Better Bosses Mean More Than Money to Workers

Think you can’t afford to keep your workers happy? Think again.  According to one expert, it isn’t all about money.

Psychologist Michelle McQuaid  recently conducted a study that found 65% of American workers say a better relationship with their manager would make them happy, while 35% said they would choose a pay raise over a better boss.

And while many are likely thankful to have a job in such a tight market, only 36% of Americans are actually happy at their job. What’s more, 31% of employees polled said they feel uninspired and unappreciated by their boss, and 15% said they feel miserable, bored and lonely at work.

Having unhappy workers is a huge drain on a company’s bottom line, McQuaid said in a statement. This costs organizations $360 billion annually in lost productivity. Nearly 60% of Americans said they would do a better job at work if they got along better with their boss.

Some of the respondents even pointed the finger at their bosses for their own career trajectories. More than half (55%) said they would be more successful if they got along better with their boss. McQuaid surveyed 1000 American executives for the study.