29
Oct

Bad Bosses Continue to Chase Off Good Employees

According to some recent research by The Gallup Organization, the old saying that “People don’t leave their companies, they leave their managers,” continues to ring true. In a study of more than one million employees who left their jobs in the past year, 75% left because of their bosses. Here are a few more alarming statistics about bad bosses:

• Sixty-three percent of employees said their manager doesn’t recognize achievements.
• Fifty-seven percent of employees said their manager doesn’t provide clear direction.
• Thirty-nine percent of employees said their manager doesn’t offer constructive criticism.
• Thirty-six percent of employees said their manager doesn’t know their name.

If you’re a boss and concerned you may be part of the majority that is not well regarded, consider doing the following immediately:

• Take responsibility. Stop pointing the finger at your employees and turn it around and point it at yourself. If your department has a chronic turnover problem, you are likely the common denominator and you need to accept responsibility.
• Ask for feedback: You can’t make changes if you don’t know what needs to change. Ask your employees for “brutally honest” feedback and do not respond defensively when they give it to you.
• Give compliments: If you consistently demonstrate appreciation for your employees, they will forgive you of many of your other flaws. Be specific and timely with your praise.
• Clarify expectations: Employees want to be successful so they need to know what success looks like. Clearly communicating goals and expectations will result in less employee frustration.