Wham bam thank you team – employers have to mean it

Although official figures indicate the recession is technically behind us (the UK posted 0.1% growth in the fourth quarter of 20091), data from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) shows that the economic crisis has forced business leaders to consider changes to UK working practices. CMI’s Future Forecast survey2, based on the views of 1,337 respondents, reveals that managers and leaders believe that the business landscape will look radically different in 2020. CMI’s survey finds that:

  1. Seeing is believing. More than three-quarters (77%) believe that virtual businesses will be commonplace and 43% suggest that community-based businesses will grow in number.
  2. Staff have their say. One in three respondents say that, by 2020, organisations will have become more employee-centric. One in five also suggest that more ‘employee-owned’ organisations will emerge.
  3. Playing with politics: Emphasising current disengagement with the political system, 54% argue that global corporations will have more influence than governments.

Petra Wilton, director of policy and research at the CMI, says: ‘Looking ahead ten years, it seems that business leaders have learned the harsh lessons of the recession. The insular, corporate, approach blamed by so many for the economic downturn, appears to be shifting towards a more inclusive style of leadership as employers accept the commercial benefits of building an engaged workforce and working across many partners.

The report suggests that more than a quarter (27%) has recognised the need to say ‘thank you’ more often. Just under a fifth (18%) also said they will spend more time with their teams.

The People Bulletin’s quick poll of more enlightened employers revealed the following heart-warming examples:

  1. The Co-Operative Group’s chief executive publicly thanked loyal Co-op workers, who, he said, ‘showed the real meaning of co-operation in appalling conditions’3.
  2. NHS chief executive David Nicholson thanked NHS staff for their hard work improving care for patients this year, including reducing healthcare associated infections and waiting times and extending GP opening hours4.
  3. National Grid CEO Steve Holiday thanked employees ‘for achieving our “Platinum” ranking and top-tier status for a seventh consecutive year in the Business in the Community corporate responsibility index’. He added: ‘I am immensely proud that National Grid is one of the first companies to achieve the new “Platinum Plus” status.5’

[1] http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8479639.stm

[2] Published on 17 December 2009: www.managers.org.uk/listing_media_1.aspx?id=10:347&id=10:138&id=10:11&doc=10:8635

[3] www.thenews.coop/news/Retail%20Societies/1710

[4] www.brightonandhovepct.nhs.uk/healthprofessionals/generalpractice/bulletin/2009-07/NHSBrightonandHove-NHSchiefexecthanksstaff.asp

[5] www.nationalgrid.com/corporate/Our+Responsibility/introduction/

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