Line managers are the heroes of the post-recession workplace - ETSplc

LONDON, ENGLAND, December 19, 2010 (Press-News.org) Research among 175,000 UK workers reveals that managers have put the bounce back into their employees' step, according to research by HR consultancy ETS. Published today, a major new report, 'Performance management review', highlights how companies can replicate this success:

1. Companies can increase employee motivation to boost performance.
In 2010, nearly three quarters (73%) of employees felt their company motivated them to do the best job they can compared to only two thirds (66%) in 2009. Line managers are pivotal to this morale boost.

2. Line managers need to support their teams in good times and bad.
The good news is that more workers than ever before - eight out of ten (83%) - say they are well managed. Also, line managers are listening to employees' concerns, according to nearly nine out of ten (88%) workers compared to 70% in 2009. Sam Arnold, Business Psychologist at ETS, comments: "Line managers play a crucial role in managing employees' performance. It's encouraging to see that employee-manager relationships are even stronger after the recession."

3. One area where managers need to improve is sharing company objectives. Nearly two out of ten employees (18%) do not know what their company wants to achieve next year. Individuals are more likely to be productive if they buy into the corporate objectives. Also, they need to understand how their efforts impact the company's success - and currently only seven out of ten understand this, a fall of 7% from 2009.

4. Companies are committing to employee development.
Nearly eight out of ten (78%) employees are happy with their training and development opportunities, a significant improvement from 70% in 2009. Investing in employees' training means that the workforce will be better equipped to capitalise on post-recession opportunities.

5. Appraisals are still a source of frustration
"Employees are frustrated with delays in one-to-ones and mid-year reviews and some managers' inability to manage poorly performing staff," says Claire Fryer, Business Psychologist at ETS. Companies can increase performance through automating performance management so managers spend time having crucial conversations rather than chasing paperwork.

Editors' notes

Performance Management Review can be downloaded here:
http://www.etsplc.com/resources/resources.aspx
Performance Management Review is based on 175,000 employees in the ETS Employee Benchmark Database. It is used by individual companies to benchmark their results. No conclusions from these aggregate figures can be drawn regarding any individual company. The figures are updated quarterly.

About ETS plc:
• ETS plc is the only major provider of bespoke HR technology and consultancy. ETS plc provides blue-chip companies with employee surveys, performance management and talent management services. ETS clients get exactly what they need by working with us to create brand-new processes and technology or by automating and improving what's already working. Client case studies are available on the website: http://www.etsplc.com.

• ETS plc has no links with ETS Europe, the national curriculum test marker whose contract with the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority was terminated last summer, and the similarity of names is a coincidence.

For further information, contact:
Dominic Wake, +44 (0)1932 219 949; 07817 880 261; dominic.wake@etsplc.com

ETS provide HR consultancy and technology to blue-chip UK and international businesses. ETS are leaders in the areas of performance management, 360 degree feedback, appraisal systems and employee surveys. Over one million employees use an ETS solution