1 in 5 employees never see any company performance data

Britain’s workforce are operating in the dark, with one in five (18%) employees never seeing any company data. That’s according to research from TV dashboard application, Geckoboard. 

The research found that the majority of UK employees were unsatisfied with the level of information they received in the workplace, with over four-fifths (81%) saying that they wanted their bosses to share more information with them. And with half (50%) of British staff agreeing that company information has a significant positive impact on their contribution to the performance of the organisation, there is a strong case for greater data transparency in UK workplaces.

This data blackout appears to be having an adverse effect on the workplace, with four in five employees (80%) saying that they lost confidence in their boss when they failed to share information with them. And with only 9% thinking of their bosses as “data-driven”, this appears to be an issue endemic across UK business.

Even when data is communicated, the methods used are dated and may be blocking employees from effectively using it. Nearly half (45%) of those getting any data still receive it via email, which is easily overlooked in a busy inbox. A fifth (20%) of companies still resort to using excel spreadsheets, a notoriously difficult medium for employees to extract relevant information from. 10% of employees still have to view a customer noticeboard to see any information and less than one in ten (9%) are able to access data in real-time.

Paul Joyce, CEO of Geckoboard, comments: “These stats go some way to explaining why UK productivity is at a 15 year low. After all, if you can’t see what’s working and what isn’t, it’s pretty hard to fix it. Without a clear and constant understanding of key company metrics, businesses and their employees are effectively driving in the dark without the headlights on.”

Joyce continues: “Managers who build a transparent culture will lead a more efficient team where team members are fully focused on the same goals as you. Providing team members with the right information in a clear way will not only boost staff morale, it should create an efficient culture by inspiring employees to take control of their own work and make decisions which save the business time and resources.”

The research comes from Geckoboard’s Mushroom Management Report, looking at the scale and impact of non-transparent management.