Managers are facing increased workloads and stress levels as
a result of losing staff during restructuring by their companies, according to
new research by Roffey Park.
The authors of the report, Management Agenda 2001, Caroline
Glynn and Linda Holbeche, claim that structural change is often a pretext for
cutting costs by culling staff. They argue that this could be
counter-productive as it merely creates more work for those left behind.
The report states, “Many organisations simply don’t have
sufficient numbers of employees anymore and this is leaving managers stressed
by feelings of lack of time, lack of control and lack of support”.
“Managers are having to cope with their own increased work
loads and at the same time they’re faced with the need to motivate their teams
and concentrate on the people aspects of managing.”
The survey showed most managers didn’t feel their new
organisational structures worked effectively or that their organisations had
increased performance as a result of the change. The survey questioned 204
managers on issues that affected their work and well-being.
The authors explained, “The promised benefits of change have
not materialised in many organisations, instead the majority of managers now
simply accept that stress and change are the realities of the modern
workplace.”
The research also revealed most managers felt they were not
rewarded enough for their work although the majority did feel valued by their
line managers.
By Ben Willmott
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