Employee productivity can take a big hit when the boss leaves, according to research released today by Robert Half International Inc. (NYSE: RHI). Both workers and CFOs believe having a vacant senior manager role has an adverse impact on the team’s efficiency, though those in leadership are likelier to find it an even greater problem than staffers at 70% and 59% respectively.

Decreased morale and motivation were the biggest reported causes of lost productivity among both groups — 42% of workers and 35% of CFOs — followed by concerns over increased workloads and fear about job security or relationships with the new boss, cited by 24% of workers and 31% of CFOs.

Workers and CFOs were asked, “To what extent, if any, do you believe a senior manager’s voluntary or involuntary departure from the organization impedes employee productivity while the role remains open?” Their responses:

• Greatly impedes: Workers, 11%; CFOs, 15%
• Somewhat impedes: Workers, 48%; CFOs, 55%
• Does not impede employee productivity at all: Workers, 33 %; CFOs, 30%
• Don’t know: Workers, 8%; CFOs, 0%

“When there are changes in management, employees often feel distressed by the unknown,” said Paul McDonald, senior executive director at Robert Half. “To help ease the transition and allay any concerns, it's essential for employers to communicate openly and often with staff.”

Robert Half provided managers with advice to avoid a drop in productivity and help employees effectively navigate changes in leadership:

• Cultivate succession and hiring pipelines. Know who in your department or company might be ready to move into a bigger role, and keep a trusted recruiter on speed dial.
• Consider an interim boss. If you don’t have someone who can step into a leadership position immediately, hire an interim manager to keep projects moving and workloads in check.
• Move quickly. Minimize the time of uncertainty by filling the role swiftly yet smartly, making sure you check off all necessary steps.
• Keep everyone informed. Updating your team about the progress of the search for a new manager can help improve staff morale and keep rumors to a minimum.

The surveys were developed by Robert Half and conducted by independent research firms. The survey of workers included responses from more than 1,000 US adult professionals employed in office environments. The CFO survey was based on telephone interviews with more than 2,200 CFOs from a stratified random sample of companies in more than 20 of the largest US metropolitan areas.