The number of UK employees who feel their performance at work is poor is higher than the European average.
27% UK workers say they are not performing their best at work, according to Deloitte’s first Voice of the workforce in Europe report. The European average of 21%.
Deloitte’s findings highlight that many lack enthusiasm for their jobs. 32% of UK workers said they are not stimulated by what they do and 36% said what they do is not meaningful. In comparison, just 24% of European colleagues said they are not stimulated by what they do, and only 18% believe what they do lacks meaning.
The majority of workers in the UK said they lacked the skills to do their job effectively in particular:
- Advanced IT was cited by 61%,
- Technical knowledge 57%.
- Problem solving 35%
- Teamwork Skills 31%
The research also found that workers in the UK were feeling the impact of automation more than those in Europe – 45% compared to a European average of 38%. Meanwhile, 34% in the UK said that entire business processes relevant to their job have been automated over the past five years, compared to 30% overall for European workers.
Employers must offer more support to employees looking to boost their skills.
“Businesses are facing an uphill struggle to address these factors, which is leading to dissatisfaction, disengagement and despondency among employees. Employers must offer more support to strengthen their workers’ skills and communicate the value their roles are bringing to their company, the economy and ultimately society as a whole.
It’s striking that the vast majority of workers do not expect to see any significant changes in their jobs over the next decade. The reality is that the future of work is now, and automation is already affecting day-to-day roles.”
Anne-Marie Malley, partner and UK human capital leader at Deloitte
What should employers do if there is an issue with someone’s performance? You can read about what to do (and not do) here