Most employers do not have a clear picture of their employees’ skills or how
hard they work, according to a study.
Research by workforce consultancy Netengines claims poor management means UK
businesses – by their own admission – are working at only four-fifths of their
full potential.
The survey of more than 100 HR directors and managers finds that one in five
employers has no idea how many people work for them, half don’t know what
skills their workers have, and three in five don’t know how hard their staff
work.
Netengines CEO Andrew Binns said: "Workers used to resent being ‘just a
number’, but now millions of employees aren’t even that, as far as their bosses
are concerned.
"Their employers don’t know they are there, what they are good at or
how much work they are doing. Two in three firms told us this sloppiness was
harming them – but they don’t have plans to do anything about it."
The study claims businesses’ lack of knowledge about their staff also wastes
skills and money.
Two in three firms cannot efficiently match employees to jobs, despite a
need to in the current economic climate. Instead they spend money recruiting
new staff.
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday
Binns added: "Businesses can’t afford to lose staff they can use better
because the cost of recruitment is rising."
