Partner Article

Are businesses working cooperatively with staff?

Research from the CBI and recruiters Harvey Nash, suggests companies are working cooperatively with their staff to overcome challenging economic conditions.

‘Facing the Future’ survey covered 319 businesses, employing 1.9m people in the UK, and found that 67% of firms say employee relations in their workplace are co-operative, with resilient staff.

40% of respondents said morale was high or very high among their staff, and 5% describe the employee relations climate as adversarial.

Katja Hall, CBI Chief Policy Director, said: “In the UK we have a good story to tell about collaboration in the workplace during the worst of the economic crisis. By working pragmatically and flexibly together, employers and employees have been able to safeguard and create jobs.

“With two-thirds of businesses reporting high levels of co-operation in their workplace, employers clearly understand the value of engaging their employees and keeping them informed about business challenges being faced.

“The interests of employees, employers, and the economy as a whole will continue to be best served by maintaining these positive employment relationships. Businesses do not recognise the more adversarial, political rhetoric being adopted by some unions as representing the reality on the ground.”

Albert Ellis, CEO of Harvey Nash, added: “People are the greatest asset of any business, and companies recognise the value of good communication with their staff. So despite the tough trading conditions and economic uncertainty we’re all facing, it’s not surprising that employee engagement has emerged once again as a top people priority for the year ahead.

“The fact that two-fifths of companies say that morale among staff is high or very high paints a picture of a positive, can-do atmosphere in the private sector, where businesses and employees are working together to weather economic storm clouds.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .