New data from the UK’s leading independent job site, CV-Library, has found that 82.2% of Brits have had a bad leader, with some of the worst bosses being based in Cardiff (88.5%), Liverpool (86.4%), London (84.2%) and Newcastle (83.7%).
The survey, which asked 1,200 UK workers about their experiences of leadership in the workplace, found that some of the worst traits of bad bosses included: poor people skills (60.2%), poor communication skills (36.7%), favouring certain employees (33.8%) and being unprofessional (32.6%). Other key findings from the research include:
- A staggering 93.8% think that strong leadership is important in the workplace …with 76.2% stating that they enjoy following a leader
- BUT, bad leadership can leave employees feeling de-motivated, according to 41.3% of Brits
Lee Biggins, founder and managing director of CV-Library, comments on the findings:
“Bad management is often cited as the top reason for employees becoming stressed at work or worse still, leaving organisations altogether, so it’s no surprise that our findings highlight some of the repercussions that poor leadership can bring about. Workers want to feel supported in their day-to-day job and often depend on a strong leader to look up to, approach if things get tough and rely on for help on a daily basis. Organisations that don’t promote best practice when it comes to leadership will inevitably bear the brunt when it comes to talent retention.”
According to the study, a whopping 83.2% of employees believe that they could make a good leader, with this figure rising to 90% amongst workers in Glasgow, 86.7% for those working in Manchester and 85.1% in London. The key reasons behind this included: because they’re confident (21%), good at communicating (22.7%), approachable (16.6%), a good motivator (14.8%) and trustworthy (12.5%).
Biggins continues:
“Workers across the UK clearly understand some of the key attributes that are needed to be an excellent leader, having experienced firsthand some of the best and worst traits that bosses possess. Finding great leaders can be hard, and businesses should look to develop employees that demonstrate the passion, drive and behaviour that is needed to drive organisations forward in 2017 and beyond.”
The research found that the best leadership qualities were: confidence (50.4%), honesty (34.3%), integrity (34%), positivity (31.9%), trustworthiness (31.2%), open mindedness (29.8%), motivational (27.4%), passion (26.4%) and transparency (19.1%).
