Bad managers forcing staff to quit

12/11/2009

Half of employees say they have left a job at some point in their careers as a direct result of bad management, new research reveals.

The poll, by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), suggests there is a crisis of confidence in UK management which could be adding to the woes of the economy.

The research also found that half of workers believe they could do a better job than their current manager, while a similar number would be prepared to take a pay cut in exchange for a better leader.

Ruth Spellman, CMI chief executive, said: “The figures reveal the depth of the crisis of confidence in UK management and leadership and the enormous toll bad management is taking on the UK economy and people’s wellbeing.”

One possible explanation given for the lack of confidence in managers is the high number of leaders who have fallen into the roles by chance, according to the report.

Nearly 70% of managers polled said they had not aspired to take on managerial roles while 40% did not want the responsibility. More than 60% of managers said they had received no formal leadership training.

Ruth Spellman added: “It’s not surprising bad management is such an issue in the UK. We invest less in our managers than our global competitors and it shows.

“It’s telling that the majority of individuals never set out to manage people, and have not been trained to do so. If we’re going to stay competitive internationally, the government and employers need to address this worrying skills gap.”