Frustrated Employees

According to new research conducted by the global management consultancy Hay Group: one in five UK workers are frustrated in their current jobs. 20% of the UK workforce felt frustrated by their work, while 35% think their job does not make the best use of their skills and abilities and 50% believe that they lack the authority to make decisions crucial to their jobs.

The majority of people at work are aligned with corporate goals and objectives and enthusiastic about making a difference- but they are held back by roles that do not suit them or work environments that get in their way. "Frustrated" employees represent a real lost opportunity for organisations. From a motivational perspective, business leaders have these employees where they want them. Where strong motivation to succeed is not paired with similar levels of support, employees are likely to either tune out or leave.

The report also showed that 56% of senior managers fail to generate a high-performance climate, while 41% thought managers were guilty of creating a de-motivating climate for employees.

Ben Hubbard, regional director (Europe, Middle East, Africa) at Hay Group’s employee survey division, said: "The frustrated employee phenomenon poses a major risk and a significant opportunity. With fierce competition for the most talented employees, companies' efforts to engage their people will be wasted if not backed by a supportive and enabling environment".

According to a report written by hay group there are several ways in which organisations can help beat the employee "frustration":

· Performance Management: By clarifying personal goals and priorities enables performance by allowing employees to focus on essential, value-added tasks. Likewise, by continually 'raising the bar,' ongoing feedback about performance helps ensure that employees are using their full capability.

· Authority and empowerment: Where employees have appropriate autonomy and discretion, they are better able to structure their working patterns to suit the way that they work best. And, by managing how they work, employees are more likely to find opportunities to leverage their skills and abilities fully in their jobs.

· Available resources: An enabling environment requires that employees have the information and resources (e.g tools, equipment, supplies) needed to do their jobs effectively.

· Training: In an enabling environment, employees are provided with job-related training to ensure they have the knowledge and skills necessary to carry out key tasks and deal effectively with internal and external customers. Appropriate training, which can turn potential into productivity, is also essential to ensure that organisations get the most from the abilities of their employees.

Author:
Chris Crawford is the MD of BD Recruitment, a specialist recruiter for creative account manager jobs, marketing account manager jobs and technical project manager jobs, based in Manchester, UK.