Efforts to encourage positive manager behaviours ‘are being undermined’, finds CIPD.

More than a third of line managers have not been trained in how to supervise people creating relationship and culture problems, according to CIPD research.

The institute’s survey, titled ‘Real-life leaders: closing the knowledge-doing gap’, revealed that 24 per cent of managers are often forced to put the interests of their organisation above the interests and well-being of their team with damaging results.

In addition, managers are under pressure to deal with more immediate task oriented priorities ahead of people management issues. The research showed that employers’ efforts to foster positive manager behaviours are being undermined by the lack of a consistent message of what organisations expect of managers.

And, more than a quarter of companies admitted HR had not taken any action when they have received poor feedback on line managers.

However, managers who prioritise healthy employee relationships can help drive high performance working rather than undermining it through poor practices.

Following the recent culture crises in public health and banking, the CIPD has urged businesses to strengthen support for line managers with robust training and by clarifying their managerial roles and expectations, assessment processes, and incentives.

Ksenia Zheltoukhova, the CIPD’s research associate, said: “We hear organisations lament the lack and quality of leaders, but we aren’t seeing evidence of their commitment to drive good leadership and management practices.”

Citing the research, she said that for 29 per cent of managers in the survey ‘other priorities’ stand in the way of ensuring that the interests of the team members are supported. “This raises questions about the priorities that managers – and the organisations – attach to the well-being of their staff,” she said. “These findings are a wake-up call for businesses to re-align the systems and structures in place in their organisations to support leadership development.”

Nearly half (48 per cent) confessed that individuals were promoted into managerial roles based on their performance record rather than people management or leadership skills.

Zheltoukhova added: “Businesses address issues such as poor customer service or faulty machinery straight away, whereas bad management across organisations is tolerated to a shocking degree.

“It’s time for business to identify and address the roots of bad management, recognising that a more consistent approach to training and supporting leaders at all levels of an organisation is needed to drive sustainable performance.”

Employers for Carers strongly agrees that managers are key to creating a supportive and productive culture and believes that training and supporting line managers is essential in developing a culture which supports employees who are juggling caring responsibilities. Managers are the gatekeepers to HR policies and in ensuring that employees can consistently access and benefit from employer support for working carers. Employers for Carers has produced a handbook, Supporting Working Carers - a manager's handbook, and also offers line manager training in supporting working carers.