The working relationship bosses in the travel and tourism sector have with their staff is “head and shoulders” above the national average, according to a new study.
Nearly nine in ten (86%) of employees in travel and tourism respect their managers and two-thirds (65%) claim their bosses take an interest in developing their careers further, well above the national average of 73% and 51% respectively.
But the survey of more than 1,000 adults commissioned by The People 1st Training Company and ICM found that nearly one in three (27%) said that their supervisors fail to provide clear instructions, while 26% admitted that their superiors talk down to them.
Poor management and communication skills are affecting the British economy through high staff turnover, low retention, poor customer service and reduced productivity. However, the travel and tourism sector bucks the trend with more employees content with their lot, according to the sector skills council.
While transport services and manufacturing/production generally fared the worst on many categories, leisure, travel and tourism scored one of the highest ratings for developing staff careers (65%), accessibility (76%), and recognising the contribution of individuals (74%).
People 1st Training Company director Sharon Glancy said: “Inevitably, the way that people feel about their business influences the way in which they engage and interact with customers.
“There is strong evidence to suggest that effective employee engagement improves job satisfaction, organisational commitment and empowerment and has a positive impact on business performance.
“In these tough economic conditions, managers need to have the skills to lead staff effectively in order to deliver exceptional customer service. Loyalty, morale, performance and productivity all suffer when management gets it wrong. For a business to perform consistently well it needs a steady stream of effective leaders.”
Her views are echoed by Institute of Directors director general Miles Templeman, who said: “Old authoritarian styles of management are fast becoming obsolete as the findings highlight.
“Employees expect to be recognised and respected for the contribution they make to their organisation and expect far more from their leaders and managers, particularly during these turbulent economic times.
“Those who succeed very often appreciate the value of their staff and are able to inspire a self-generating machine that takes ownership for their part in driving forward the business by providing an exceptional customer experience.”