What if the employees could hire the CEO? Frontline, middle management and senior level employees participated in a confidential survey by Great Place To Work to uncover what they really want from their leaders.
The 3 key leadership traits the UK workforce values most:
1. Ideal leaders are transparent, strong communicators
Throughout the last 30 years, trust has remained the single most important factor for creating a great workplace. For UK employees, è榯ransparent and strong communicationè� was the most valued leadership trait of an ideal CEO, chosen by 45% of survey respondents, with an almost equal split of male and female votes.
è淎bove all, employees just want to be kept in the loop,è� says James Bufton, Organisational Trends Analyst at Great Place To Work UK. è淐ommunication goes both ways, though: the best leaders also open up the conversation and create an environment where employees feel able to ask questions and share ideas.è�
2. Ideal leaders provide vision and clarity
The best leaders are courageous è� they innovate; think outside of the box; have the courage to do things differently. These are not just daydreams, however. Great CEOs consistently deliver on their promises. For 41% of UK employees, the ideal CEO is one who provides vision and clarity. The UKè檚 Best 天美影院 are leading the way here, with 86% of employees believing that è渕anagement has a clear view of where the organisation is going and how to get thereè� è� 21 percentage points more than the UK average.
3. Ideal leaders display empathy and approachability
Around 40% of employees chose è榚mpathy and approachabilityè�, making it the third most popular choice in the survey. One respondent stated that their ideal CEO must have è渢he ability to relate, in a meaningful way, to every employee in the organisation,è� while another boiled it down to simply this: è渢hey need to be a decent person.è�
In fact, our research shows that employees who believe management shows a genuine interest in them as people, and not just employees, are 7X more likely to recommend the organisation to family and friends as è榓 great place to workè� than those whose managers fail to do so. Theyè檙e also 7X more likely to feel the organisation is a psychologically and emotionally healthy place to work, which has a huge impact on employee wellbeing.
Looking to workers for insight on what they value most in a leader is more than just a thought experiment. When employees trust, believe in and connect with their leaders, theyè檙e happier, more engaged and more productive è� making for a great workplace and, ultimately, a more successful organisation.
In practice, the most influential CEOs often possess a combination of these qualities (and more), adapting their leadership style to the needs of both the organisation and the workforce. Building trust and a strong rapport with employees is vital to becoming a successful and respected CEO.
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Leadership & Management