Managers upbeat for 2013

The CMI’s Future Forecast is an annual report, which aims to measure business confidence for the year ahead. In 2012, for the first time since the coalition came to power, positivity among managers about their organisation’s prospects has tipped over the 50% mark to hit 53%. Business managers have decided that it is a light at the end of the tunnel – and not an oncoming train.

On the job security front, 68% of managers feel confident of their position in 2013, that’s up 6% on 2011. Fewer managers are expecting to make redundancies next year too. Although, in the unlikely event that their jobs are rendered redundant 47% of managers reckon they’d get a new job within three months, compared to 37% in 2011.

However, economic optimism has remained low this year. The report set the figures hovering at the 25% mark, which is still an improvement on the positively cynical 17% of 2011. The restructuring of the UK’s public finances was cited as the factor likely to have the most damaging impact on organisations in 2013, with energy prices and technological change claiming the number two and three spots respectively.

Still, managers aren’t letting a few things like recession, sky-high bills, and defunct technology ruin their buzz. They are still convinced that staff morale will be high in 2013. Almost half of managers (46%) are expecting a ‘go get ‘em’ attitude in the office come 2013, compared to 31% who are banking on a more subdued atmosphere.

Ann Francke, CMI chief executive, says of the results: ‘We could be seeing a pivotal moment, where UK employers start to look ahead with renewed optimism. While 2013 is expected to be another tough year, it looks like many managers are confident about their organisations’ prospects.’

It’s great to see that UK managers are still feeling jolly after such a tough year. Let’s just hope that these managers don’t think that blind optimism will be enough to see them through. This positivity will be channelled into sustained endeavour, people. Not to be a downer, or anything…