Research from Totaljobs has uncovered a worrying divide in the relationships between line managers and their employees as 26% report they are seeking mental health support due to the relationship with their boss going sour
It’s no wonder that a relationship that defines most of our working lives is so key to retaining employees and that its downfall can lead to us looking to the horizon. Yet the research shows it is on shaky ground: Less than one in five (18%) of us feel we can trust our boss.
As a result, many are choosing to hold back at work: Only a third (34%) of workers said they felt confident they could approach their manager about a work-related issue, dropping to just one in five (20%) when raising a personal problem. (1)
Bottling up potential difficulties, in turn, has consequences. A quarter (26%) of people told Totaljobs they’ve sought mental health support because of their working relationship with a line manager.
A further 24% admit to having suffered nightmares about their boss. Earlier this year, Totaljobs found that more than a quarter one in four (28%) workers went so far as to single out their manager as a work enemy. (2) And a breakdown in key workplace relationship sees half (49%) of UK workers leave job because of line manager.
Worryingly this is completely at odds with what managers believe. Four out of five believe reports can trust them (8.43 out of 10) and eight in 10 (81%) believe reports can approach them about work issues. So how can the disconnect be solved, and how can managers look to improve how they offer employees a support network?
No training, no gaining
Becoming a good boss isn’t always easy. So just how prepared do bosses feel when asked to take on the responsibilities of managing others?
The picture isn’t encouraging: Four in 10 managers said that they
Workplace mental health still misunderstood
have never received any management training, with 18% only receiving training more than a year after having taken up their new responsibilities.
A lack of feeling prepared could lie behind high rates of so-called Imposter Phenomenon Totaljobs has uncovered at managerial levels: A whopping 78% of junior managers admitted to feeling like a professional phoney at least once during their careers. (3)
The upshot is that even with some of the most fundamental tasks a manager can perform, there appear to be signs of training shortfalls. In the case of job interviews, nearly two-thirds (62%) of managers have conducted interviews without any training at all.
One in three (37%) candidates have withdrawn a job application because of the interviewer’s behaviour, but when training is provided, it can make a big difference. Approximately seven in 10 (69%) of those who have received the appropriate training say they felt it effectively prepared them for the job of managing others.
Yet once through the interview stage, the relationship between managers and employees isn’t functioning well as it should. Employees surveyed by Totaljobs have revealed what they consider to be their bosses’ worst habits. Playing favourites (49%), speaking behind people’s backs (43%), and taking credit for other people’s work (36%) are just a few of the ways bosses have been found to bother subordinates.
Out of office
There’s little chance many managers will find themselves invited to many employee BBQs this summer. More than half of reports told Totaljobs they never socialise with their managers (59%).
In fact, one in three told Totaljobs they would go so far as to actively avoid their managers if they spotted them in public (34%). Why? A third of them (31%) told us this was because they would simply find crossing paths too awkward. And almost half (46%) reasoned that they don’t believe they have anything in common.
Despite this, the good news is that very few reports hate their bosses. (3) Half (48%) simply prefer to consider their relationship to be that of ‘just colleagues’. Similarly, over two-thirds of managers consider their relationship to be strictly professional. (5)
With both sides on the same page, the door is open for those who wish to take the relationship in a positive direction.
Career boosters
What are the ingredients that mark out a successful relationship with a manager?
Clear objectives (52%), task-specific feedback (49%) and detailed job descriptions (46%) all rated highest amongst reports as the best things managers can do for them. Ultimately the kind of actions which guide and develop individuals to professional success.
Management roles aren’t always a natural fit for everyone. The ability to communicate effectively, develop and lead are not a given set of universal skills.
Alexandra Sydney, Marketing Director at Totaljobs explains why it is important for managers to be offered coaching from the start to develop and hone their leadership strengths:
‘‘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.”
References
- Managers share an opposite view. 8 in 10 (a score of 8.43 out of 10) believe their reports can trust them and can approach them regarding both work (81%) and personal (61%) issues.
- The World of Work Enemies, Totaljobs (2019) https://www.totaljobs.com/insidejob/work-enemies/
- Imposter Phenomenon, Totaljobs (2019) https://www.totaljobs.com/insidejob/imposter-phenomenon/
- Only 1 in 10 (15%) of respondents either dislike or hate their boss.
- 48% of reports and 65% of managers consider their relationship to be that of ‘just colleagues’
