A new study reveals that there is a discrepancy in the perceptions of managers and their employees. Over two thirds of UK workers (67%) have left their jobs or even considered it because of a poor manager. Nearly 5 out of 10 employees (46%) do not feel comfortable discussing mental health with their manager. This data highlights the importance management training for improving productivity and retention.
Unmind, the leading provider of mental health solutions for workplaces, polled 3 005 office workers (1 500 managers and 1505 employees) in order to better understand issues like burnout and silent quitting. Only 63% of direct reports agree that 83% of managers have formal training in leadership. Only 40% of UK workers believe that their managers have not received the training they need to do their job.
The people in management positions believe they need to be better trained on hard skills, such as delegation effectively (29%), giving feedback (26%), and being more organized (25%). Their direct reports, however, say that they should improve their soft skills such as listening (32%), motivating the team (30%) and being more organised (25%). While 87% of managers believe they are prepared to take on the challenges of their role, more than half (57%) say that managers could benefit from additional education or training. This highlights the gap in competency.
Listening was the number one concern of employees when asked about the areas in which they felt their manager lacked the most. 32% said this. Listening was the least chosen area by managers. Only 18% said it was their weakness. Interesting, 55% of people being managed believe that listening is an important attribute of a great manager. Only 48% of managers agree.
Unmind CEO Dr Nick Taylor says: “Many leaders find themselves in leadership positions without formal training. They’re basically accidental bosses. Our research shows the impact that managers have on mental health. This underscores the need for organizations to address the management skills gap. Companies can improve their bottom line by recognizing the positive impact that a skilled manager has on the wellbeing and performance of their employees.
The two groups have very different experiences when it comes to discussing mental health at work. Seven out of ten managers (71%) say they are comfortable talking about mental health with direct reports, but only 54% do the same. In fact, 25% feel uncomfortable. While three quarters of managers (75%) believe that their company supports them in their mental health, 63% of their direct reports also agree. A huge 35% of respondents said their company doesn’t.
Nearly a third (28%) of UK workers believe that talking about mental health openly at work can harm their chances for advancement, and 27% are concerned with confidentiality. Managers were more concerned about the stigma of certain conversations and saying the wrong thing than they were. One third of respondents (32%) said that they would lie about a physical issue if they had to take time off due to mental health issues.
More than a quarter of managers (26%) and nearly half (47%) employees surveyed had never received any mental health training. Seven out of ten direct reports (70%) say having a manager with the ability to discuss mental illness would make them feel more productive and supported in their job. 49% of managers say that lack of training in management at their workplace is a factor contributing to productivity loss.
Despite the challenges, everyone agrees that improvements are needed. First, 42% of those surveyed said that more training is needed in the workplace to promote more effective management. 74% of managers say that training in people management would enable them to better support employees who are absent or have issues arising from their poor mental health.
Unmind’s Randomised Controlled Trial, which included 300 US and UK Leaders, revealed that just one hour of digital training on mental health for managers resulted in significant improvements. 73% of participants increased their mental knowledge, 70% gained more confidence when addressing mental issues, and 63% adopted proactive behaviors to support themselves and colleagues.
Dr Nick Taylor says: “In the modern workplace, employees of all levels are experiencing feelings of burnout or stress at work. Mental health training is a key part of management training and managers must have the tools and skills to deal with these challenges. The right training can help managers create supportive environments that promote mental health and well-being and allow employees to perform at their highest level.
The first time HR news published the post Two-thirds or more of UK employees have quit their office jobs due to poor management.
