The Manager Readiness Gap—Why Great Employees Still Leave
This is Part 2 in our four-part series on supporting early career employees. In Part 1, we explored the new workplace expectations that Gen Z brings with them—and how their needs often go unmet. Today, we’re shifting the focus to the other side of that relationship: the manager.
Managers play the primary role in meeting, or not meeting, the needs of early career employees.
Most Managers Were Never Taught How
The reality is, most managers haven’t been trained to lead early career employees—they’ve been trained to lead work. That’s a big difference.
We often promote high performers into manager roles and expect them to just “figure it out.” Perhaps we give them some manager training. Unfortunately, that training can be more effective for managers of experienced employees, not for managers of early career employees. While some managers do figure it out, many struggle to understand how to adequately support their early career employees.
Early career employees need more clarity, more context, and more feedback than many managers are used to giving. They’re learning how to operate in a professional environment while also trying to prove they belong in it. Without intentional support, that pressure can lead to overwhelm, disengagement, or the quiet decision to leave.
This doesn’t mean managers are failing. It means we’ve failed to prepare them for this part of the job.
What the Gap Looks Like in Practice
Here are a few ways the manager readiness gap tends to show up:
Avoiding tough feedback. Some managers hold back on constructive feedback, thinking they’re being kind. In reality, they’re blocking growth—and leaving employees in the dark about how to improve.
Not seeing feedback. On the other end of the spectrum, some managers are so happy with their employees that they don’t have any feedback to share. These managers often focus on “what did my employee do wrong,” and instead need to focus on “what could my employee do for even greater impact.”
Assuming independence means competence. Just because someone can complete a task solo doesn’t mean they understand the why, feel confident doing it, or know how to ask for help.
Underestimating the need for context. Early career folks often lack the organizational “map” to navigate priorities, politics, or unspoken norms. When managers skip over the backstory, new hires are left guessing.
Expecting initiative without modeling it. We want self-starters, but if a manager isn’t consistently showing what ownership looks like, newer employees may not know how—or if it’s safe—to step up.
Bridging the Gap Starts with Awareness
If you’re a manager, this isn’t about blame—it’s about opportunity. Most early career employees want to grow. They’re looking for someone to guide, support, and challenge them. But that only happens when managers are equipped with the right mindset and tools.
At Taber Coaching, we focus on three manager priorities: Build Trust, Create Clarity, and Authentically Care. Each one plays a role in closing the readiness gap and creating the kind of environment where early career employees don’t just survive—they thrive.
Next Up
In Part 3, we’ll get into the cost of disconnection—and how small missteps in management can lead to early exits. Spoiler alert: it’s more common than you think.
If you are interested in finding external partner to support your managers of early career employees, feel free to the leverage the Contact page to inquire about a discovery conversation.