December 5 2006 - The latest survey of 2000 UK employees commissioned by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has found that
relationships between employers and employees in many workplaces are characterized by poor communication and low levels of trust resulting in underperformance, low productivity and high staff turnover.
Working Life: Employee Attitudes and Engagement 2006 is written by Catherine Truss, Emma Soane and Christine Edwards from the School of Human Resource Management at the Kingston Business School, Kingston University and Karen Wisdom, Andrew Croll and Jamie Burnett from Ipsos MORI.
Comparing the situation to a marriage under stress, the authors highlight some of the survey findings relating to communication and trust:
"We just don't talk anymore" Around one-third of employees (30 per cent) say they rarely or never get performance feedback; 42 per cent feel they are not kept well informed about organizational developments; only 37 per cent are satisfied with opportunities to communicate views and opinions to management.
"You just take me for granted" One-quarter (25 per cent) of employees rarely or never feel their work counts; only 38 per cent feel they are treated with respect by directors and senior managers.
"You really get me down" Some 44 per cent of employees feel under excessive pressure at least once or twice a week; 22 per cent overall and 32 per cent of managers experience high levels of stress.
"The magic is gone" Almost half of employees (43 per cent) are dissatisfied with their relationship with their manager; 26 per cent rarely or never look forward to going to work.
"I just can't trust you" One-third of employees (32 per cent) are dissatisfied with the management of their organization; only 37 per cent have confidence in their senior management team and 34 per cent trust their senior managers.
"I want out" About one-quarter of employees (26 per cent) are dissatisfied in their job; 47 per cent are looking for another job or in process of leaving their current job.
Mike Emmott, CIPD employee relations adviser, said:
"Many employees feel like neglected spouses. As in any marriage, good relationships need work and commitment. But with only three in ten employees engaged the findings suggest many managers just aren't doing enough to keep their staff interested. Lack of communication means many employees feel unsupported and don't feel their hard work is recognized. As a result the sparkle has gone out of the relationship, damaging productivity levels in many UK businesses."
Catherine Truss, Professor of Human Resource Management at Kingston University Business School and lead author said:
"This study clearly shows how much management practice affects people's attitudes towards their work. There is so much that managers can do to make their staff feel valued and improve levels of engagement that will benefit both employers and employees. We found that people who are engaged with their work perform better, are more likely to act as advocates for their employer and experience more job satisfaction. So it is in the interests of everyone to find ways of addressing low levels of engagement in the workplace."
Other key survey findings include:
Public sector
- 26 per cent of public sector employees feel very or extremely stressed (compared to 18 per cent in the private sector)
- 43 per cent feel their senior managers have a clear vision for the organization (compared to 52 per cent)
- only 32 per cent have confidence in their senior managers and 29 per cent trust them (compared to 41 per cent and 39 per cent respectively)
- 28 per cent experience some form of bullying and harassment (compared with 21 per cent in the private sector).
Mike Emmott commented:
"Leaders in the public sector are under continuous pressure to meet efficiency targets and cut costs. But they will fail to deliver high levels of performance and customer service unless they also focus on the people management issues. Line managers need training to support their staff in order to help gain their trust and commitment."
Gender
- 44 per cent of women and 18 per cent of men are contracted to work fewer than 35 hours a week
- 58 per cent of women and 52 per cent of men are happy with their work-life balance
- 29 per cent of women and 19 per cent of men experience some form of bullying or harassment
- 41 per cent of women have confidence in their senior managers and 38 per cent trust them (compared to 34 per cent and 32 per cent of men)
- Women are more likely to act as advocates for their organizations - 73 per cent say they would be proud to tell people who they work for, compared to 68 per cent of men.
Age
- Workers aged 55 and over are more engaged and less likely to take sick leave than younger employees (those under 35 are least engaged)
- 47 per cent of employees under 25 trust their senior management compared to just 29 per cent of those aged 45-54 and 31 per cent aged 55 and over.
Catherine Truss commented:
"Our research has debunked many of the myths that surround the older worker. Contrary to popular belief, we found that older employees are more engaged, take less sick leave and perform more highly than their younger colleagues. Recent changes in employment legislation, coupled with demographic trends, mean that organizations will be called upon to remove age barriers, and our research shows that this need not be seen as a problem, but rather a source of great benefit to employers."
Disability
- only 45 per cent of employees with a disability are satisfied at work (compared to 52 per cent with no disability)
- those with a disability tend to work a shorter week but only 48 per cent are happy with their work-life balance (compared to 55 per cent with no disability)
- 32 per cent are stressed by their job (compared to 21 per cent)
- 55 per cent experience some form of bullying or harassment (compared to just 22 per cent)
- 22 per cent are likely to say their manager is rarely or never supportive (compared to just 13 per cent with no disability).
Commenting that successful employment relationships are under threat because neither employers nor employees are making sufficient effort, Mike Emmott added:
"Neither is getting the full benefits from the employment relationship and this has to be a top priority for organizations. Getting people to turn up for work is the easy bit. Getting them to go the extra mile requires effort and imagination. Employers should be looking to generate passion and enthusiasm and to make work a happier experience for all their employees."
Britain at Work
