You’re busy. Your team is busy. Everyone’s inbox is bursting. So, when something needs communicating, what’s the easiest thing to do? Bang out another email. Job done.
But is it really?
Emails are fine, for meeting invites, quick updates, and yes, even the odd celebration or ‘thank you’. But if your main method of managing people is the inbox, your team is missing out. And so are you.
In this blog, we’ll explore what teams truly need from their managers to thrive. We’ll unpack what makes the real difference to morale, motivation, and performance, backed by UK data, real-world examples, and insights from psychology and leadership research. It’s practical, human, and 100% fluff-free.
The inbox illusion
Let’s start with a truth that might sting: most of your team aren’t reading your emails properly. Or if they are, they’re doing it while also trying to serve a customer, hit a deadline, reach a project goal or get through a backlog of other unread messages. It’s not personal. It’s just reality.
A 2024 YouGov survey found that over 62% of UK employees feel overwhelmed by digital communication at work, with emails being the number one culprit. And in many customer facing operations, many team members aren’t even desk-based, making email an even less effective tool for connection or clarity.
The inbox might feel efficient to you, but to your team, it can feel like just another ‘thing’ to deal with. What they really need is your attention, your clarity, your consistency, and your support. And none of those come across properly via a bullet-pointed message that starts “As per my last email…”
So, what do teams really need?
Having spoken to real people, having done some research and having thought back to all the brilliant (and not-so-brilliant) managers i’ve worked with, a few things came up again and again.
1. Clarity of expectations
One of the biggest stressors for team members is not knowing what’s expected of them. And no, that doesn’t mean a job description copied into an email.
They want to know:
- What does ‘good’ look like here?
- How is success measured?
- What are the non-negotiables?
- What decisions can I make without asking for permission?
- What does my manager care about most?
Think about it. If you’re in a bakery and you’ve got two queues of customers, an oven timer beeping, and a new team member asking for help, how do you know what to prioritise if expectations haven’t been made clear?
Clear expectations reduce stress, increase autonomy, and give people the confidence to act. But they only work if they’re talked about regularly, not just written once and left in a shared folder.
💬 “People want to do a good job. But you have to tell them what a good job looks like.” – Brené Brown
2. Feedback. The kind that helps, not hurts
Constructive feedback is one of the most valuable tools a manager can offer. Yet, in many workplaces, it’s either:
a) Too vague: “Yeah, that was fine.”
b) Too infrequent: “No news is good news, right?”
c) Too brutal: “That was completely wrong.”
People need feedback that’s timely, specific, and kind. They need to know what’s working and what could be better, without feeling like they’ve been told off in front of the class.
And let’s not forget the power of positive feedback. Recognition boosts morale, motivation, and retention. In fact, a study by the CIPD in 2023 found that UK workers who felt recognised for their work were 2.5 times more likely to be engagedin their jobs.
So, next time you see someone handling a tricky customer with calm professionalism, tell them. Right there and then.
Not via email next Tuesday.
3. A manager who actually listens
Listening is underrated. Most managers think they listen, but ask their teams, and it’s often a different story. Essentially, they listen to speak. Which means not active listening but waiting for a pause in the conversation so that they can speak!
Your team needs you to:
- Be present in conversations (not checking your phone)
- Ask open questions
- Not jump in with solutions straight away
- Take their ideas seriously
- Follow up when they’ve raised something
You don’t need to fix everything. But by listening properly, you show respect, and you gain insight into what’s really going on.
In hospitality and retail especially, front-line teams often spot problems or opportunities before anyone else. You just have to hear them.
4. Consistency
Ever had a manager who changed their mind daily? Or enforced rules one week and ignored them the next? It’s exhausting.
Consistency isn’t about being rigid, it’s about being fair and predictable. It helps people feel safe. They know where they stand.
