The majority of UK employees are unsatisfied with the level of information they receive in the workplace, with more than four fifths (81 per cent) saying that they want their bosses to share more information with them, according to a study by Geckoboard.
Half (50 per cent) of British staff agree that company information has a significant positive impact on their contribution to the performance of the organisation.
This data blackout appears to be having an adverse effect on the workplace, with four in five employees (80 per cent) saying that they have lost confidence in their boss when they failed to share information with them.
With only 9 per cent of respondents thinking of their bosses as ‘data-driven’, this appears to be an issue endemic across UK business.
Even when data is communicated, the methods used are dated and may be blocking employees from effectively using it. Nearly half (45 per cent) of those getting any data still receive it via email, which is easily overlooked in a busy inbox.
A fifth (20 per cent) of companies still resort to using Excel spreadsheets, a notoriously difficult medium for employees to extract relevant information from.
Some 10 per cent of employees still have to view a customer noticeboard to see any information and less than one in ten (9 per cent) are able to access data in real-time.
Paul Joyce, CEO of Geckoboard says that the stats go some way to explaining why UK productivity is at a 15-year low.
‘After all, if you can’t see what is working and what isn’t, it’s pretty hard to fix it. Without a clear and constant understanding of key company metrics, businesses and their employees are effectively driving in the dark without the headlights on.
‘Managers who build a transparent culture will lead a more efficient team where team members are fully focused on the same goals as you. Providing team members with the right information in a clear way will not only boost staff morale, it should create an efficient culture by inspiring employees to take control of their own work and make decisions which save the business time and resources.’
Further reading
