Sad indictment of UK management

A survey of 3,000 adults of the UK workforce conducted by OnePoll on behalf of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) has revealed that half of them believe they could do a better job than their current boss.

Similar numbers (49 per cent) said they would actually take a pay cut to work for a better manager, and 47 per cent have left a job because of the poor management.

This is sad indictment of the perceived quality of management in UK’s businesses.

CMI chief executive Ruth Spellman commented: “The figures reveal the depth of the crisis of confidence in UK management and leadership and the enormous toll bad management is taking on the UK economy and people’s wellbeing.”

Tonight the CMI is launching a Better Managed Britain campaign, and is meeting with representatives from the three main political parties to demand action to transform management and leadership performance.

Further interesting results came from the survey. Just over two-thirds of managers surveyed confessed to being ‘accidental’ managers, not wanting a management position at the start of their careers. Forty per cent said they did not want the responsibility of managing people at all, and almost two-thirds of managers said they had not had management training. Only 28 per cent of managers hold any type of formal management qualification.

Ruth Spellman isn’t surprised that bad management is such an issue in the UK. She said: “We invest less in our managers than our global competitors and it shows.”

She added: “If we’re going to stay competitive internationally, the Government and employers need to address this worrying skills gap. In what other profession would it be acceptable for only a quarter of practitioners to hold a professional qualification? The sad truth is that UK managers are no longer regarded as professional, competent or accountable. By signing up to the Manifesto, policy makers, managers and leaders can demonstrate their commitment to raising UK plc’s game.”

More than 1,500 leaders and managers have already pledged their commitment to CMI’s Manifesto, from organisations including PriceWaterhouseCoopers and Interbrand. If you wish to join and pledge your support for a Better Managed Britain, you can do so at www.managers.org.uk/manifesto.