Only 27 per cent of UK workers consider their managers to be highly effective, according to a recent report by The Times.

This statistic raises concerns about the quality of management in UK workplaces.

Leading recruiter Gi Group, which has a branch in Bridge Street in Andover, says this is a wake-up call for employers to commit to developing strong, capable leaders.

Research consistently shows that effective management is crucial for a business’s success, directly impacting employee morale, productivity and overall retention.

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Ed Vigars, operations director at Gi Group, has issued the wake-up call (Image: Gi Group) According to US analytics and advisory firm Gallup, the majority (90 per cent) of UK workers are not enthused by or engaged with their work and workplace.

Its 2024 State of the Global Workplace report found that the UK’s rate of engagement at work is one of the lowest in Europe at 10 per cent, ranking 33rd out of 38 countries.

The report also highlighted that UK workers ranked second in Europe when experiencing daily sadness at work (27 per cent).

Research in 2023 from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) found that almost one-third of UK workers said they quit their job because of a toxic workplace culture and managers failing to take action against toxic behaviour.

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Ed Vigars, operations director at Gi Group, emphasises that the consequences of poor leadership can be severe.

He said: "When managers lack the necessary skills, businesses often experience higher absenteeism, diminished productivity and low job satisfaction.

"These factors not only affect the day-to-day performance of teams but also drive long-term business instability.

"Employees are more likely to disengage or leave an organisation entirely when they feel unsupported or mismanaged, contributing to costly recruitment cycles and lost institutional knowledge."

He added: "It is concerning to see that this survey shows such a low level of confidence in management across the UK – from our experience, we see companies fall into the trap of promoting experience, without testing competency.

"We advise all our clients to consider skills, attributes and fit when looking to recruit or promote."

Gi Group has implemented its own ‘future leaders programme’, which takes the top 10 per cent of high performers on a 14-month journey to prepare them for leadership roles.

The programme focuses on soft skill development, from individual contributor to successful leader.