Trust in senior management is in sharp decline, particularly in the private sector with only a quarter of employees willing to place their trust in those at the top.

These are the latest findings from a survey into employee attitudes from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) launched to coincide with the start of their Psychology at Work Conference.

Line management trust has also taken a hit, falling in the private sector by over 10% over the past two years. A mere 37% say their manager helps them to improve performance while fewer than half of respondents say their supervisor motivates them.

The CIPD report, Understanding the People and Performance Link, by Professor John Purcell shows that line managers have a major impact on employee engagement and performance and not enough is being done to boost flagging motivation levels.

Mike Emmott CIPD Employee Relations Adviser commented: “Trust is a key element in the psychological contract between employers and employees. If employees have a positive psychological contract, this means they will show higher levels of satisfaction, motivation and commitment to the organisation.”

Those at the top were also found to be failing to tackle workplace stress:

• 21% of respondents said their jobs were either very or extremely stressful




• 26% said they received little or no support from their supervisor




• 42% said they have little control at work and 20% indicated limited control

According to the CIPD, employers appear to be falling below what the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has identified as an acceptable standard on the core factors underpinning workplace stress levels. For example, 37% of respondents say their workload is too heavy and 20% do not believe the demands of their job are realistic.

Although the published HSE stress standards do not incorporate a statistical threshold, HSE had previously suggested that figures over 15% on these factors should be regarded as unacceptable.

Mike Emmott says, “The survey findings suggest that either the preliminary HSE standards were set too high or that UK plc is failing to put in place management practices that address the root causes of work-related stress.

“This is not a “feel-good” issue about being nice to employees. It is an issue about productivity and getting the best out of the workforce. The survey underlines once again that dealing with stress is an issue about performance and profitability.”

The report also shows that the psychological contract between employers and graduates has been weakened:

• Graduates report lower levels of satisfaction and commitment, despite often occupying senior positions




• Retention is more of a problem with highly employable graduates, especially those pursuing an independent career




• 24% of graduates seek independent careers and this group want career success but on their own terms and not tied to a particular organisation

Responses were collated from 1000 employees.