In August 2020, CMI polled nearly 2,300 senior leaders, managers and employees to understand their experience of managing during the pandemic.
The headlines from our findings around communication and wellbeing were:
You can find more detail on these findings below.
The research underpinning this study was conducted when management was on ‘high alert’, and managers’ capabilities were under unprecedented pressure and scrutiny. That makes this snapshot particularly powerful.
For each theme, the report sets out the practical steps that aspiring managers, middle managers and senior leaders should take, to learn from the experience of this marathon crisis.
Because after all, we know the future success of UK businesses will depend on how managers and leaders step up to the next set of challenges.
Read the report to see what you can learn today.
Here we unpack some of the report’s key data insights and the experience of practicing managers.
Our research found that effective communication skills are the most valued managerial trait for this crisis: 95% of those surveyed say that communicating clearly is the most important trait right now; 68% consider this to be very important.
You may also be interested in CMI’s 2018 research, 21st Century Leaders, which explored what employers want from new managers, what they expect of new graduates, and how higher education can best develop graduates that meet those expectations
These traits only become more important as we look to 2021. Communication, listening, providing clear direction, and the ability to motivate staff are all seen to become even more central to creating a high-quality working environment.
If you want to learn more about how communication skills fit into the role of a manger, or benchmark your own skills, check out CMI’s Professional Standards, which define the key areas for managers to develop at every stage of their career.
Line managers and employees are united in their views on the importance of workplace wellbeing, and in the expectation for managers to meet the wellbeing needs of their workforce: 72% of staff rated wellbeing as the top priority for 2021.
If you want practical advice and guidance on how to tackle wellbeing and mental health issues in your workplace, check out CMI’s Knowledge and Insights Hub where you can filter by topic or type of content.
We have collated a number of resources to help you put into action the practical findings from Management Transformed around communication and wellbeing. You can find these below.
CMI Members have access to a wealth of CPD tools and resources, which equips you to deal with any professional challenge. Check out our different membership options, and find the one which suits your needs.