According to a new MHR study, there is a gap between UK business leaders’ and employees’ understanding of what high performance means and how it can be achieved.
The Secrets of High Performance Report reveals that leaders define high-performance as “operational expertise” and “a fast-moving environment”, while employees relate it to having “a highly skilled team” or “financial successes.”
The survey found that employees rated their teams as high performers, while leaders rated them only 51 percent. This indicates that employees have a different view of what high performance is, especially in light of technological advances such as AI.
Also, 76 per cent of employees believe their organization has a clearly defined strategy to achieve high performance. Only 47 per cent of leaders feel the same way.
Leadership Concerns over High Performance in 2025
The report highlights an increasing sense of insecurity among business leaders regarding their organisation’s capability to perform at high levels in the next year. Only 41 percent of business leaders believe that their organization will perform well in 2025. 66 percent employees agree. Only 31 percent of employees are concerned about the performance of their company, while nearly half (49%) of leaders express concern.
Despite the divide, both groups recognize that the current economic climate poses challenges. 45 percent of leaders agree with this, while 48 percent of employees do.
MHR’s Chief Executive Officer Anton Roe said that MHR’s findings shed light on organisational forces which cause friction and hinder performance.
“Right away, we see a huge performance divide between employees and leaders in terms of what high performance means and how it can be achieved. Leaders of organisations and employees must act now to close the gap and bring their organisation together. He said that if they do not address this performance puzzle it will block growth and success.
Barriers to high performance
The research also identifies the key barriers that prevent organisations from achieving high-performance. The main challenges cited by leaders are organisational culture and low productivity, as well as a lack access to data and information. Employees on the other side blame insufficient skill sets, inefficient process and a lack vision from leaders.
Roe said, “Building an organisation with high performance in 2025 is not going to be easy, but it’s still possible.” High-performance organizations are not built in silos, but in unity. Leaders should not ignore the importance of a clear vision, tools, and communication that are effective in bridging misalignments, and building a high-performance organization for today and tomorrow.
The importance of technology in achieving success is well-known. Leaders and employees alike acknowledge its importance. The tensions between generations in the workplace are a growing concern. Nearly half (47%) of leaders believe that multiple generations in an organisation hinder creativity and innovation. Meanwhile, 51 percent claim communication gaps between generations have a negative impact on performance.
