Widespread mistrust of senior bosses by their own management staff is undermining business growth, a report has revealed.

A survey of almost 1,500 middle managers found that only one in three fully trusted their leaders.

The poll, by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), said the breakdown was “corroding” wider employee trust in organisations, with most middle managers believing staff did not fully trust their chief executive.

Ann Francke, CMI chief executive, said: “The Brexit vote reflected a breakdown of trust in politicians, businesses and other institutions. Rebuilding it isn’t just a requirement of our political leadership, it’s a profound management challenge for the nation.

“These findings are a warning that a communication breakdown between leaders, middle managers and employees more widely is undermining growth. Leaders have to recognise the pivotal role played by middle managers at the heart of their organisations and support them to succeed in the months and years ahead.”

Nick Terry, of events firm Top Banana, which helped with the report, said: “There is a clear trust illusion in our organisations. Business leaders may think that it’s there but the reality is, the further away you get from the leader, the more of an issue trust becomes.”