One in three (32%) blue-collar managers think their business is very productive but nearly three-quarters (71%) don’t measure productivity, according to a report from Capita Workforce Management Solutions.
Blue Collar Productivity 2017 surveyed 250 managers and 250 workers across industries such as retail, logistics and construction, where employees work to set shift patterns rather than contracted hours. It found that 23% of employees thought bad management stalled productivity, and 25% of managers agreed with this.
Four in 10 (40%) workers said that their organisation has no way of motivating them, despite 60% of managers stating verbal recognition (saying ‘thank you’) has a motivational effect.
Jason Stokes, sales and marketing director of Capita Workforce Management Solutions, said that employers need to consider how bad management affects productivity.
“Given that the UK regularly falls behind its European and G7 counterparts when it comes to studies in productivity, it is vital our businesses are doing all they can to ensure their employees are as happy and productive as possible if we are to make a success of Brexit,” he said. “The correlation between employees and managers citing bad management suggests organisations need to address management styles and ensure that employees are receiving the support they need to carry out their jobs efficiently and to the highest quality.”
The report found that 80% of employees are happy with their shift patterns. So it appears shift pattern satisfaction does not positively affect productivity, the report states.
“Our research suggests a missing link between shift patterns and productivity,” said Stokes. “It would appear that shift patterns, and being satisfied with them, do not positively affect productivity levels. Employees are not asking themselves, or being challenged by management, on how can they get the most out of their time and how can they become more productive.”
