Incompetent bosses add to recession
MILLIONS of managers across Britain lack the necessary leadership and management skills, which is holding back productivity and hitting the economy’s potential, according to an industry study published today.
The UK’s eight million managers frequently have an over-inflated view of their own abilities and of their success, the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development’s (CIPD) employee outlook shows.
The study found 61 per cent of managers believe they meet their staff several times a month to discuss workloads and objectives, but just 24 per cent of employees agree.
Similarly 90 per cent of managers claim to coach their staff when they meet, though just 40 per cent of employees think the same, while 75 per cent of managers say they often discuss employees’ careers, compared with just 38 per cent of staff.
This “reality gap” is undermining productivity, hitting workforce morale and denting the UK’s chance of economic recovery, the CIPD warned.
“A small increase in capability across this huge population of people managers would have a significant impact on people’s engagement, wellbeing and productivity,” said the CIPD’s Ben Willmott.
“However, too many employees are promoted into people management roles because they have good technical skills, then receive inadequate training and have little idea of how their behaviour impacts on others.”