Survey: Bosses Are from Venus, Workers from Mars

September 20, 2006 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Virtually all the managers participating in a Hudson Talent Management poll believe they are the cat's meow when it comes to supervisors.

However, employees beg to differ. Despite 92% of managers asserting that they are an excellent or a good boss, Hudson said in a news release, only about seven in 10 (67%) employees gave their supervisor a positive review.

Among those who are given the chance to evaluate their boss, 10% say the supervisor does a poor job.

That the workers’ actual evaluation is still a mystery to most supervisors is not surprising since only 26% of workers have the opportunity to offer their opinions about the boss.

Even though none of the managers in the latest survey say they are doing a poor job, a lot admit they need a helping hand. A quarter (26%) say they do not receive adequate training to handle their managerial responsibilities.

“Reviews cannot provide a complete picture of a manager’s performance if you are not looking at how they are perceived by workers reporting to them,” said Robert Morgan, chief operating officer, Hudson Talent Management, in the news release. “Not only are 360-degree reviews a good opportunity to assess an employee’s capabilities as a manager, but they also let workers know that their opinions are valued, regardless of where they sit in the organization.”

Replacing Their Boss

Interestingly, the Hudson respondents were also asked who was likely to replace their supervisor upon his or her departure. Of the 4% of employees who believe it is very or somewhat likely they would be offered their manager’s job following his or her departure, only half (54%) actually want to make the move. That figure jumps to 65% for those making more than $75,000 annually.

Current managers are also much more ready to step into their bosses’ shoes than non-managers (62% vs. 46%). Not only that, but employees closer to the end of their careers (ages 50-64) are less interested in management than those in their 30s (47% vs. 61%).

Other findings include:

  • Managers do not frequently provide information regarding strategic or organizational changes. Half of the workforce reported that they rarely, if ever, receive this type of information, or they only hear about major announcements.
  • Among workers who are given the opportunity to formally review their managers, three-quarters (73%) believe their feedback is taken seriously.
  • Men are more interested in stepping into their boss’s position than women (60% vs. 47%).
  • Managers are less critical of their bosses’ performance, with 73% indicating they do an excellent or good job compared to 63% of non-managers.
  • Employees with children at home are more interested in assuming their supervisor’s job than those without kids (62% vs. 48%).

The Hudson managerial survey is based on a national poll of 1,854 US workers conducted September 7 to 10, 2006 and was compiled by Rasmussen Reports, LLC, a research firm. More information is at www.hudson-index.com .

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