Study Suggests Many Bad Bosses Are Being Bailed Out, Too
New Survey Says 86 Percent of Americans See Parallels Between Poorly Performing Bosses Staying Under Radar and Bailed Out, Failed Firms
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – April 14, 2009 – Recent headlines of corporate misdeeds, poor performance and bailouts may be just the tip of the iceberg of a widespread lack of confidence in bosses, suggests a new national study. Eighty-six percent of U.S. adults feel that highly visible corporate calamities are similar to the much less conspicuous – but more far-reaching, ill-advised daily actions of managers that go unnoticed until it is too late.
“Bosses are expected to be accountable in any economy, but against the backdrop of a downturn and lean workforce, there seems to be less tolerance for poor decision making,” said Lynn Taylor, an expert on workplace issues and CEO of Lynn Taylor Consulting. Taylor’s management consulting firm commissioned the national telephone survey of 1,002 adults, conducted by a global independent research firm.
“An ounce of accountability seems to be worth a pound of cure today, not only for high profile corporations, but also for bosses everywhere,” noted Taylor, author of Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant™ (TOT); How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job (John Wiley & Sons, July 2009). The survey question and results follow:
How much do you agree or disagree with the following statement? The actions of companies making headlines recently for misdeeds, poor performance or bailouts remind me of bosses whose poor decisions go unnoticed until it's too late - and by then too many people are affected. The response:
| Always | 86% |
| Disagree | 13% |
| Don't Know | 1% |
The widest discrepancies in sentiment were seen according to income and gender. For example, 92 percent of workers earning an annual income of $35,000 - $50,000 agreed with the survey question, in contrast to 79 percent of respondents earning $100,000 and higher. By gender, 91 percent of women agreed with the survey statement, versus 80 percent of men.
Taylor outlined some of the ramifications possible when bosses’ misjudgments remain unexposed:
- They may be rewarded or promoted unwittingly by senior management, taking their poor management style up the hierarchy and affecting increasing numbers of people.
- Morale may suffer and top talent may leave the company.
- The firm’s reputation may be adversely affected.
- Customer retention and revenues may decrease, placing the company’s viability at risk.
As an advisor to companies on fostering a more motivated workforce, Taylor suggests that bosses adopt several strategies to strengthen confidence and trust among their staff:
- Keep employees in the decision making loop and remember that those on the front lines with customers can offer invaluable market insight.
- Be forthright about the status of the company during both good and bad times to mitigate rumor and conjecture.
- Tap into the expertise of human resource professionals to help boost morale, mentor personnel and support their career development needs.
- Remain dedicated to being a role model, embracing transparency and collaboration – starting at the most senior levels of the organization.
Earlier Survey Underscores Mistrust, Job Jitters
A related study released in March 2009 by Lynn Taylor Consulting showed that employees spend almost three hours a day (2.8) worrying about their job fate – and that 76 percent of them become fearful when suddenly encountering a boss’s closed door. When asked how often they think this barrier signals lay-offs, respondents said:| Always | 11% |
| Often | 32% |
| Sometimes | 33% |
| Rarely | 15% |
| Never/Don’t Know | 9% |
_____ 100% |
“Both surveys point to the greater value being placed on bosses who can engender trust and be more accountable leaders,” said Taylor.
About Lynn Taylor
Lynn Taylor is a nationally recognized expert on employment issues and the CEO of Lynn Taylor
Consulting, a management consulting firm that advises employers and employees on how to increase
productivity through a more collaborative workplace. She conducts lively, research-based seminars on
motivational topics such as how to “humanize your workplace™.” Taylor is the author of the
forthcoming book, Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant™ (TOT); How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior
and Thrive in Your Job (John Wiley & Sons, July 2009). For more information, visit www.LynnTaylorConsulting.com and www.TameYourTOT.com, or call: 1-800-454-0083.
New Survey Reveals Employees Spend Nearly Three Hours a Day Worrying About Job Security
76 Percent of Employees Get Jitters When Seeing Closed Boss’s Doors
Santa Barbara, Calif. – March 4, 2009 - Employees across the country consume nearly three hours a day worrying about their job security according to a new national survey by Lynn Taylor Consulting, a firm that helps companies transform managers into more productive, trustworthy leaders through lively, research-based seminars. Bosses may be unwittingly fueling this fear by one simple action, staying behind closed doors, as 76 percent of employees say that when faced with this scenario unexpectedly, it triggers thoughts of being laid off.
“In today’s economic environment, employees are searching for every clue to determine their job fate. Too often, not enough direct input is given to employees, and so non-verbal cues are heavily relied upon,” said Lynn Taylor, a nationally renowned expert and author on workplace issues. “Managers working behind closed doors may be shutting out more than noise – they may be shutting down productivity,” she added.
Commissioned by Lynn Taylor Consulting, the U.S. study was based on telephone interviews conducted with 1,000 respondents 18 years of age or older by a national independent research firm. The survey found that the average employee spends 2.8 hours (168.8 minutes) a day worrying about personal job concerns, such as company lay-offs and/or losing his or her job.
The survey also underscores how deep-seated these suspicions are. When asked how often they think a boss’s closed door signals lay-offs, respondents said:
| Always | 11% |
| Often | 32% |
| Sometimes | 33% |
| Rarely | 15% |
| Never/Don’t Know | 9% |
_____ 100% |
“Changes in manager behavior, such as a closed door, more private conferences, or less direct communication all represent potential ‘exit signs’ to many employees,” said Taylor, author of Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant™ (TOT): How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job (John Wiley & Sons, July 2009).
Taylor added that while managers have to deal with more sensitive personnel issues today than in previous decades, they can counter employee concerns at a critical time with more proactive communication.
“Acknowledging the astounding impact a small gesture can have on corporate productivity in tense times is a good first step. Providing your team with reassurances whenever possible will mitigate unnecessary panic and help them stay focused,” Taylor said.
“Many employees may also avoid speaking up to their bosses for fear of being shown the door, when, in fact, their ideas might boost a company’s bottom line at a time when that is sorely needed,” she said.
Underscoring this, added Taylor, is an earlier related study Lynn Taylor Consulting commissioned which revealed that 70 percent of 575 adult working professionals believe employees must be careful when “managing up” in their boss interactions, or they could risk losing their jobs. "Managing up" was described as “proactively finding solutions to problems, consistently using good communications skills and modeling positive behavior to a boss.”
“Opening your door literally and figuratively might not only mean greater profitability. In some cases, it might also help keep the doors of your business open,” Taylor concluded.
About Lynn Taylor Consulting
Lynn Taylor is the founder of Lynn Taylor Consulting, a management consulting firm that advises companies on how to humanize the workplace. A nationally recognized expert, dynamic speaker and successful author, Taylor counsels executives on motivational, management and employment issues. She has been quoted extensively in the media and is the author of the forthcoming book, Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant™ (TOT); How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job (John Wiley & Sons, July 2009). For more information, visit www.LynnTaylorConsulting.com and www.TameYourTOT.com, or call: 1-800-454-0083.