers have access to higher earning potential because they have more responsibility in the workplace; they shoulder the burden of big-picture decisions that can impact the performance of the organization as a whole. Thus, in essentially every industry, a manager will earn more than the workers they oversee.
Wages for managers continue to increase as a professional moves up the corporate ladder, and higher-level executives also tend to be awarded with extra perks, like company cars, better health insurance, stock options and quarterly bonuses based on performance. Though money cannot buy happiness, a certain level of income is essential for surviving and thriving in the modern world.
Greater Cultural Influence
Culture is composed of the values, beliefs and behaviors of a group of people. While everyone can contribute to creating and upholding culture, humans tend to be more influenced by the most prominent voices within their group. In a corporate structure, those prominent voices tend to come from managers, who communicate with a larger portion of the organization and thus bond them through shared culture.
The importance of an effective corporate culture cannot be understated. A positive culture can help attract top talent to an organization, retain employees to reduce turnover, improve morale across teams and boost productivity. Employees who are dissatisfied with the existing culture of the organization might strive to become managers to exert greater influence on the culture and improve the workplace environment for everyone.
More Autonomy
Autonomy is an important characteristic for almost all positions. Research has found that providing workers with autonomy improves their ability to self-motivate, which reduces energy and costs of management. Autonomy also helps boost creativity, which can allow workers to solve their own problems and innovate new solutions that can result in better products or processes in the future.
Managers tend to be afforded even more autonomy than the average non-managerial employee. Because managerial workloads tend to be less strict than lower-level workers, managers can enjoy more freedom and less scrutiny in their processes than those they oversee. This allows for even more experimentation and personalization in their work, which can lead to more engagement and satisfaction.
Better Development Opportunities
It can be difficult to break into management. Most low-level management positions require at least five years of work experience in a related non-managerial role, and even then, competition can be tough. To set themselves apart, workers might enroll in accelerated management programs to gain the fundamental knowledge and skills required for business leadership. Such high-quality credentials will make it easier to reach enviable management positions early in one’s career.
However, once a professional has taken their first step on the management path, subsequent career moves up through management can be easier to achieve. Managers have more opportunities to make connections with executives, who can support them in pursuit of advanced positions. Additionally, many organizations make various professional development programs available to managers, such as mentorship and special training, to equip managers with the resources they need to excel.
Working in management is certainly more difficult than working as a non-managerial employee — but it is also so much more rewarding. With higher earnings, greater influence, more autonomy and better opportunities, managers enjoy a much more satisfying experience in the workplace than the employees they oversee. Fortunately, with the right effort, connections and credentials, any worker can reach the management level in their career path.
