Wednesday, 4 April 2007
NASTY bosses who torture their staff with impossible demands and disrespect had better shape up or risk being deserted by employees in droves, according to the results of a new study by recruitment specialists Recruitment Solutions.
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The survey of 233 office support employees found that a staggering 82% of people had resigned from jobs in the past because of bad boss behaviour.
The researchers credit this to the fact that Australia's low unemployment rates mean that people no longer feel that they have to put up with unsatisfactory working environments because they won't be able to get a job elsewhere.
Recruitment Solutions executive general manager Lorraine Christopher said the study clearly shows that people don't leave organisations; they leave bad bosses.
"This study should serve as a timely wake-up call for organisations," she said.
"Businesses simply can't afford to overlook any employee, particularly the hundreds of thousands of employees working in critical support roles who ensure Australia's organisations function day in and day out."
According to Christopher, companies who care about their staff retention rates should put in the effort to train their managers so that they are equipped with the skills and knowledge they need to be good bosses.
She said that the implications of not doing so are "clear and too costly" to ignore.
On the bright side, the research demonstrated that progress has been made in many workplaces with many managers providing genuine support and meaningful leadership to employees.
Around 65% of those interviewed described their current manager as "always approachable" and 58% said their boss was always "supportive and encouraging". Approximately 60% felt their manager always respected their role in an organisation.
Less impressively, more than 26% of respondents reported that their boss never facilitates their career development, almost 20% reported never receiving regular and honest feedback, and more than half said their managers don't always follow up their words with actions or provide clear leadership.
"Most worryingly, we were concerned to learn that as high as one in eight people surveyed had been victims of bullying or harassment – some of it sexual harassment," said Christopher.
"This is an alarming figure. No one should be subject to any kind of harassment, at work or elsewhere. It's illegal and deplorable."
So, how do companies find and equip the right managers?
Psychometric testing is certainly a good place to start, according to Recruitment Solutions.
If a person's natural style does not fit with the organisational values, culture and the personalities of the team, effective management can be extremely difficult.
Psychometric testing can also reveal the "gaps" in a potential manager's skills set, and help the organisation best address the weaknesses of an individual with an effective training and development plan.
Christopher said that while many organisations are now focusing on promoting from within, care needs to be taken that these inexperienced new managers are supported properly with training, coaching and mentoring.
"If new managers don't receive appropriate training, then their inexperience and inability to deal with difficult situations or stresses may cause them to react inappropriately and not provide effective leadership to their staff," she said.
"These situations need to be prevented by careful screening, testing and selection of new managers, by providing ongoing training and clear communication of the consequences of inappropriate behaviour."
Attributes of a good boss
When considering a candidate or current employee for a management role, there are many attributes to look out for.
Are they approachable, friendly, respectful and predictable?
Do they provide staff with the tools and support to help them succeed in their jobs?
Do they keep their promises, backing up words with action?
Do they provide meaningful work?
Do they give staff regular feedback?
Do they constructively challenge members of their team?
Do they help employees grow professionally?
Do they have the ability to engage and energise their team?
Christopher said that leadership is an "evolution".
"The markets and the people employed within them are constantly changing and in order to keep up with these changes businesses must ensure their managers are the right people for the job and that they are the right leaders for their employees now and in the future," she said.
What advice can be given to employees in a "bad boss" situation?
Despite the best efforts of organisations, many employees will still at one time or another find themselves face to face with a bad boss situation.
According to Christopher, the first step is to request a meeting with your manager to discuss the issue at hand.
"Performance reviews can also provide a structured means for this discussion, but employees shouldn't wait for an annual or bi-annual review if the problem is a real issue now," she said.
"Fortunately, many organisations have excellent support mechanisms for their employees who may find themselves in this situation.
"Some organisations have a 'one-level-up' policy, which offers employees the opportunity to have a frank and confidential discussion with their manager's manager should a situation arise that they feel they cannot resolve on their own."
Christopher recommends that, when giving feedback on a manager, employees should focus on the impact of the situation on their employment environment and work performance, and not resort to personal attacks.
"The long and the short of it though, is that no one should feel obligated to stay in a situation where they feel bullied or harassed by a manager or their peers. They should remember that their organisation is obliged to stamp out this behaviour – it's illegal, and it does the organisation's reputation no favours, particularly in a market where good people are hard to find."
Working for a bad boss is too high a price to pay
The majority of employees surveyed said that they would turn down a higher paying job opportunity if it meant working under a bad boss. Over 75% said they would not take a job with better pay if the manager had a poor reputation.
"Employees rightly value their own quality of life, and a big part of this is their job satisfaction and enjoyment of their work environment," Christopher said.
"If they had to choose between a bad boss offering better pay, and a good boss offering less money, most would prefer to give up the offer of better pay than pay the price of personal work satisfaction and work for a bad boss.
"This shows the value of having great managers on board. Not only will companies get the most out of employees, but they will also be a big part of attracting and retaining valuable staff," she concluded.
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