How Does Your Boss Measure Up?
Read about Lake Research's Findings on “Bad Bosses” Survey
Fifteen million workers report they have bad bosses, and more than 50 million say they feel pressed to stay with a bad boss because of the economy today, according to a recent poll conducted by Lake Research Partners for Working America.
The survey of American workers (sample size 1000; margin of sampling error +/-3.1%) explored how employers are perceived by their employees and identified the biggest complaints employees have about their bosses.
The leading worker complaints are that bosses are “lazy” and “dishonest.” Between one-fifth and one-third of workers say their bosses take credit for their work, do not provide them with recognition for success or hard work, and do not provide them with the guidance or opportunities necessary for advancement. About one-third of workers say it’s a little difficult to very difficult to get time off.
Click here for the full summary of findings.
Here are the major findings:
More than one-third of workers feel some pressure to stay with a bad boss because of the economy today (36 percent). Full-time workers are more likely than those working part-time to say they feel a lot of pressure to stay with a bad boss in their current job (21 percent to 12 percent).
About 10 percent of workers think they have bad bosses, which amounts to about 15 million workers. In addition, 13 percent of workers overall rate their bosses as lazy, and 13 percent say they are dishonest.
A higher proportion of workers overall see their bosses as taking credit for their work (21 percent), not providing guidance and opportunities necessary to advance (25 percent), and not providing recognition for success or hard work (33 percent).
Despite the jargon about flexible workplaces, about one-third of workers say it is a little difficult to very difficult to get time off. African Americans and evening workers are among those most likely to report that it is very or somewhat difficult to get time off.
About one-third of workers, or approximately 45 million workers, are working in the evening or both in the daytime and evening (31 percent). This includes 32 percent of men and 28 percent of women who say they are either working in the evening or both in the daytime and evening.
Workers who work the night shift are more likely to have a bad boss. They are more likely to see their bosses as taking credit for their work and report more difficulty in getting time off. Those reporting that they work daytime and evening shifts also prove less satisfied with their bosses.
Workers under 40 report more experiences with bad bosses than their older counterparts; they are more likely to report that their bosses constantly look over their shoulder and that their bosses ask them to work late unexpectedly.
