Business leaders have unrealistic expectations about the success of their change programmes, with 64% of directors rating the results over the past year as positive compared with 45% of staff.

A survey of 108 organisations, by Buck Consultants, shows the importance of involving staff in the process: employers that announced changes to staff achieved a 63% success rate while those that engaged in two-way conversations with employees reported a 96% success rate.

The research found two-thirds of employers had implemented change programmes since 2008 and Anna Marie Detert, head of human capital and communication at Buck Consultants, said: "Businesses are underestimating the impact of change. Leaders need to be more patient and involve staff throughout the change process."