Be consistent in:
- How you give feedback
- How you apply policies
- How you treat different team members
- What you reward
- What you tolerate
As the saying goes, “what you allow is what you promote.” Mixed messages create tension and confusion. Clear, steady leadership creates trust.
5. Support During Change and Challenge
Things go wrong. Change happens. And when it does, people don’t need another blanket email with a link to the intranet.
They need you.
Your presence. Your reassurance. Your honesty.
During times of uncertainty, whether it’s a restructure, a change in rota patterns, or a spike in customer complaints, your team needs:
- Regular check-ins
- Honest communication (even if it’s “I don’t know yet, but I’ll find out”)
- Empathy
- A chance to ask questions
Gallup research has shown that during times of change, employees are 3.5 times more likely to be resilient if they feel their manager cares about their wellbeing.
This is where emotional intelligence matters more than management qualifications.
6. Development (beyond the mandatory stuff)
Nobody joined your team dreaming of completing another online health & safety module.
People want to grow. They want to learn new things, take on challenges, and feel like they’re making progress.
Your team needs:
- Opportunities to learn (even informally)
- Stretch tasks or projects
- Encouragement to reflect on what they’ve learnt
- Support in setting career goals (not just performance goals)
Even in a busy customer-facing environment, this is doable. It could be as simple as involving someone in rota planning, mentoring a new starter, or giving them a problem to solve.
💬 “Train people well enough so they can leave. Treat them well enough so they don’t want to.” – Richard Branson
7. A bit of humanity
This one’s simple, but powerful.
Say good morning. Ask how their weekend was. Remember someone’s birthday. Check in after they’ve had a tough day. Be willing to laugh. Admit when you’re having a wobbly moment too. The best MD I ever worked for stopped every team member in the corridors. Not just managers but kitchen porters too. He didn’t just know their name, but that of their partners and children and he remembered every detail they ever told him. In a very warm, and natural way, he made everyone feel important.
Human managers create human workplaces, and that’s what makes people stay.
According to a 2023 survey by Investors in People, 73% of UK workers said that feeling valued was more important than their salary when it came to staying in a job. People leave managers, not companies.
You don’t have to be best friends. But if you care, show it.
What gets in the way?
Most managers don’t set out to lead by email. So what happens?
Here are the usual suspects:
- Time pressure
- Too many direct reports
- Lack of training
- Fear of confrontation
- Poor role modelling from their own boss
If you’ve never been shown how to manage people well, it’s no wonder you default to email. It’s safer. Cleaner. Easier to ‘prove’ you’ve done your job.
But it doesn’t build trust. It doesn’t grow your team. And it won’t help your business thrive in the long run.
What to Do Instead
Here’s the good news: you don’t need to overhaul your whole management style overnight. Start small. Start human.
Try these swaps:
| Instead of… | Try… |
| Sending a blanket ‘reminder’ email | Having a quick team huddle |
| Giving feedback in writing only | Saying it in person (or via voice note) |
| Relying on 1-1s every 6 months | Regular informal check-ins |
| Talking about team members | Talking with them |
| Assuming they know what you expect | Asking them to repeat it back to check |
| Reacting only when things go wrong | Catching them doing things right |
You’ll be surprised how much of a difference it makes.
Great management isn’t about control. It’s about connection. It’s about setting people up to succeed, not just getting through the to-do list.
Yes, your inbox will always be busy. But don’t let it become your leadership style. Because what your team really needs from you is simple, really:
- Your time
- Your clarity
- Your feedback
- Your empathy
- Your consistency
- Your belief in them
The best managers make people feel seen, heard, and supported. No email can do that.
Want Help With That?
If you’re a business owner or team leader who wants to manage better, but hasn’t had any proper training, you’re not alone.
Most people are promoted because they’re good at their job, not because they’ve been shown how to manage people. That’s where our Management Essentials programme comes in. No jargon. No corporate fluff. Just real-world skills that make a real difference.
Curious? Let’s chat. Lucy – 07713 069050
lucy@surgeahead.co.uk
