And finally…Quarter of UK’s bosses failing their workers but Edinburgh’s among the best

According to new research by Investors in People, across Britain one in four workers say they do not feel motivated by their managers and an equal number say they are not appreciated for their hard work.

The results of the study mean that some 7.2 million people don’t feel motivated by their bosses.

Large businesses, with 1,000 employees or more, are worst affected, as a full third of employees at these companies complain that they don’t feel motivated by their superiors.

But the study of 3,500 employees conducted to examine links between staff management and business performance found that 82 per cent of staff in Edinburgh said they did have inspiring bosses, while 77 per cent of workers in London and Belfast felt the same.

But Glasgow was joined by Bristol and Sheffield as the centres for Britain’s most uninspiring managers, with 31 per cent, 36 per cent and 33 per cent respectively saying they were not motivated by their bosses.

The study also found that one third of British employees do not trust their boss, which is not surprising when one in five employers does not believe in staff training.

Investors in People said the data provided painted a “shocking picture” of Britain’s bosses.

Paul Devoy, head of Investors in People, said: “Many employees are feeling frustrated in their roles due to poor management. Strong and inspiring leaders are critical in business in order to get the best from your staff. These findings should be a wake up call to leaders.”

The findings should be of particular concern as UK productivity figures continue to slump and a separate study carried out by pollsters Oracle found that more than half of UK employees say feeling inspired and engaged makes them work better.

When surveyed by pollsters six in 10 agreed with the statement that more inspiring bosses could be the key to reviving the country’s production.