The facts are in and … your boss can be bad for your health. This study by two doctoral students and an associate professor sheds light on a sensitive subject. Most people don’t want to talk about the health effects a bad boss can have on their employees.
The bosses in the study don’t seem to be the highest caliber, but the numbers are amazing. Interviewing over 700 people, the students discovered that many employees don’t like their bosses, and think their bosses are only looking out for themselves.
Granted, some of this can be blamed on unhappy workers, but there is other evidence that points to similar conclusions. These workers are less motivated, less inspired and less likely to give extra work to the company.
Are you in a situation like this? If so, you probably exhausted, nervous, and depressed along with other symptoms. Not a pleasant work environment, at all.
Warning: Bad bosses can hurt your health | Chron.com – Houston Chronicle
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 those they supervise to co-workers, the Florida State University study shows.
Those all-too-common poor managers create plenty of problems for companies as well, leading to poor morale, lower 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 in the College of Business at Florida State, who joined with two doctoral students to survey more than 700 people about how their bosses treat them.
Here a a few findings from the study.
• 37 percent of workers said their supervisor failed to give credit when due.
• 31 percent said their supervisor gave them the “silent treatment” in the past year.
• 23 percent said their supervisor blamed others to cover up mistakes.
[tags]work, bad boss, stress, health issues[/tags]
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4 responses so far ↓
1 Jerome Alexander // Jan 27, 2007 at 2:40 pm
I am no Deming or Drucker. I have no Phd, have conducted no scholary research or gathered statistics. My opinions are drawn from over thirty years in middle management. I am neither executive, consultant, nor belong to any elite institutions. I am, however, passionate about these views: Employees come to work with an implicit trust that their managers are always working for the best interest of the company and its employees. That trust should not and cannot ever be taken for granted. Look what is happening today. It is no longer “What’s good for the company is good for the manager.” It has become “What’s good for the manager is good for the company.” Top executives have totally lost sight of this phenomenon and are allowing managers to run amok for their own personal agendas.
Several years ago I wrote a book on the subject of bad booses, workplace culture and employee morale. It is as relevant today as it was then. Employee morale is directly linked to the interaction of employees with line managers who are charged with executing the policies and strategies of companies. Unfortunately, many of these managers subvert the good intentions of the organization to meet their own personal goals and agendas at the expense of their peers and subordinates. This management subculture is the result of a corporate culture of ignorance, indifference and excuse. Better corporate level leadership is the key. Read more in “160 Degrees of Deviation: The Case for the Corporate Cynic.”
Many management consultants and the like seem to share a common disdain for these views as well as my retelling of personal experiences and observations. So be it! I will continue to be a voice in the wilderness. Perhaps that voice is beginning to gain some strength.
Jerome Alexander
2 Larry Hendrick // Jan 27, 2007 at 2:58 pm
I think your experience confirms this latest research. Believe me, you are not crying in the wilderness alone. There are others …
3 Jerome Alexander (1 comments.) // Mar 27, 2007 at 8:12 pm
Thanks Larry,
I became so irate over the entire that I started my own blog, “The Corporate Cynic.” Check it out at http://www.thecorporatecynic.wordpress.com
4 Larry Hendrick // Mar 28, 2007 at 8:13 am
That is great Jerome! I took a look and have added it to my RSS reader. Thanks for letting me know.
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