Topic: Survey of Channel Managers & Non-Managers
By Allison Watters
The Women of the Channel Winter Conference is in session in New York City this week and there is much to report. There are many Move the Channel Members presenting and attending this exciting sold out event. For the Move the Channel folks unable to attend…. Reporting from the conference is Allison Watters, a valued member and contributor to Move the Channel. Allison is also Relayware’s director of global communications and has been in technology communications for nearly 15 years serving companies of all sizes that work with the channel.
Allison writes:
During the open remarks of the Women of the Channel Winter workshop the positive energy was palpable, and there were so many attendees that it was hard to find a seat. It’s an incredible way to kick off an exciting event. (despite the weather)
Lisa MacKenzie, SVP of Events and an owner of The Channel Company, opened the session (despite having lost her voice) reviewing interesting findings from a recent survey of managers and non-managers. Also on stage was Brooke Cunningham, a member of the Women of the Channel conference advisory board. She talked about what it’s like to be a woman in the channel and shared how other women had helped her with her career moves along the way.
First up, 70 percent of managers report that they are a mentor. However, 56 percent of non-managers say they are mentored, though 92 percent report they would like a mentor. It’s an interesting difference of perspective. Potentially, it just happens to be who was surveyed. Alternatively, do some in manager positions see their guidance differently than those reporting up to them? When non-managers who say they want a mentor were asked why they do not have a mentor, they mainly reported that are not sure where to go for mentorship. There’s an opportunity here for organizations to have internal mentor programs or seek external programs. Many organizations have mentoring programs, such as Women in the Channel.
Next up, the survey asked respondents about their goals for the year ahead. Over half of manager and non-managers said health was a primary concern. This goal is underscored by research that says “Exercise has also been show to elevate mood, which has serious implications for workplace performance,” as reported by the Harvard Business Review.
Also highlighted in the survey – today’s workplace challenges. Managers say that their greatest challenge is not enough staff. This means that these professionals are trying to do more with fewer people. Additionally, they are not finding the talent they are looking for. So, when asked what the top skills they want non-managers to develop, the top three answers were communication, financial and negotiation skills.
When managers and non were asked about their current career, the majority of both reported that they are pretty happy. And interestingly, only 20 percent of non-managers responded that they want to move into the management position. Managers should consider the career path for these non-managers as well as ensuring that a fear of losing work-life balance isn’t throttling ambition.
The Women of the Channel Winter workshop 2014 makes attendees think about the year ahead, and these survey results provide a solid springboard for employee needs in the year ahead.
About Allison:
Allison Watters (@aawatters), Relayware’s director of global communications, has been in technology communications for nearly 15 years serving companies of all sizes that work with the channel. As a marketer, she pays close attention to industry trends and the business realities, and this is the lens through which she consumes and processes information.