Fully qualified managers can help to improve any businesses but knowledge of their benefits is still inadequate in the UK, it has been claimed.

A new report by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) shows that 90 per cent of 1,185 managers surveyed say qualifications made them perform better and 87 per cent reported an increase in the quality of their work.

However, four in ten felt they were not supported by their employer in making full use of the new skills, while a further 40 per cent of bosses did not even talk to their employees about their new knowledge, and so missed vital opportunities to raise standards across the workforce.

Only 16 per cent of managers were asked to train other staff on new skills and knowledge once they had gained their qualification, the study found.

Ann Francke, chief executive of the CMI, said the research should be a "wake-up call" for employers, and noted that good management needs to be top-down.

She added: "It's no good educating your middle managers, if your senior managers are failing to support them. It's as simple as this - if you have qualified managers in your midst and you aren't using them, you're missing out."

Ms Francke added that a "step-change" is vital to place qualifications at the heart of management training and development and make sure support is provided at all levels.

06/07/2012 17:01