Many employees like their bosses but only 23 percent actually consider their bosses to be their friends, according to new research from staffing firm Accountemps.
The survey of 1,000 U.S. workers aged 18 or older, conducted in advance of Boss’s Day on Oct. 17, reveals that 61 percent of workers describe their relationships with their bosses as one of “mutual respect” that is strictly professional, while 23 percent said they actually considered their bosses to be friends.
Another 13 percent said they had little interaction with their bosses, while just 3 percent described the relationship as “non-existent.”
Overall, nearly two-thirds of workers surveyed said they are generally happy with their current boss.
A breakdown of the survey results by age group is published in an online slide show titled “The State of the Manager-Employee Relationship.” The slide show analysis shows that while only 8 percent of respondents said they are not happy with their bosses, the least happy workers are in the 35-54 year-old age group. Twelve percent in this group are unhappy with the person to whom they report.
Workers in this age group were also more likely to feel that their bosses don’t understand the demands of their job. Fifty-seven percent said bosses had some or no understanding of the day-to-day details of their jobs—and 39 percent of workers in this group reported that they had left a job because of a dysfunctional relationship with the boss.
The survey also asked how workers would feel if their bosses left the company and whether they would want their bosses job. Here, the youngest workers broke away from the rest of the pack with 54 percent of workers between the ages of 13 and 34 saying they would want the top job. Across all age groups, 67 percent they would not want the stress and responsibility associated with being the boss.
The survey also delved into worker wish lists, asking what they would like their bosses to do better. Communication topped a list of responses.
More details of the survey are available here.
About the Research
The survey was developed by Accountemps and conducted by an independent research firm. It includes responses from more than 1,000 U.S. workers 18 years of age or older.
About Accountemps
Accountemps, a Robert Half company, is the world’s first and largest specialized staffing service for temporary accounting, finance and bookkeeping professionals
Source: Accountemps/Robert Half