The ubiquitous image of the “mean boss” may not reflect the experiences of most Canadian employees.
A survey by CareerBuilder.ca found that when asked to assign school grades to their bosses in terms of how well they do their jobs, most respondents – 69% – gave their bosses a B or higher. Almost a quarter of all respondents gave their bosses an A.
“The ‘bad boss’ is a common stereotype in movies and television, but when it comes to how workers really feel about their bosses, art may not necessarily imitate life,” the company said.
About a quarter of those polled said their bosses were doing an average job and deserved a C grade.
Some workers said they were unhappy with their employers. Six per cent said their bosses deserved a D. Only 3% gave them a failing grade.
Despite these positive results, around one-in-five respondents say they don’t think their bosses should be in a leadership role and a similar number believe they could do their bosses’ jobs better.
The survey asked respondents what qualities they feel make a good boss, and the top answer was fairness and equity in employee treatment. This was followed by recognition of good work, professionalism, competence, availability and communication style.
Some employees said it is important that employers be able to take constructive criticism.
“Managers are often the ones assessing employee performance, but it’s just as important for managers to solicit regular feedback from employees regarding their own performance,” said CareerBuilder Canada managing director Mark Bania.
“The best managers make an effort to understand what their employees need from them in order to do their jobs better and work to eliminate any obstacles that may be getting in the way of employees’ success.”
