The research suggests that more inspirational managers tend to be those who are team players, and involve employees when making decisions or developing new ideas, rather than those managers that simply issue orders from the top. Of those that saw their manager as a role model, over four in five (81%) said that they worked with them to develop new plans and 85% agreed that their boss worked with them to reach decisions.

There are also some regional discrepancies in management styles. In Scotland, bosses are least likely to share information and take feedback on board (43%), whilst in the North West, managers are most likely to work with staff to reach decisions (69%).

Ruth Spellman, Chief Executive of Investors in People UK, comments,

"Our research will make uncomfortable reading for many UK managers, who are failing to inspire the very employees on whom they rely - the people whose motivation levels make all the difference to the bottom line.  The UK's employees are clearly not impressed with managers who fail to communicate effectively or choose to ignore their opinions and ideas.

"Employers invest significant time and money in recruiting the right people, but many are then failing to make the most of their skills and experience. Businesses need to realise the impact management styles can have on how employees contribute and ultimately on the bottom line. Employers who don't evaluate managers' performance within this context are missing a trick."

Other findings of the research include:

• Very large organisations (over 1,000 employees) are most effective at communicating with staff. Two-thirds of employees (66%) within these organisations said that their manager regularly shares information and takes feedback on board.  Fewer than half (49%) of

employees working in SMEs (under 250 staff) said the same.

· Employees would be more motivated in their job if their manager praised them more (19%) or shared more information with them (17%).

· Employees in the West Midlands would be further motivated if their boss was more honest with them (18%), whilst employees in the South East would be more motivated if their boss praised them more (26%).

The findings are published as employers prepare for the introduction of Information and Consultation regulations next month, which will give employees the right to involvement in key business decisions and will ultimately apply to all organisations with 50 or more employees.

Ruth Spellman continues, "The new statutory regulations offer a clear business opportunity to employers by creating the impetus for them to improve the involvement and engagement of employees. Being a successful manager isn't about dictating from the top. It's about motivating employees and ensuring that their contribution to the business is maximised."

Investors in People recently launched a revised version of the Standard, which includes enhanced guidance on employee involvement and management skills. A specific model on Leadership and Management in the workplace has also been developed.

These latest findings follow research released last year by Investors in People which found that

56% of UK bosses think substandard management skills are a major contributory factor in the UK's productivity gap.

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