Joining an existing team as a new manager can be daunting, but you know what they say: if it’s not broken, you don’t need to fix it. One manager recently learned this lesson the hard way after losing her top salesperson by trying to implement new rules that he disagreed with.

Below, you’ll find the full story that was shared on the Anti-work subreddit, as well as a conversation we were lucky enough to have with author and diversity and inclusion expert Jim Morris.

Managers should be expected to make some changes when they’re hired to work with an existing team

Image credits: ThisisEngineering RAEng (not the actual photo)

But when this employee realized his new manager’s ideas weren’t conducive to his work, he decided to jump ship

Image credits: Marcelo Dias (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Positive_Walk_3348

“Managers entering an existing team should take a beat and slow down enough to do some assessment of the culture and situation before jumping into action”

Change can be a wonderful thing, but it can also be difficult to get accustomed to. Especially in the workplace, when we’re used to doing things a certain way, it can be frustrating to suddenly be told that the rules are being updated. So to learn more about how managers can make their transition into a new team as smooth as possible, we reached out to author and educator Jim Morris. Jim works with leaders to build workplace culture through a diversity, equity and inclusion lens, and was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda and share his insight on this topic. When it comes to the challenges that new managers face, Jim says, “Each team, business unit or group has a culture that is comprised of spoken and unspoken norms, processes, practices and ways of communicating. A savvy manager will do what they can to understand the existing culture as they make plans for changing things.”

“Managers entering an existing team should take a beat and slow down enough to do some assessment of the culture and situation before jumping into action,” he went on to explain. “This act alone can be hard because we often have to resist the urge to try to make a big splash upon arrival, but taking the time will pay off. Good managers can morph to the situation versus just doing what they have always done. If the team is doing well and producing results, their goal should be to use the team member’s natural strengths to do grow the the team’s impact. If the team is under-producing and it’s unclear where the problem(s) are, it’s essential to keep resisting the urge to do anything too disruptive until they have a good fix on the problem, and then to move compassionately but decisively. Even then, I advise managers to change one or two factors at a time if that can versus upending everything unless absolutely necessary so they can get a better fix on where the issue is.”

Image credits: Cherrydeck (not the actual photo)

“Be willing to let go of what you know in favor of what you don’t know and be endlessly curious about new solutions to old problems”

We also asked the expert for advice on how new managers can implement their changes without upsetting their new team members. “People confuse being compassionate with not stepping on toes,” he told Bored Panda. “If possible, begin with building some resilience and openness to change within the team before implementing big, disruptive changes. Secondly, people support that which they create, so help them create and implement the changes if possible. In this scenario, your role is to continually talk about what isn’t working or is less productive and invite the team to explore new solutions outside of the status quo to solve the problem. Some will respond well to this, others will resist it. Realize that you need both – status quo disrupters and resistors – to arrive at great solutions. The folks who can’t build the resilience or openness to change will, ideally, self-select out.”

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And as far as how teams tend to change when new management comes in, Jim says organizations need to be prepared for some employees to jump ship. “In any big organizational or cultural shift, expect at least 30% of the group to either not agree with your direction, resist it or opt-out,” he told Bored Panda. “Given that reality, unless you have some known underperformers whom your predecessor tried to help grow, it’s important to publicly set the intention that you would prefer to have the existing team make the changes necessary to survive. And that, if some just can’t get behind or accept the changes, you’ll understand if people want to opt-out.”

Image credits: Helena Lopes (not the actual photo)

Working from home is a valid option for many employees that can yield  benefits for companies and workers

In this particular case on Reddit, it’s clear that the new manager was not a fan of letting a single employee work from home more than his colleagues. However, there are many benefits that workers and employers can enjoy thanks to remote work, including increased productivity, higher employee satisfaction, reduced spending on office supplies and spaces, and more time in everyone’s days. Studies show that employees who work from home are about 13% more productive than their peers who go to the office, and there’s no question that avoiding rush-hour commutes can make for a more peaceful day. When employees have leftover free time for preparing healthy meals, working out, and spending quality time with their loved ones, they’ll be more energized when on the job and won’t resent their careers for sucking up all of their time.

According to a 2019 study, 22% of fully remote workers reported having greater job satisfaction than individuals who had no flexibility in their work. Staying home can also be better for the environment, as there’s no need to drive in the car or take public transit to work, and it can keep individuals healthier, as viruses can quickly spread when we’re in close quarters all day and sharing the same snacks and coffee machine. Companies should also be on board with supporting remote work, as it can save them substantial amounts of money. In 2015, the US Patent and Trademark Office saved a whopping $38 million by reducing their office space. I would be surprised if any of their employees were complaining about that!

We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. Do you think this employee made the right decision by resigning, or should he have agreed to go into the office more often? If you’ve ever had a conflict with management at work, feel free to share your personal stories down, and then if you’re interested in reading another Bored Panda article featuring a manager who came into a company and immediately shook things up, look no further than right here!

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Image credits: Andrea Piacquadio (not the actual photo)

Readers responded by sharing their support for the employee

Some even detailed similar personal experiences they’ve had

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Others provided advice for the employee to ensure that this manager learns her lesson

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