For many workers, making the step up from a frontline role to a supervisor or manager position can be the toughest climb of all.

There are plenty of reasons for this; imposter syndrome, limited opportunities in smaller organisations, your senior team believing you lack some of the skills to take on that more senior position or, quite simply, you just haven’t received the training you need to get ‘manager ready’ or ‘supervisor ready’.

It’s worth remembering that career progression and the road to management isn’t linear. It takes us sideways, backwards and forwards, and there’s no set time limit. Indeed, tomorrow’s manager may not have even considered putting themselves forward for management training or lacks the confidence to ask. 

Becoming a manager is a key landmark in the career lifecycle. When you get there, it means more money (putting you on a pay grade that can shape your earnings for several years), but also more responsibility – and you need an entirely new set of skills learnt through experience, qualifications, and specialist management training. 

Building a structured and cohesive management career by further developing the leadership skill set is made easier by these qualifications, which take place on the job, with real-world, practical and relevant leadership assessments, set at a pace that suits the business. 

Employers get a guided partner to match the right programme, set a training plan, support evidence gathering, and keep progress on track. Participants gain nationally recognised NZQA qualifications while continuing to contribute to the business. 

Our range of business and management training programmes cover everything from hospitality management (the New Zealand Diploma in Hospitality Management – Level 5) to tourism and travel leadership (the New Zealand Certificate in Contact Centres – Level 3). Our services sector-wide qualifications extend to the popular Team Lead Savvy Award, where new leaders and managers learn essential basics such as how to get the best contribution from teams, communicating with people from other cultures, and understanding the role of feedback in staff performance.

As managers gain more experience and expand their skill sets, the New Zealand Certificate in Business (Introduction to Team Leadership – Level 3) and the New Zealand Certificate in Business (First Line Management) – Level 4 – mark out the next level. The former enables talented employees with management potential to become more confident in writing reports, building teamwork, working cooperatively, and leading for effective team performance. The latter is designed for existing leaders or supervisors who are ready to master professional management and leadership skills in effective communication, performance management, business planning, legal compliance, and more. 

Today’s employees want managers who can provide support and guidance, lead with clear, open communication, be fair and consistent, and acknowledge and appreciate their knowledge and skills. Employers want effective communicators, strong leaders, and adaptability and empathy. We can help with both.

Effective management can help create a better business – even impacting the bottom line. An astonishing ‘70% of the variance in team engagement is determined solely by the manager.’ Moreover, the UK’s Chartered Management Institute’s research shows that 82% of managers are “accidental managers”, entering management positions with no formal management or leadership training, leading to skills gaps and adverse outcomes within the business.

Great managers aren’t born, they’re made, and while no two managers are the same, they share many personality traits; a desire to self-improve, to learn and a curious mindset.

There’s also no one-size-fits-all approach to outstanding leadership. However, our business and management programmes address the most pressing needs of businesses today, building the manager’s toolkit as they go, tapping into existing skills and adding in multiple extra layers to help individuals develop into the leader they want to be over time, and the manager the business requires.

Identify and retain your top talent and help them grow and flourish as leaders. ServiceIQ can make it simple to start, support, and complete management training that benefits both the business and the employee.