Small businesses have happier employees than their larger counterparts, despite all the personal perks provided by big corporations, new research has found.
A survey by HR consultancy Chiumento found that staff at small firms felt more involved and more influential than workers at larger companies.
More than nine in ten small business bosses felt that internal communications were important, compared with just 62 per cent of large firms.
A further 86 per cent of small firms made sure their workers had the right skills to do the job, with 78 per cent keen to explain the direction of the company.
Significantly, 68 per cent of small employers felt their staff were motivated. Just over half of large companies said their workers were similarly driven.
The research backs up previous surveys that show that small businesses are increasingly attractive to employees, particularly graduates.
Nearly half of UK undergraduates plan to set up a business, while small firms are widely seen as more creative and flexible than larger companies.
Bob Arnold, of Chiumento, said that the perception is that large organisations have greater HR resources and should therefore be better at it.
“What’s astonishing is that smaller employers, who often lack this resource, appear better at motivating their staff,” he said.
