Only 49% of employees surveyed by Watson Wyatt Worldwide have trust and confidence in their senior managers. Watson Wyatt's WorkUSA 2006/2007 survey of 12,205 full-time U.S. workers across all job levels and major industries showed that senior management's ratings from employees have dropped since 2004.
Fifty-three percent said that senior management makes the changes necessary for the company to stay competitive, down from 57% in 2004. And 66% of employees said they have confidence in the company's long-term success, down from 69%.
"This dip in ratings is concerning because employees' attitudes about their senior leaders are a key factor in building engagement," said Ilene Gochman, national practice director for organization effectiveness at Watson Wyatt. "People want to work for companies where they have confidence in the organization and trust what senior management is doing. Fostering that trust is especially important in today's global market as it creates an environment in which employees understand that changes to the workplace may be necessary to remain competitive."
Other key findings:
55% feel that senior management takes steps to control costs
55% think management behaves consistently with the company's core values
45% report that their senior management takes an active, visible role in communicating to employees
