Homepage / Money
Related To Story
  SURVEY
Do you like your boss?

Survey: Good Boss Not That Hard To Find

Workers Respect Bosses, Not Company Leaders

POSTED: 5:06 pm CST February 17, 2007

On Presidents Day, Americans honor past U.S. leaders. But what about those who occupy the top spots in companies across the country?

According to a recent study, managers deserve some recognition, too. More than half -- 52 percent -- of employees polled said they are satisfied with the performance of their bosses, while 28 percent are unhappy with their supervisors, according to a press release.

Similarly, 60 percent of workers said they can trust their managers, compared to 21 percent who believe their supervisors aren't trustworthy. Less than one-quarter -- 24 percent -- of workers feel they could do a better job than their bosses if put in charge.

The survey was developed by Robert Half International, a specialized staffing firm, and CareerBuilder.com. It was conducted via a web panel and includes responses from more than 3,000 U.S. workers.

Managers drew the highest marks when it comes to addressing day-to-day problems, with 58 percent of employees saying their bosses make time to review their job concerns; only 22 percent disagreed.

Workers were somewhat less enthusiastic about their supervisors' willingness to help them advance professionally. Forty-five percent of respondents said their managers help them develop new skills, compared with 26 percent who disagreed.

"Helping employees acquire new skills and assume greater responsibility is one of the most effective ways managers can promote loyalty, increase employee performance and build future leaders," said Max Messmer, chairman and CEO of Robert Half International and author of Human Resources Kit For Dummies. "Unfortunately, this type of training takes time, and many managers are too consumed with trouble-shooting to offer their staff members guidance or professional development."

Managers More Favored Than Company Execs

While most employees approve of their supervisors' performance, workers aren't quite as complimentary about top executives.

Forty-four percent of workers said they are satisfied with their corporate leaders' performance -- 8 percentage points lower than those who said the same about their bosses. Likewise, while six out of 10 workers believe their bosses can be trusted, approximately four out of 10 said the same about their corporate leaders.

In addition, 36 percent of employees said those at the top lead by example, and 34 percent believe their corporate leaders are effective at motivating staff.

"The higher up the ranks an executive goes, the more challenging it becomes to communicate with staff," said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder.com. "Line managers have the benefit of being able to build rapport through daily interactions, whereas corporate executives typically must rely on more formal communication channels, which may not always be as effective."

The methodology used to collect survey responses from more than 3,000 workers involved selecting a random sample of comScore Networks panel members. These web panel members were approached via an e-mail invitation, which asked them to participate in a short online survey. The results of this survey are statistically accurate to within +/- 1.78 percentage points (19 times out of 20).


Links We Like

Sponsored Content
Thinking of remodeling? You don't have to spend a lot to add home value. See how even small updates can reap big financial returns. More

If you have aspirations of becoming a millionaire, check out these five habits that may be worth emulating. More

The signs of Cancer can sometimes be very subtle. Here's a guide to help you recognize them early. More

Snacking can be a healthy part of your diet, as long as you choose the right snacks. Get tips for eating between meals. More

Credit Report

560? 675? 720? The average US Credit Score is 692. What is your score? See it online for FREE! More

Best Local Rates On...



LocalNational

30 Yr Fixed Mortgage4.96%5.03%

48 Mo New Car Loan6.36%6.51%

$30k Home Eq Loan7.84%8.27%

6 Month CD0.87%0.88%
Help! I don't understand!
More Rates


Sponsored Links

Stock Quotes

Get a Quote
Enter Symbol

Consumer Info



Sponsored Content Provided by ARA

Housing Crunch

With banks and lenders facing major troubles, gain some insight on how to sell, refinance or keep your home. You'll find everything mortgage in our special section. More


E-Mail News Alerts
Get breaking news and daily headlines.
Browse all e-mail newsletters