Telling your boss off - tactfully - may be the secret to a happier work life – according to a recent article. The Report on Business in the Globe and Mail notes that not only are employees fed up with their bosses, but they’d rather quit than talk it out. "Communication skills" won’t be appearing on the job applications of these employees!
Bosses from hell have existed as long as the pitch fork toting big man himself. Stats support the inner rage that employees build up inside their worker heads. The 6.7 million managers in the US take note...a 2007 Florida State University study confirms that 40% of workers say their bosses are bad managers. The major sources of anti-boss sentiment include bullying boss behaviour, managers who take the credit and give back the silent treatment, and those who dish out more “gimme gimmies” than “thank you muchlies”. Lies, condescension, belittling, pickiness and humiliation round up the average boss’s skill set, packing an extra punch of worker wrath.
While a million resources note the many complicated and tip-toed strategies to avoid p-ing off the boss, few suggest the diplomatic approach: talking about it. Studies say that a third of employees who are planning on quitting their jobs would reconsider if they got a new boss. Would the same be said if the boss had a change of heart (and managing style?).Talking to your boss about his/her faults says psychiatrist/consultant Dr. Hy Blume of workplace.calm. A meeting with the Top Dog can be more effective at changing your workplace happiness than quitting your job. Conversation, professionalism and well planned arguments are the key to a meeting with the Head Honcho him or herself. But is it is really possible that your boss doesn’t realize they’re a bozo? It sure is, according to another employee and boss survey. The results showed that HR Managers suspected that perhaps 30% or so of their employees had updated their resume in the last 3 months (with intentions of looking elsewhere for paycheques). The truth? The numbers are a lot higher – 80% to be exact. This signals a big disconnect between employee happiness and the boss’s perception of happiness.
Unless the boss was deeply inspired by What Women Want or Scrooge’s leaf-turning, you’ll have to take your happiness into your own hands. Being stuck in employment inferno with a horned-boss isn’t making you any happier. There’s no easy solution, but telling your boss what you think may be the answer. If you’ve got nothing to lose, then telling the boss to go to hell will at least send you packin’ in a blaze of glory. Don’t worky – be happy!
(Heidi Bedore)
No comments:
Post a Comment