Do You Have A Toxic Relationship With Your Boss?

Image by Saranyoo Chantawong

What HR can do to solve employee complaints about unprofessional bosses.

 

If you have valid reasons to complain about your boss, you’re not alone. Studies continue to show bosses have poor reputations with employees.

Employees complain about their employers’ abuse, lack of recognition, micromanagement, poor communication, unclear expectations and other issues.

The ramifications: Employee disengagement, high turnover, and low morale. As a result, employees feel being ignored if they try raise the issues.

A Standford University study in 2022 revealed the employee complaints. But it wasn’t the first study to reveal a significant number of employees complain about their supervisors lacking in professionalism.

Eleven years earlier, a study by Professor Wayne Hochwarter at Florida State University, revealed the dynamics that trigger poor performances, hostile workplace environments and tension. His 2011 study included responses from more than 400 employees in a myriad of industries.

The study’s results:

• 42 percent of employees reported that their boss was concerned more with saving his or her own job than with developing and assisting employees to be productive.
• 42 percent said they failed to receive things that were promised more than once over the past year.
• More than 40 percent of workers said they would not acknowledge their boss if they ran into him or her on the street.
• 40 percent agreed with the statement that “the only fun thing about work is leaving.”
• 34 percent reported that their boss is “two-faced,” in that he or she is nice in person but speaks negatively behind the employee’s back.
• 32 percent indicated that they work for a “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.”
• 29 percent felt that their boss would “throw them under the bus” if it meant saving the boss’s own job.
• 24 percent caught their supervisor in a direct lie but never received an apology or explanation.
• 20 percent have heard a supervisor tell a co-worker that he or she could “get them fired if they wanted to.”

Many workers felt vulnerable without any hope of improving their workplace environments.

 

Many workers felt vulnerable without any hope of improving their workplace environments.

 

Not surprisingly, many of the workers have failed to apply themselves for the welfare their companies, suffer from a resulting lack of sleep, and lack in self esteem.

Two Biz Coach responses:

1. The Peter Principle seems applicable — “In a hierarchy,  every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence.” Many bosses are unqualified for management.
2. There are sometimes two sides to such stories. Employees often needlessly point fingers and are culpable, too.

But the two studies are eye-opening, and is a surprise considering the abundance of 21st century tools for bosses to become professional supervisors.

Solutions

It’s vital for a company to prevent damage to morale, productivity and retention efforts. If you have a valid complaint about your boss, it necessitates documentation, thorough investigation.

Professionalism and leadership training should be required for managers:

1. Documenting with specific details — the who, what, when and where before implementing solutions.
2. Conducting a fair investigation — thorough, confidential interviews of all parties to establish valid complaints.
   
3. Solving the root causes — implement management or leadership training for enhanced communication, developing an emotionally intelligent culture and team building.
   
4. Enforcing accountability — Determine whether supervisors’ behavior warrant consistent and quick action.
   
5. Conducting 360-degree responses — encouraging employees to openly discuss their concerns without fearing retaliation.
    
   Unresolved, these complaints can lead to high turnover or legal claims against the company.

   From the Coach’s Corner, here’s How To Deal With An Oppressive Employer.Plus, here are resource links for bosses:

   18 Leadership Strategies to Earn Employee Respect — How to profit from good labor relations, and to leverage the perspective of employees – your company’s human capital.

   HR – Power Your Brand with Employee Empowerment — Are you investing in marketing, but not getting the anticipated return on your investment? If you’re disappointed by your ROI, remember marketing may or may not be the problem. Why? Consider there are two basic reasons for poor profits.

   Management Best-Practices Include Solid Operations Checklist — Are you concerned about profits? Would you like for your business to be in a class of its own? Not to oversimplify, obstacles to profits result from two basic barriers: External and/or internal challenges.

   Avoid Nightmarish Trend: Discrimination Suits, an EEOC Dragnet — News headlines from Seattle to New York are cause for some serious head-slapping when it comes to management of employees — EEOC discrimination lawsuits are seemingly everywhere. Here’s how to avoid HR nightmares with the EEOC.

   Some people climb the ladder of success. My boss walked under it.

   __________

   Author Terry Corbell has written innumerable online business-enhancement articles, and is a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services. For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule him as a speaker, consultant or author, please contact Terry.