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Thursday 24 September 2015 8:05 am

Are boring bosses the culprit behind the UK’s productivity problem?

By: Clara Guibourg

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As UK productivity figures continue to slump, new studies suggest that more inspiring bosses could be the key to reviving the country’s production.

What affects your productivity at work? More than half of UK employees say feeling inspired and engaged makes them work better.

Six in 10 agreed with this statement when surveyed by Oracle, and it seems our peers, rather than our managers, are the ones making a positive impact on our levels of engagement.

If anything, a lot of bosses seem to be dragging their employees down, as a new study revealed that a quarter of the UK workforce is suffering under uninspiring bosses.

The study by Investors in People showed that some 7.2m people don’t feel motivated by their managers, and almost as many say they don’t get enough appreciation for their work.

Paul Devoy, head of Investors in People, said:

Many employees are feeling frustrated in their roles due to poor management. Strong and inspiring leaders are critical in business in order to get the best from your staff. These findings should be a wake up call to leaders.

Large businesses, with 1,000 employees or more, are worst affected, as a full third of employees at these companies complain they don’t feel motivated by their managers. 

Today's findings follow on previous studies that have found that the best way for bosses to boost productivity in the office is to keep your employees happy. Good news all round for employees. 

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