New research has shown that Australian employees are more likely to ‘chuck a sickie’ because of poor management.
A survey of Australian workers has shown that the top reason for taking sick leave when not actually sick is too much responsibility and ‘burnout’.
“Not all managers have the skill or ability to effectively manage team dynamics and individual performance; as a result, employees are taking mental health days because they’re not coping,” says Stephanie Christopher, National Director of SHL.
Christopher says that organisations and companies have been promoting staff into management positions without proper training and skills, leading to a rise in the ‘under-skilled manager’.
“Now is an ideal time for employers to renew investment in development programs to attract and re-motivate talent. In particular, organisations should look to assess the capability of their line managers, to identity skills gaps.”
The study also showed that 59 percent of Australians say their level of motivation at work is directly influenced by their manager.
Australian workers identified that the key element for managers to meet their needs was to understand the individual worker, and to motivate the team.
“Managers are the strongest link between employees and productivity. Employers must ensure their management teams are armed with the right skills to drive motivation and output through the business,” says Christopher.
The research also proved that Australians still love their sick days, with 63 percent of workers admitting to taking sick leave when they are not actually sick.
