You'd be forgiven for thinking 'What the flamin' heck would a self-employed superhero know about the quality of managers?'

But fiercely independent and super-in charge is not how superheros start out in life; in fact we undertake many years of training before we venture out on our own.

Plus, round the traps, I listen to what people have to say.

I've heard it said - and I’ll second the notion - that people don’t leave their job, they leave their manager.

It makes sense. Antagonism, lack of support, flexibility and trust, silence and hostility would have most running out the door faster than they could yell “I quit!”

Supervisors or direct line managers, therefore, have a large influence over whether a person will remain in a job. But interestingly the supervisors’ behaviour also has an impact on the employee’s psychological health.

Studies have proven that people who describe their supervisors as being negative are likely to have poorer mental health, and when supervisors are considered supportive, the employee is happier.

What is it about a direct manager or supervisor that makes the difference?

People who are asked this question respond in different ways, but the following have been identified as important for an employee’s good mental health:

• “The supervisor makes me feel part of something useful, significant and valuable.”  
• “I’m encouraged to ask questions.”  
• “My supervisor shows appreciation for a job well done.”  
• “My supervisor steps in when employees need help or support.”  
• “The supervisor monitors and manages how we work as a team.”  
• “The supervisor helps keep workflow going, avoiding a last minute panic.”  
• “My supervisor gives me some flexibility about how I get my job done.”  
• “My supervisor strikes a reasonable balance between productivity and employee well-being.”

Now, these Return To Work Matters folk yap a lot about the role of supervisors in return to work, and the importance of training supervisors, and I don’t want to step on any toes here; but, this is a message worth ramming home:

Training supervisors in how to listen and deal with people has been shown to improve their performance in return to work, and make a significant difference in terms of injury reporting and reducing time off work.

Spin off benefits are general improvement in mental health in the workplace, and a likely improvement in productivity.

If we can train superheros, we can train supervisors. It’s just not that hard. All it takes is company will and a focus on doing it.

In the midst of the financial issues we’re facing at the moment, many companies are having relatively quiet times. What a great time to invest in supervisor training for the long-term. (And then if there’s more time for superhero training, you know who to call.)