The Talent Management: Accelerating Business Performance report is based on a poll of more than 2,200 HR professionals. It also found that more than half (54%) of UK organisations see developing leaders as the main priority for 2014, above the global figure of 46%.
Almost half (45%) expect to see a marked increase in spending around talent management initiatives to develop leaders by the end of the year.
Right Management general manager for UK and Ireland Ian Symes blamed a "lack of organisational agility" for the low confidence in talent pipelines.
"As a result, too many companies are facing talent shortages, skills mismatches and weak leadership pipelines that threaten business growth," he said. "Rather than focusing on further cutbacks and restructurings, our research indicates that organisations will be concentrating on investing in talent, which is a positive step."
Employees 'don't admire' managers
Separate research by Investors in People suggests 12% of employees can find "nothing they admire" about their managers.
The survey of more than 1,000 UK employees also found that managers not giving due recognition is the most disliked trait, with 19% citing this as the biggest problem.
Being approachable (36%) is the quality employees most appreciate from their managers, with strong organisational skills (34%) seen as the next most important.
Paul Devoy, head of Investors in People, called on companies not to accept bad managers as "inevitable".
"While there are a lot of good managers, there is clearly some work to be done," he said. "Bad bosses result in unhappy, unproductive staff who will leave your business sooner."
