Almost half of UK employers say their existing staff are too stretched to deliver their business targets, according to new research.

Research by the global management consultancy the Hay Group shows that despite UK CEOs’ ambitious growth targets of 5% for 2011, 46% admit their staff are already too stretched.

The study also found that UK employers are failing to align performance management with business strategy.

While 83% of UK business leaders agree that individual performance management is an important driver of overall business performance, only 22% of firms align their performance management approach to the company strategy.

More than a third (36%) of business leaders describe their performance management process as a mere ‘tick-box exercise’.

Matt Crosby, associate director at the Hay Group, says: “Employee performance management sits at the heart of business success — yet too often is seen by senior managers as a chore.

“Without an approach tailored to their strategy, culture and values, firms will not be in the right shape to deliver the growth expected of them.”