Home > News > August 2005 > 23-Aug-2005

UK businesses weighed down by deadwood, says survey

Three quarters of UK bosses (75%) and 79% of their staff believe that 'deadwood' - employees who consistently under-perform - is an issue of concern to their organisation, according to a new Investors in People survey.

The survey, conducted for Investors in People by YouGov, suggests that the problem is widespread and affects all sizes of company.

Just under half of employees (46%) say that they are working directly with someone who fails to do their fair share of the work, and nearly four in ten bosses (39%) complain about colleagues not pulling their weight.

However, the survey suggests that bosses are turning a blind eye to the problem, with 40% of employees saying their employer doesn't take any action to address the issue.

Ruth Spellman, Chief Executive of Investors in People UK, said: "This survey lifts the lid on an issue that bosses have shied away from traditionally. It's clear from the findings that UK managers are aware that deadwood is a problem that can damage their organisation - but are failing to do anything about it. However, left unchecked, staff who don't pull their weight can breed resentment amongst colleagues and cripple an organisation's productivity. It's vital that managers are equipped with the skills and confidence to tackle the issue before it becomes a problem.

"Prevention is always better than cure. Employers need to establish a clear approach that develops and motivates their staff to achieve their potential – and to deal with those who don't. It's key to the success and future growth of any organisation."

Other findings from the survey include:

• Deadwood is more of a concern in organisations employing more than 1000 members of staff (84%) than in companies employing under 50 (64%)
• Employers and employees agree that the top three signs of people not pulling their weight are prioritising personal life over work, refusing extra responsibility and passing off colleagues work as their own
• The top reason given by employers and employees for people failing to pull their weight is sheer laziness

Investors in People offers the following advice to employers who think that deadwood is an issue in their organisation:

• Create clearer goals and objectives to ensure that your people feel valued and translate their motivation into productivity within their roles
• Provide your staff with a personal career development plan with appropriate training where needed
• Make sure that you don't neglect your recruitment process – getting the right person for the job sounds obvious, but it's surprising how many companies fail to give enough consideration to the type of applicant they need
• Take a look at yourself – you need to lead by example. If you're not motivated and giving of your all, how can you expect your team to deliver?
• Keep talking – ensure that you put in place a review structure to give your staff the ongoing feedback that they need to develop

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