Employees' trust in their managers hits new low

According to a new survey, the level of confidence and trust that employees have in their managers has fallen to a record low.

The latest report from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), found that workplace morale is being undermined by employee concerns.

As well as being worried about job security, staff working in many sectors across the UK are also concerned about falling standards of living.

Employee trust in their leaders was found to have slipped from -23 in the last quarter to -31 in the current quarter. This figure was obtained by subtracting the percentage of staff who said they were satisfied with their managers from those who were not.

Twenty-one per cent of staff thought that losing their jobs was a likely prospect due to the financial crisis, compared to 20 per cent who thought this way last quarter. Public sector staff felt that it was more likely that they could lose their jobs – 30 per cent – than private sector staff – 19 per cent.

CIPD resourcing and talent adviser, Claire McCartney, said, “The survey findings highlight the importance of senior leaders in organisations putting even more emphasis during tough times on how they communicate, consult and involve staff where major changes such as restructuring or redundancies are being proposed.

“Evidence suggests that where employees benefit from effective communication ... they are more likely to remain engaged in their work and committed to the organisation,” she added.