Britain’s workforce facing a ‘mushroom management’ approach, resulting in employees quitting, says report

More than nine in ten workers admit they would rather hear bad company news than nothing at all, as 79% say they do not trust their managers who failed to share company data

Workers say the dearth of company information provided stemmed from their bosses 'playing power games' (John Moore/Getty Images)

Employees in Britain are tired of being kept in the dark about the companies they are working for which is building a culture of mistrust in the workplace, according to a new report.

Data communication company Geckoboard surveyed 1,001 Brits in full-time employment – as well as another 1,000 Americans – to find an alarming 26 per cent of people in the UK are heading for the door because of ‘information blackouts’ at work.

Another 80 per cent of employees revealed how they want their bosses to share more information with them concerning the business, with less than nine per cent being aware of company progress in real-time. More than nine in ten (93 per cent) even said they would rather hear bad company news than be left lurching in the unknown.

This lack of transparency appears to be building a culture of mistrust in the country’s workforce, with four in five (79 per cent) people saying they do not trust their managers who failed to share company data. This level of suspicion is creating a vicious circle, says Geckoboard, with 52 per cent of employees being forced to become detective in order to discover what’s really going on within their company.

A visual breakdown of the report’s key findings:

(Infographic courtesy of Geckoboard) (Geckoboard)

This technique from bosses is fast becoming known as ‘mushroom management’ – a supervision style where employees charge on ahead blind to company performance and are given work without knowing its purpose.

Bosses who communicate with their employees results in productivity and efficiency, the company added, as 50 per cent of staff admitted to working significantly better after being told business information.

CEO of Geckoboard, Paul Joyce, described how, when it comes to business management, the report’s results have shown how the saying ‘no news is good news’ should not apply in the workplace.

He added: “Without a clear view of the company position, how can we expect our employees to make the right decisions and perform against business key performance indicators (KPIs) to drive business growth?”

Urging bosses to change their ways, he said: “Ditching the style of mushroom management and instead adopting a clear, transparent data position with staff will, not only boost morale, but will help a business get the most out of its employees.”