The researchers from Oxford University investigated employee views on communications and consultation within very different institutional practices in France, Germany, Italy and the UK, contacting over 3500 employees. There was a general belief across the countries that employees felt they had little influence over important work decisions, despite the growing ‘empowerment’ initiatives over the last 20 years. Also, a perceived belief was widespread that representative channels of communications, (mostly through unions), was not very useful. However, there was general satisfaction over the amount of information provided by management. Where the views differed across countries was in the degree of expectation over the consultation process.

In the UK, employees expected few results from such exercises and they were not disappointed. They reported general disenchantment over communication initiatives and remained disengaged with the whole process. This is explained by the tradition that:

The views of the French are almost the reverse. They believe that upward communication should be useful, supported by strong statutory underpinning, such as at workplace level with the groupes d’expression.

However, the vast array of practices have led French employees to expect more and to foster disappointment when they do not receive it. For German employees, the position is even more extreme due to the degree of institutional power by employee groups, such as the betriebsrat and the role of worker directors. All the more disappointment, therefore, in recent years is when this power fails to restrict the growing round of redundancies and closures.