More than seven in 10 line managers believe they are capable of supporting employees with health and wellbeing at work, a study has found.
Research from Working To Wellbeing discovered that 71% of respondents are confident their emotional intelligence (EQ) is strong enough to help colleagues with their mental and physical needs. This figure rises to 78% among women compared to 66% of men, and also increases among older line managers – 77% of those aged 55-plus compared to 70% of younger respondents.
In contrast, however, the vocational rehabilitation provider’s new Window to the Workplace survey revealed that only about half (51%) of employees agree, dropping to 42% among those aged 55 and over.
The study also showed that almost a fifth (17%) of workers firmly do not believe their line manager has strong EQ, while 31% are unsure.
Dr Julie Denning, managing director, chartered health psychologist at Working To Wellbeing and chair of the Vocational Rehabilitation Association, said: “Emotional intelligence plays a key part in how people handle their professional relationships in a work setting and this is particularly key for line managers when it comes to managing often sensitive issues around wellbeing in the workplace.
“Our Window to the Workplace research indicates that not all line managers consider themselves to have strong emotional intelligence – just seven in 10 do – but yet, not as many of the employees they manage agree with this sentiment, with just five in 10 employees agreeing their line manager has strong EQ. This mismatch needs to be addressed to ensure that people feel listened to and understood and get the support they need from their line manager.”
