City slickers not so slick, say HR staff

Nearly two thirds of City HR professionals believe their staff are not performing to their full potential, according to a survey released earlier this month.

The study, carried out by Meridian Consulting among 200 of their corporate clients, found that between 20 and 50 per cent of staff are underachieving.

Poor management and management style were cited as common reasons for poor performance by 41 per cent of staff, together with a lack of motivation (53) and a lack of appropriate skills/knowledge (71).

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Although 94 per cent of employers said they would use training to boost underperforming employees, all the organisations said they would consider dismissal and disciplinary action – a strategy Meridian executive director Michael Moran thinks employers should review.

"Athletes can significantly improve their performance with coaching – it is the same with people. While it is encouraging that City firms are doing this, the current attitude of hiring and firing is a problem.