No Boss Envy in the Office - Survey

Today is Boss Day in the U.S. Results of an online study conducted last week show that a majority of U.S. workers do not think their bosses are honest, and one in four would fire their boss if they could and only four in ten workers would take their bosses' jobs if offered.

The survey finds most American workers happy not to be in charge, recognizing the increasingly challenging job American bosses are facing today due to heightened on-the-job pressures resulting from both economic and business turmoil.

65% would not change anything about their relationship with their bosses showing that strides have been made in improving the manager-employee relationship. However, a quarter of employees say that they do not trust that their boss has been honest about their job security.

Here are some key findings in employee perception of bosses:
- Satisfaction still depends on boss/employee relationship: Almost all workers (89%) still think their relationship with their boss is more important or as important to their job satisfaction.
- Accessibility unchanged: 87% of workers think their boss is just as accessible or more accessible as they were pre-recession.
- Respect has only marginally increased: Only 14% of workers have more respect for what their boss does everyday since the recession began.
- Performance reviews are still in place: 87% of workers think their boss has the same amount of or more focus on the performance review process as they did pre-recession.

Bernadette Kenny, chief career officer, Adecco Group North America said, "Good or bad economy, how employees feel about their work-life is very much dependent on their relationship with their boss. What we're hearing from the thousands of American workers we partner with everyday is that the world of work is more challenging than ever before and constantly changing. Increasingly difficult jobs require impactful managers who lead by example and create the best possible environment for their staff."

Her company offers the following tips for bosses looking to strengthen their relationship with their workers:
- Encourage open dialogue: Start or continue an open forum with employees where they can bring issues to the table and have an honest discussion about their concerns.
- Exhibit loyalty: Acts of loyalty may occur every day but many go unnoticed by employees. Learn to delicately communicate how loyal you are to key employees and how earning their trust is important. Earn employee trust by openly communicating both good and bad news and making every attempt not to surprise any employee.
- Improve morale: Company morale goes hand-in-hand with motivation. Motivate staff through contests, rewards and recognition of top work. Also conduct team-building exercises with staff to build stronger working relationships around the office.
- Communicate opportunities: Motivation also comes when an employee recognizes there are opportunities beyond their day-to-day job within a certain company. Be sure to communicate how the company can continue to help employees grow through special assignments, projects or learning opportunities.

In the Philippine scene, I would say employees also feel the same way as their American counterparts. The tips offered by Kenny could also be used by the Filipino bosses.