5 Questions to Ask When Evaluating Manager Training

Employees rarely approach their managers using the terminology found in an employment law course. They may mention a medical condition that’s affecting their work, admit they’ve been working through lunch, or raise concerns about a coworker’s behavior. None of these conversations necessarily begins as a formal request or complaint, but each may require the manager to recognize that something needs further attention.

One way to evaluate the practical value of training scenarios is to consider how closely they reflect the way workplace issues actually arise. If every scenario begins by identifying the legal issue, managers may learn how to answer a question about the FMLA or ADA without getting much practice recognizing when those laws might be relevant.

The EEOC’s guidance on retaliation recommends tailoring training to workplace circumstances and using examples of situations managers may encounter. It also encourages practical guidance on appropriate responses.

Ask the training provider: Can you show us a scenario where the manager has to recognize a potential issue without being told what it is?

Recognizing a potential issue is important. Managers also need to know how to respond while the situation is unfolding.

Consider a supervisor who hears an employee mention a medical restriction while discussing attendance. The supervisor may understand the general requirements of the ADA but still be unsure how to continue the conversation. Effective preparation helps managers navigate these moments by recognizing what they can appropriately address, which questions to avoid, and when to involve HR before taking further action.

The same preparation matters when managers receive employee complaints, discuss performance, or respond to requests for leave. Even a well-intentioned reassurance or immediate answer can complicate a situation that requires additional review.

Ask the training provider: How does the training help managers practice what to say and do when an employee raises an unexpected concern?

Managers often have responsibilities that intersect with HR, Legal, and Compliance. The boundaries aren’t always obvious.

They may be the first to learn about potential harassment, a need for medical leave, or changes in an employee’s job duties that raise wage and hour questions. Their role is to recognize when these situations need attention and involve HR, not to conduct investigations or make legal determinations on their own.

The EEOC’s guidance on employer liability for supervisor harassment emphasizes the importance of ensuring that supervisors understand their reporting responsibilities, including the need to pass harassment complaints to appropriate officials.

An employee concern shouldn’t depend on whether an individual manager knows who to contact or feels comfortable escalating it. Clear expectations around when and how managers involve HR or other resources can help ensure potential concerns are routed appropriately.

Ask the training provider: How do you teach managers to recognize when something needs to be escalated, and what guidance do they receive about their reporting responsibilities?

Managers can understand a policy and still struggle with the conversation that puts it into practice.

Consider performance management. A supervisor may know the organization’s procedures but have difficulty giving clear, constructive feedback or recognizing when an employee raises a potential accommodation concern. Similarly, a manager who understands the importance of reporting employee concerns may not listen carefully enough to recognize information that needs to be escalated.

These situations require more than compliance knowledge. They require managers to apply familiar skills such as listening, asking appropriate questions, giving feedback, and communicating expectations while recognizing when their responses may have compliance implications.

Ask the training provider: How does your program connect compliance responsibilities with practical skills like listening, giving feedback, and handling difficult conversations?

One way to evaluate opportunities for practical application is to look at what managers are actually asked to do during the training.

Watching a video or answering questions about a policy can demonstrate familiarity with the material. But it doesn’t necessarily show how a manager will handle a situation when the issue isn’t immediately obvious.

Training built around realistic, decision-based scenarios gives managers an opportunity to work through workplace situations, weigh their options, and determine how to respond or when additional guidance is needed. It also gives organizations a way to assess whether managers can apply what they’ve learned and identify where they may need additional support.

Ask the training provider: Can you show us how managers apply what they’ve learned during the course and how you assess whether they’re prepared to handle similar situations at work?