Becoming a new manager has always been challenging, but today’s realities make the transition even more demanding. Remote and hybrid work, digital communication, rapid organizational change, and growing expectations around people leadership mean that first-time managers must be equipped with strong skills earlier than ever. Yet research shows that many organizations underestimate the critical importance of new manager training.
Gallup’s long-running State of the Manager studies show that managers account for up to 70 percent of the variance in team engagement. Leadership research from DDI adds that 57 percent of employees have left a job because of poor management (DDI). When organizations delay leadership development, they risk higher turnover, inconsistent performance, and stressed managers who never received the support needed to succeed.
In a digital-first workplace, new manager training programs blend fundamentals with flexible online learning, personalized development pathways, and meaningful coaching and mentorship. When done well, it strengthens culture, boosts retention, and sets both leaders and teams on a path toward long-term success.
Key takeaways
- Early manager training reduces turnover, strengthens engagement, and prevents common leadership pitfalls.
- Microlearning and online learning improve accessibility, retention, and on-demand skill application.
- Assessments create personalized training pathways and increase self-awareness.
- Connecting training to organizational goals improves strategic alignment and performance.
- Coaching and mentorship provide real-world context and accelerate leader readiness.
- New manager development works best when integrated into long-term organizational culture—not treated as a one-off program.
Shift toward online and microlearning for new managers
For decades, new manager training relied heavily on classroom instruction, presentations, and hands-on experience. These approaches remain important, but modern research strongly supports moving beyond traditional formats.
Studies in Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning show that microlearning significantly increases engagement and information retention among adult learners (Roskowski et al., 2023). Additional research published in the International Journal of Educational Research highlights that short, focused lessons reduce cognitive load and help learners retain complex concepts more effectively.
Online learning has demonstrated similar benefits. A major meta-analysis from the U.S. Department of Education found that adult learners often perform better in online environments than in traditional in-person instruction because they can revisit material, control pacing, and learn at their own pace.
EDUCAUSE’s research on digital learning further shows that learners expect training to be accessible on any device and available on demand. For new managers balancing meetings, team responsibilities, and unfamiliar expectations, this flexibility is critical.
Microlearning and on-demand modules enable managers to quickly access guidance on delegation, feedback, navigating conflict, and performance conversations whenever challenges arise. Rather than waiting for a quarterly workshop, learners can build skills gradually and consistently in the flow of work.
Why early, consistent manager training matters
Leadership research consistently shows that early skill-building dramatically improves new manager performance. Gallup and SHRM repeatedly highlight that employees rarely leave organizations—they leave managers. Poorly trained new leaders may struggle to set expectations, address conflict, support well-being, or communicate effectively. These gaps often lead to disengagement or turnover.
Peer-reviewed studies, including research in the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, show that structured leadership training increases role clarity, strengthens decision-making, and helps managers build psychologically safe, equitable teams. Early training also reduces the anxiety new leaders often feel during their transition by providing clear frameworks, scenarios, and tools they can apply immediately.
Strong new manager programs treat leadership as a skill set, something to be practiced and developed and not a title granted with promotion.
Step 1: Assess current skills and leadership readiness
Effective manager development begins with understanding where new leaders are starting. Research from the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) shows that assessments improve leader self-awareness, highlight behavioural tendencies, and provide valuable input for personalized development plans. The Canadian Public Service Commission’s leadership assessment model similarly emphasizes the value of competency-based evaluations and 360-degree feedback.
Academic literature consistently links accurate self-awareness with higher leadership effectiveness. When new managers can identify strengths, blind spots, and growth areas, they become more engaged in their own development.
Assessments also give L&D teams essential clarity on which foundational skills—communication, delegation, feedback, conflict navigation, fairness, coaching, and well-being—should be prioritized.
Step 2: Align training plans with organizational objectives
Leading research organizations, including the OECD, highlight that L&D (learning and development) programs aligned with organizational strategy produce significantly stronger results.
Studies on L&D effectiveness from Brandon Hall Group and university-based strategic development models show that alignment improves performance, accelerates readiness, and supports measurable outcomes.
For development to be effective, new managers must understand how their work is connected to organizational goals, including productivity, customer outcomes, growth, and culture. Senior leaders should share strategic priorities openly and invite new managers into conversations about decision-making and direction.
When new leaders clearly see how their KPIs contribute to broader goals, they make better decisions and feel a more profound sense of ownership.
Step 3: Use online learning to create flexibility and relevance
UNESCO research on digital learning readiness, along with additional findings from the U.S. Department of Education, underscores the value of online, self-paced learning for adult professionals.
