More than 80% of bosses say that managers in their companies are in fact good decision-makers, according to research conducted by YouGov for Investors in People.

The research found that these employees also believe that poor decision-making is detrimental to the performance of the business, 83% claim it damages morale, 51% say it reduces productivity and 19% say it allows competitors to get ahead.

It found that 51% of employees who think their managers are indecisive point to lack of competence and 34% to lack of confidence. The survey found that 26% say managers are not sufficiently empowered by senior management and 21% believe that they haven’t had enough training.

Simon Jones, acting chief executive at Investors in People UK, says: “This is worrying problem for UK organisations. Effective decision-making is a vital skill for any manager, and critical to the smooth operation of the organisation as a whole. Indecisive managers are a drain on the company and a major frustration for their teams, damaging employee motivation which can in turn undermine productivity and affect the organisation's progress.”

According to the research, when managers do make important decisions, employees feel that their views aren’t properly considered. Whilst 51% of senior managers surveyed thought that management sought the views of others in their organisation before making a decision, only 22% of employees believe this is true.

It found that sectors in which employees believe their managers are most decisive are retail (58%), finance (59%) and leisure (56%).