Half of public sector workers say leadership lacks skills

Nearly half of public sector staff believe their management team lacks much-needed management skills in a time of economic acceleration, a new survey has found. 

The research, which was commissioned by the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives, found that 47 per cent of staff at the level of middle manager or below showed a distinct lack of faith in the abilities of their leadership team.

Furthermore, over a third of respondents said they wanted senior management to create a more flexible and adaptive working environment. 

Just seven per cent of those surveyed said the public sector was an empowering environment in which to work.

Former chief executive and chair of Solace in Business, Kim Ryley, said: “The biggest barriers are not technology or resource based, they are people’s attitudes. 

"Public sector organisations need a style of leadership that creates a sense of purpose where they can sell hope to the people, and visibly walk the walk.”

The findings from the survey are detailed in Civica and Solace’s report, entitled 'Invigorating the Public Sector Revolution'. 

Guidance from the report suggests strong leadership, light-touch rules and constant evolution are essential when it comes to stimulating innovation and driving a revolutionary mindset. 

In addition, it sets out that a nationally funded training programme should be used to arm senior public sector leaders with the skills that their employees largely seem to believe they’re currently lacking. 

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