Social care workers spell out what they want from their leaders

Social care workers have highlighted what they want from their leaders in new research.

The research into the UK’s worker’s ideal CEO was carried out by financial wellbeing experts, Wagestream.

The top characteristic social care workers surveyed expected from their CEO was being approachable (43%) with workers also expecting their leaders to have integrity (41%) and to lead by example (34%).

When asked for their least attractive qualities for a leader, 52% said being out of touch with their employees, 42% said a ‘do as I say, not as I do’ attitude and 34% said being egotistical.

When asked to pick their ideal famous CEO, 22% chose either a ‘global missionary’ like Richard Branson or a ‘people’s champion’ like Oprah Winfrey. ‘Financial drivers’ like Larry Page from Google received the lowest rating (2%).

A third of social care workers said they would rather have a female leader than a male leader. They also showed a greater preference for a younger leader than the average worker, preferring bosses around 39 years old.

Aside from flexible working and pay, the top benefits that staff expected from leaders were: paid sick leave (54%) and generous maternity and paternity leave (41%).

Wagestream’s CEO and co-founder Peter Briffett, said: “If CEOs want the backing of their workforce, they can’t afford to be helicoptering in and out of the day-to-day business, they need to be properly involved with their employees and take a genuine interest in their mental, physical and financial wellbeing.

“It’s clear that the highest rated CEOs are the ones who are approachable, have integrity, understand their employees work and trust them with flexibility, whether that’s in the form of when and where they work, or how they receive their salary.”

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