UK workers think inside the box

Noughties managers see themselves as less adaptable and independent minded than their nineties equivalents according to new data from SHL, the world leader in objective assessment. The data contributes to a new picture of the ways in which managersí and graduatesí perceptions of themselves have changed between 1999 and 2005.



The results, derived from SHLís 2005 norm groups, which provide the benchmark for SHL assessments and are used by thousands of organisations in the UK, represent data collected from over 11,000 individuals and provide a fascinating snap-shot of the personality of the UKís workforce.

Todayís managers see themselves are more persuasive and socially confident than those completing the same questionnaire in 1999, and perceive themselves as more democratic than in previous years. They also place a greater emphasis on achievement than their 1999 counterparts.

Kevin Kerrigan, managing director of SHL comments, This data gives an interesting insight into the evolving at-work personality of the UK workforce.

The picture it reveals may concern those looking for a fast moving, flexible knowledge economy, for the independence of mind required to follow your convictions seems to be on the wane. Instead, managers see themselves as much more data rational, evaluative and conscientious than in previous years - important qualities for those who want to keep a steady ship on course, but unlikely to lead to transformational decisions and actions.

These traits might reflect greater regulation of organisations, (financial and data-protection legislation, and league-tables for example) and potentially a more risk-averse environment than during the boom years prior to 1999.

Looking towards the next generation of managers, SHL has also collected data on graduates applying for jobs. The data suggests that this group is also more rule-following and evaluative and less independent-minded than in 1999.

Kerrigan continues, The data from graduates suggests that the trends identified among managers are set to continue as the fresh intake moves up the organisation - the impact of which could shape the direction of UK businesses for years to come.

The research, conducted in 2005 amongst 2,843 graduates and 9,946 managers, draws data from SHLís Occupational Personality Questionnaire (OPQ). The OPQ is one of the worldís most widely used psychometric tools and has provided information about individualsí likely behaviours, mapped against 32 relevant characteristics, for 21 years.