Tallahassee, Fla. – For most people, it’s back to work today after a holiday weekend with family and friends. And for many, a new study shows, it will be under a bad boss.
Nearly two of five bosses don’t keep their word, and more than a fourth bad-mouth subordinates, the Florida State University study shows.
And such managers create problems for companies, leading to poor morale, less production and higher turnover.
“They say that employees don’t leave their job or company; they leave their boss,” said Wayne Hochwarter, an associate professor of management at Florida State’s College of Business who joined with two doctoral students to survey more than 700 people in a variety of jobs about their bosses.
Employees stuck in an abusive relationship experienced more exhaustion, job tension, nervousness, depressed moods and mistrust, the researchers found. They found that a good working environment is often more important than pay.
Employees with poor morale were less likely to accept more tasks, such as working longer or on weekends, and were generally less satisfied at work, the study found.
The results are set for publication in the fall 2007 issue of The Leadership Quarterly, read by consultants, managers and executives. Findings include:
39 percent of workers said their supervisor failed to keep promises.
37 percent said a supervisor failed to give credit when due.
31 percent said their supervisor gave them the “silent treatment” in the past year.
27 percent said their supervisor made negative comments about them to other employees or managers.
23 percent said a supervisor blamed others to cover up mistakes or lessen embarrassment.
But Hochwarter said, “It is important to stay positive, even when you get irritated or discouraged, because few subordinate-supervisor relationships last forever.”
