MOTIVATING employees is seen as the key to improving business performance by more than half of bosses in York and North Yorkshire.

Research launched to coincide with Investors in People Week, revealed that 51 per cent of employers believe that motivating staff is a top priority and a means of gaining bottom line benefits.

The research, commissioned by Investors in People UK, was conducted on a region by region basis and shows that businesses in Yorkshire and Humberside are more in tune with their employees than in any other part of the UK.

The survey found seventy per cent of employers believe management do try to make staff feel involved in the business and 66 per cent of employees feel this actually happens.

Also, 60 per cent of employers think staff understand business targets, while 67 per cent of employees agree.

Employees are most motivated by a pay rise and by involvement in the company's plans and strategic direction.

Ruth Spellman, chief executive of Investors in People UK, said: "It's really encouraging that bosses in Yorkshire and Humberside are communicating well with their staff and involving them in the business. Results from many other regions, highlighted a breakdown in communication between management and employees.

"It's crucial for businesses to involve employees and ensure they are kept informed of key decisions that will affect the organisation, and this certainly seems to be happening in Yorkshire and Humberside."