WASHINGTON, January, 4, 2007 -- While employee ratings of senior management shot upward earlier in the decade, those numbers dipped slightly in 2006, a survey by Watson Wyatt Worldwide, a leading global consulting firm, has found.
Watson Wyatt’s WorkUSA(TM) 2006/2007 survey of 12,205 full-time U.S. workers across all job levels and major industries showed that senior management’s ratings from employees have dropped slightly since 2004. In contrast, many of those ratings had risen considerably from 2002 to 2004. Only about half (49 percent) of employees said they have trust and confidence in the job senior managers are doing, down from 51 percent in 2004. Fifty-three percent said that senior management makes the changes necessary for the company to stay competitive, down from 57 percent in 2004. And 66 percent of employees said they have confidence in the company’s long-term success, down from 69 percent.
Employees’ Favorable Ratings of Senior Managers Decline Slightly
Question
2004
2006
Employees have trust and confidence in the job of senior management
51%
49%
Senior management makes changes to stay competitive
57%
53%
Senior management takes steps to control costs
59%
55%
Senior management behaves consistently with the companys core vales
57%
55%
“This dip in ratings is concerning because employees’ attitudes about their senior leaders are a key factor in building engagement,” said Ilene Gochman, national practice director for organization effectiveness at Watson Wyatt. “People want to work for companies where they have confidence in the organization and trust what senior management is doing. Fostering that trust is especially important in today’s global market as it creates an environment in which employees understand that changes to the workplace may be necessary to remain competitive.”
The survey also found considerable disparities among companies in the frequency of senior management’s communication with employees. Forty-three percent of employees reported that their firm’s senior management takes an active, visible role in communicating to employees, down from 45 percent in 2004.
“Communication is often thought to be the direct supervisor’s role,” Gochman said, “but companies can create stronger teams and fuel excitement about the future if senior managers lay out the broad frameworks the firm will follow and supervisors reinforce that message. By engaging employees, such communication has a direct impact on the bottom line.”
Watson Wyatt’s survey found that highly engaged employees were much more likely to report receiving communication from senior managers at least once a month. More than half (56 percent) of highly engaged employees receive communication from senior management at least monthly. In contrast, 42 percent of low engaged employees say they receive annual communication or no communication at all.
About Watson Wyatt Worldwide
Watson Wyatt (NYSE: WW) is the trusted business partner to the world's leading organizations on people and financial issues. The firm’s global services include: managing the cost and effectiveness of employee benefit programs; developing attraction, retention and reward strategies; advising pension plan sponsors and other institutions on optimal investment strategies; providing strategic and financial advice to insurance and financial services companies; and delivering related technology, outsourcing and data services. Watson Wyatt has 6,000 associates in 30 countries and is located on the Web at www.watsonwyatt.com.
Media Contact:
Ed Emerman
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eemerman[at]eaglepr.com
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