Recent research from Gallup revealed a staggering cost associated with poor management and lost productivity due to disengaged or actively disengaged employees, amounting to $8.8 trillion globally, or 9% of the world’s GDP. This colossal figure underscores the urgent need for leaders to address these issues.
One of the most effective ways to enhance productivity within organisations is to improve how people are managed. However, Gallup identified a significant disconnect between managers’ perceptions of their leadership effectiveness and their team’s experiences.
A major disparity exists in the delivery of recognition and frequent feedback. Nearly 60% of managers believe they are doing a good job recognising their team’s efforts and contributions, yet only about 35% of employees agree. This indicates that recognition is either not happening as often as managers think or is not being delivered in a way that resonates with employees.
A study by Gallup and Workhuman suggests the root of this issue might be that only 12% of employees report being asked how they prefer to be recognised. To close this gap, managers need to better understand what constitutes meaningful recognition for each team member.
Another significant gap is in perceptions of feedback frequency. While about 50% of managers report providing weekly feedback, only 20% of employees say they receive it that often. This discrepancy highlights that, despite managers’ efforts, their feedback is not reaching employees as frequently as intended.
Additionally, managers often believe their style promotes a collaborative team environment more than their employees do. Managers may perceive collaboration or facilitate it, but this does not always translate into a sense of peer-to-peer collaboration among team members.
These findings point to several key areas where managers need to improve, particularly in understanding and meeting their team’s needs for recognition and feedback, and in fostering genuine collaboration
Roger Simpson – CEO, The Retail Solution and Author of “The Ultimate Retail Sales Experience” With over 35 years’ industry experience, Roger Simpson is recognized as Australia’s #1 Authority on customer ROI in the retail industry and as a global expert on staff coaching, customer service, and selling skills.
