Nearly 50% of Australasian employees have expressed doubt in their employers’ capabilities to cope with the downturn, while others believe their bosses cannot introduce effective change according to a new survey from Right Management.
The “Restructuring for Growth” survey of 28,000 employees in 15 countries shows 54% of employees worldwide doubt a senior management team’s ability to respond to the downturn, while that figure falls to 49% in Australia.
Only 42% of employees globally think senior leaders can introduce effective change, compared to 45% in Australia. About 50% globally believe management is keeping them informed of economic conditions, while that figure jumps to 54% in Australia.
Right Management Australia and New Zealand general manager Bridget Beattie says the research shows that employees whose bosses implanted change effectively were 10 times more likely to be engaged in their work.
Beattie says companies facing a restructure should pay attention to the survey’s findings.
“A leadership team needs to be active and visible to employees, and put in place initiatives to re-engage those who remain. People and performance management systems must also be used to monitor the effect of the change, so that management can keep a close eye on progress and respond when it’s needed.
“Beyond the effect on company reputation and each employee’s well-being, a well-managed change program will deliver greater profitability in the long term,” she says.
Patrick Stafford is a freelance journalist and a former deputy editor of SmartCompany.
Comments