Only a third of employees see their manager as a role model, according to research conducted for Investors in People (IIP).
The survey of 776 full-time staff, into management styles, shows that only 34% of the respondents believe their boss is role-model material. The findings also highlighted examples of bad managerial practice, with one in 20 respondents complaining that their manager steals other people’s ideas, and a similar proportion feeling that their manager lacks communication skills.
However, more than three-quarters of employees believe their manager is valuable to the organisation, and respondents report that most line managers are keen to get staff involved in making decisions (59%), developing new ideas (58%) and sharing information (58%). Those who do regard their bosses as role models are more likely to have managers who adopt inclusive management styles.
Large organisations are more likely to use collaborative management styles, and white-collar workers are more likely to feel included than their manual counterparts.
Recognition and the sharing of information are the best ways for managers to boost workers’ motivation, according to the survey.
