Sacking staff can damage the health of managers, according to a new survey.
Hiring and firing staff comes with the territory for senior management. But research by Alexander Hughes Interim Management reveals that a third of managers feel stressed and worried as a result of future redundancy programmes.
More than 60% of senior managers have had to make staff redundant in the past two years, despite having no training or experience in this area, said the research.
The survey questioned managing directors, financial directors and other senior managers of businesses with an annual turnover in excess of £1m.
Four in 10 felt that their health and family life had suffered.
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Even more concerned were those who were about to lead their first redundancy programme. About 70% of senior managers believed they would be stressed and upset if they had to make people redundant.
More than a third believed that it would be harder to do their jobs afterwards.