Just under half of UK employees have quit their job due to the negative relationship they have with their boss.
Research conducted by Totaljobs, a UK job board has found that 49 per cent of UK employees have left their job as their relationship with their manager has turned sour.
This situation can lead to mental health issues with more than a quarter (26 per cent) saying they have requested mental health support because of their relationship with their manager. As well as 24 per cent even admitting to having nightmares about their boss.
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Also 59 per cent said they would never socialise with their manager with more than a third (34 per cent) saying they would actively avoid managers if they saw them in public.
Only 18 per cent feel that they can actually trust their boss.
Totaljobs believe that one of the reasons behind this divide is poor training for managers, as 40 per cent of managers said they have never received management training. Only after a year in to the job did 18 per cent receive any training.
More than three quarters (78 per cent) of junior managers admitted to feeling like a “professional phoney” at least once during their careers.
Nearly two thirds (62 per cent) of managers have conducted interviews with no training at all, with 37 per cent of candidates have withdrawn an application because of the interviewer’s behaviour.
Managers who have received training for the role feel a lot more confident with 69 per cent of managers stating they felt prepared to manage others.
More than half (52 per cent) believe what would improve their relationship with their managers is a clear objective, 49 per cent said task-specific feedback and 46 per cent said detailed-job descriptions.
Alexandra Sydney, marketing director at Totaljobs said:
Today’s workforce is clear about the fact that they want to work for companies that will take the time to recognise and invest in their careers. That’s why it’s troubling that so few workers are willing to place trust in their managers – the very individuals whose role it is to coach staff and help them to understand and build their strengths. There is a misconception in some quarters that individuals can learn how to be manager while on the job, while the skills needed to do it well can be easily picked up through experience.
Building a successful team takes more than just hiring people with the right technical skills. That’s why employers should ensure management staff are given the training and confidence they need to not just rule over junior employees, but to appropriately support and develop their professional journeys. Employers should adopt an open channel of conversation between management and their reports, encouraging discussion around professional expectations and aspirations. Ultimately communication is a two-way street, but one that can lead to trust, development and success.
Darius is the editor of HRreview. He has previously worked as a finance reporter for the Daily Express. He studied his journalism masters at Press Association Training and graduated from the University of York with a degree in History.
- Darius McQuaid
- Darius McQuaid
- Darius McQuaid
- Darius McQuaid
