You are here: Home | News | Retail sector employees don't trust their bosses
Retail sector employees don't trust their bosses
Less than a third (29%) of employees in the retail sector have complete trust in their manager, with almost eight in ten (82%) believing that their manager has let them down in the past, according to research.
The research, released by Investors in People also reveals that almost two thirds (62%) of employees in the sector believe that their manager only has their best interests at heart when it suits them.The YouGov research, released to mark the start of Investors in People Week (5-9 Nov), reveals that managers are most likely to let down employees by failing to provide the support they need to do their job (45%), failing to re
Sharing information in confidence with another member of staff was cited by over half (54%) of employees in the sector as the worst possible type of betrayal by their manager.
Retail sector employees' lack of trust in their managers is most apparent when asked who they would confide in regarding a sensitive work-related matter: less than one-quarter (22%) would look to their boss, with 51% turning instead to a colleague or contemporary in times of trouble.
Alarmingly, this lack of trust in managers can have serious consequences: respondents in the retail sector said it can lead to lowered employee morale (59%), destroy team spirit (46%) and result in people looking for a new job (39%).
Simon Jones, Acting Chief Executive at Investors in People UK, commented “Lack of trust in retail sector workplaces is a major concern. Trust is fundamental to building and maintaining effective relationships between managers and teams, and the bedrock of success. However, as our research shows, less than a third of retail sector employees have complete trust in their manager. Lack of trust breeds suspicion which can undermine confidence, commitment and productivity in the workplace.
“Managers in the retail sector must take heed and redouble their efforts to build trust amongst their people, understanding their concerns, communicating more regularly and being more honest with employees. Employers must also take responsibility for equipping managers with the skills needed to build more trusting relations with their employees. Without this, management practices threaten rather than enhance employee commitment, wasting opportunities, investment and resources as they do so.”
The research also reveals what managers could do to build a trusting relationship with their employees, with almost a third of (32%) employees in the sector believing that bosses should engage in regular communication, whilst nearly two in five (38%) think that managers need to be more honest and stick to their word.
The crisis of confidence is particularly acute amongst long-term employees. Only 25% of those employed for 10 years or more trust their manager completely, and 61% of them say their manager looks after their interests only when it suits. New employees (those in post for less than a year) are much more optimistic: 39% trust their manager completely and only 46% feel their manager looks after their interests when it suits.
The larger the company, the less trust there is: only 26% of those in companies of 5,000 employees or more trust their manager completely, compared to 39% of employees working in very smaller companies (2-9 employees.)
The region with lowest trust in managers is the North West. Only 23% of employees in this region say they trust their manager completely and 15% say they don't trust their manager at all (compared to an average figure of 12%).
Tagged as: investors in people | iip
Should your colleagues be reading the Retail Bulletin? Let them know about us.