Research by the career management firm, Fairplace, has revealed that 39% of British workers have never had a ‘career conversation’ with their line manager.

The online survey of 2027 UK employees found that 16% of workers feel their job fits in with their long-term career plan, while only 11% believe they have the opportunity for long-term development with their organisation.

Of the respondents that had discussed their career with their managers, only 13% said that they found the experience very helpful.

The research carried out by YouGov on behalf of Fairplace also discovered that 26% of British employees would not even want to talk to their managers about their longer-term career development, and this figure increased to 41% among 18-24 year olds.

Commenting on the findings, Penn de Valk, CEO of Fairplace, said:

“As the notion of a job for life fades, businesses need to get better at demonstrating how organisational goals complement employees ‘individual aims.

“Employers who fail to provide this and leave their staff to drift without a clear career plan risk a dip in engagement levels, a loss of discretionary effort, and a struggle in developing and retaining talent.”