For first-time managers—especially those in hybrid or remote roles—on-demand, device-friendly learning eliminates barriers and ensures equal access to development. Short-form videos, scenario-based modules, interactive exercises, and reflective prompts allow learners to build skills in small, continuous increments. This approach mirrors how managers encounter challenges in real life: moment by moment, situation by situation.
Step 4: Create dedicated spaces for coaching and mentorship
Mentorship and coaching transform theoretical knowledge into real-world capability. Evidence from the International Journal of Evidence-Based Coaching & Mentoring shows that coaching improves leadership readiness, develops judgment, and accelerates behavior change. Peer-reviewed research in Nursing Management demonstrates that mentorship strengthens confidence, communication, and problem-solving skills for new leaders.
Coaching conversations gives new managers something online modules cannot: lived experience. Through practical stories, guided reflection, and supportive feedback, experienced leaders help new managers navigate difficult conversations, delegation challenges, conflict, and team dynamics. These interactions also reinforce organizational culture by showing that leadership development is a shared responsibility.
Step 5: Continuous learning
New manager development is not a single event—it is a long-term organizational commitment. Research across leadership disciplines consistently confirms that when organizations invest early and often in developing new leaders, they see stronger performance, healthier cultures, and higher retention.
A modern program integrates foundational skills, flexible delivery, assessments, coaching, and alignment to organizational goals. When organizations prioritize training for their newest leaders, they help them step into their roles with clarity, confidence, and purpose—setting teams and the organization up to thrive.
What to include in new manager training
Topics to include in new manager training will vary by industry and skills required to excel in the job. In addition to industry and product knowledge, here are some management training topics to consider to include in new manager training:
Fundamentals of Management
- Understanding the transition from individual contributor to manager
- Discovering and developing your leadership and management style
- Common new-manager pitfalls and how to avoid them
- Balancing accountability with empathy
- Creating and sustaining a fair, inclusive, and equitable workplace
- Coaching employees for both performance improvement and career growth
- Building trust and credibility with your team
- Managing time, priorities, and competing demands
- Maintaining personal wellness, resilience, and boundaries in a leadership role
Delegation, Feedback, and Communication
- Understanding what it truly means to lead and empower a team
- Setting clear expectations, goals, and outcomes
- Do’s and don’ts of effective delegation
- Matching tasks to employee strengths and development goals
- Communicating with clarity, consistency, and confidence
- Adapting communication styles for different personalities and situations
- Giving constructive, timely, and actionable feedback
- Receiving feedback and modeling a growth mindset
Conversations, Reviews, and Conflict
- Assessing and evaluating employee performance objectively
- Conducting effective one-on-one meetings
- Preparing for and delivering performance reviews
- Facilitating difficult or sensitive conversations with professionalism
- Addressing performance issues early and effectively
- Strategies for managing and resolving workplace conflict
- Navigating emotionally charged situations
- Knowing when and how to escalate issues appropriately
Team Development and Culture
- Building high-performing and engaged teams
- Fostering psychological safety and open communication
- Motivating and retaining employees
- Encouraging collaboration and accountability
Organizational and Legal Awareness
- Understanding company policies, procedures, and expectations
- Basic employment law and compliance considerations
- Ethical decision-making and risk awareness
- Partnering effectively with HR and senior leadership
FAQs
Why is new manager training important?
Because managers directly impact engagement, retention, productivity, and team culture. Research from Gallup and DDI shows that people often leave managers—not organizations.
What skills should new managers learn first?
Communication, delegation, giving feedback, conflict resolution, fairness and equity, coaching fundamentals, and managing their own well-being.
Does online learning really work for leadership development?
Yes. Meta-analyses from the U.S. Department of Education and research from EDUCAUSE show that online learning can be as effective—or more effective—than traditional formats for adult learners.
How long should new manager training last?
Effective programs combine early intensive training with ongoing learning, coaching, mentoring, and periodic refreshers.
How do we know if our new manager program is working?
Measure improvements in engagement, turnover, performance metrics, employee feedback, and self-assessed leadership capability.
How LEAi supports new manager training
LEAi is a powerful tool for creating and delivering training, and it offers specific advantages for supporting new manager training programs.
With LEAi, organizations can quickly import existing leadership materials such as HR policies, performance management guides, and communication best practices and transform them into courses with instructional content, demonstrations, exercises, and knowledge checks.
LEAi’s smart templates break down complex concepts into digestible modules for easy consumption by busy managers. The product’s LearnAdvisor™ provides AI-driven suggestions aligned with learning best practices, ensuring that courses are not only informative but also pedagogically sound.
LEAi also creates content that guides new managers through real-world scenarios using interactive elements such as flip cards, process flows, and labeled images, which enhance engagement and retention.
Contact us to learn more about how LEAi can support your new manager training program.
