Professional body the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) is calling on line managers to be recognised as strategic partners of HR.

The report, Line managers in reward, learning and development authored by Sue Hutchinson, Bristol Business School and John Purcell, ACAS and Warwick University, claims that the role of line managers is becoming increasingly important in influencing employee engagement in the workplace, but shows that there is confusion as to their role.

Research was undertaken in six large public and private sector organisations together with focus groups and interviews with line managers and senior HR professionals.

Victoria Winkler, CIPD learning training and development adviser, said: “One major obstacle preventing progress in creating sustainable high performing organisations rests with the balance between what are and should be HR and line manager responsibilities for people management and development. Increasing line manager involvement in learning and development is one important part of the broader changing relations between line managers and human resources management.”

According to the report, there is some concern about the effectiveness of line managers. Common issues raised amongst the organisations interviewed was the lack of training for line managers, competing business pressures and a need to align learning, development and reward objectives with the wider organisational strategy.

Winkler added: “Until line managers are recognised as the strategic partners of HR and given the recognition for their responsibilities, a lack of accountability to people management will continue.”