Perception of managers among UK workers improves since 2009

News Article - 24 May 2012
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A new survey from HR consultancy ETS reveals that line managers were perceived more positively in 2010 than in 2009, despite difficult economic circumstances affecting businesses throughout the UK.

Of the 175,000 workers surveyed, eight out of 10 reported being well managed. Nine out of 10 said they felt listened to by their manager compared to seven out of 10 in 2009. A further 73 per cent reported feeling motivated efficiently by leaders, compared to 66 per cent in 2009.

Workers also reported an improvement in how training was perceived, with nearly eight out of 10 saying they were happy with how training schedules had progressed. In 2009 seven out of 10 reported the same result.

However, company objectives were identified as a source of frustration for many employees, with 18 per cent saying they were unsure what their company wanted to achieve the following year. Many firms struggled to set strategic objectives in 2010 because uncertain market conditions made it difficult to judge future financial performance.

Sam Arnold, business psychologist with ETS, said, "Line managers play a crucial role in managing employees' performance. It's encouraging to see that employee-manager relationships are even stronger after the recession."

Employers must work to continue this trend as employees happy with managerial performance are likely to show increased motivation and performance as a result. With the challenges faced by businesses in 2011, including the VAT hike and the Government's austerity measures, companies must work to improve employee output to make the most of the market.

Access business software can help; by automating many key administrative tasks managers have more time available to connect with staff. This can improve the perception of managers even further, increasing both communication and productivity.

Our HR software can also help; the learning and development software module makes it easier for managers to understand staff needs, for example by displaying a full list of all training activities completed.

For more information on the benefits of Access HR software, please call us on 0845 345 3000.

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