Marvin OnumonuLess than half of middle managers at frontline businesses in the UK had an idea put into action, YouGov research found.
Just 43% saw ideas implemented, even though 88% had suggestions to make work better.
The fifth annual Feedback from the Field report, commissioned by workplace operations platform SafetyCulture, found one in 10 ideas led to a safer workplace.
Manufacturing saw the biggest health and safety gains at 14%, followed by hospitality at 13%, transport at 11%, construction at 9%, and retail at 3%.
Manager-led initiatives also made operations more efficient at 57% and improved product and service quality at 42%.
A main reason for ideas being rejected was that “senior leadership aren’t receptive to ideas from managers” at 37%.
Managers said improvement schemes were “driven by people who don’t understand how the work is done” and “feel like a senior-level tick-box exercise”.
Alex Brooks-Sykes, UK and Ireland site lead at SafetyCulture, said: “Managers have a unique vantage point – they know the strategic plans of senior leadership and the realities on the production line.
“This makes them a hugely valuable source of business insight, but one that’s often overlooked.
“Managers are full of ideas for improvement, but they need the right systems and tools to identify issues and make recommendations based on the data.”
Brooks-Sykes added: “Most middle managers in frontline businesses aren’t set up for success. Too many are stuck firefighting daily issues or buried in admin instead of driving safety improvements on the factory floor.
“Real improvement starts with clear insights. What’s happening, why, and what can be done about it?
“With these insights, managers can go beyond fixing the symptoms to solve the root cause.”
