What is an Interim Manager and why are they Important?

You might have heard of the term 'interim manager' before within the workplace, but what do they do and why are they important?

12:53 01 July 2021

What is an interim manager? 

 

An interim manager is a highly skilled and experienced individual that is employed by a company for a short amount of time whilst they find a replacement for a manager who might have left or whilst they recruit to expand their team. 

 

This is to help support the rest of the team throughout the hiring process and ensure there is still management in place so that work protocols and procedures don’t go awry.

 

Why are they so important? 

 

An interim manager can help strengthen the workplace and pass on their knowledge and expertise to the team. Most of the time, interim managers will be overqualified for the role that they will be stepping into and are able to provide useful insights to senior members of staff and give tips on training for further business success.

 

The costs for hiring an interim manager are often fixed and usually remain low, which can be appealing to businesses who will be needing to spend thousands on a replacement manager in a few weeks or months’ time. 

 

Interim managers are usually ‘goal oriented’ so will work hard and efficiently to bring your business up to speed and fix the problems there might be with the current management system. If you need someone who can do a job well and do it quickly, an interim manager is the best person to turn to and can help turn your business around if there are areas where it’s lacking. Because they’re so goal driven, you can expect to see quick turnaround.

 

When are interim managers used? 

 

Interim managers will often be introduced to the company when the business is making a recruitment change, such as hiring new managers to replace one that has left on maternity.

 

Most interim managers will be self-employed or work via an interim management agency or interim recruiter who will then allocate them to a business that needs their help.

 

The skills and knowledge brought to the table by an interim manager are often able to address specific problems within the company, or at least bridge a knowledge gap where there might be some understanding lacking. The interim manager is often involved in implementation, providing feedback and reviews, training other members of staff who may lack a certain skill, and tracking progress on projects.