A+? C-? The Grade Most Employees Give Their Boss
Despite what they may say behind their back, the majority of employees think their boss is doing a good job, new research finds.
When asked to evaluate their performance, more than 60 percent of U.S. workers said their manager deserves an "A" or a "B," according to the study from CareerBuilder. Just 14 percent of those surveyed assigned their supervisor a "D" or "F."
The research shows that grades appear to be aligned with bosses' communication and management styles, with workers who interact more frequently with their bosses tending to rate their performance better than those who keep their distance.
Specifically, 31 percent of workers who interact several times a day in person with their boss assigned them an "A" grade, compared with just 17 percent of workers who interact with their boss once a day or less.
The study also discovered a correlation between positive ratings of bosses and open communication, even if that communication doesn't take place in person. One-quarter of the workers surveyed said their boss typically communicates with them via text or instant message. Of those employees, 30 percent gave their boss's performance an "A."
Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder, said managers who interact frequently and communicate directly are more likely to have the support of their employees.
The ideal form of that communication will vary from individual to individual, but everyone's jobs get done better when expectations and roles are clearly defined," Haefner said. "The best managers understand the triggers for their workers' success and are able to course correct when productivity drops or conflict arises."
The study did reveal that giving tasks well outside the job description is one way bosses can quickly lose workers' trust. More than 20 percent of the employees surveyed said their current boss asks them to do things unrelated to their jobs. Of those, 51 percent gave their bosses grades of "C" or worse.
The research was based on surveys of 3,022 full-time employees over the age of 18.
Originally published on Business News Daily.