“24% of workers have nightmares about their boss.’’ Research by Totaljobs
New research reported this week in HRReview.co.uk revealing some awful truths about the state of the relationships between Managers and their teams at work.
The Totaljobs report also includes; 49% having left a job due to the relationship with their manager having turned sour, 34% would actively avoid their manager if they saw them in public and only 18% actually trust their boss.
Research by UK & Australian law firm Slater & Gordon around whether employees feel they can be open about their mental health, has revealed that 14% of employees being told to ‘man up’ when they told their boss they were dealing with mental health issues. The same research revealed that 37% of employees struggling to ‘switch off’ (at the weekends) and 60% suffering from ‘Sunday dread’.
When we spend so much of our lives at work it is really sad to read such statistics.
Let’s be honest, high workloads and tight deadlines can make work stressful, however many managers we meet let their mood be affected by this stress, often creating a trigger reaction of negativity and low energy in their teams, the negativity becomes contagious. Managers can also conform to an outdated model of management & leadership thinking that command and control, stick rather than carrot are the best ways to get results or have ‘control’.
#Beyourselfatwork and bringing your whole self to work, being authentic as a leader, is a positive call to make working cultures more human and real. Being aware of your impact on others, managing your emotional reactions and coming from a place of kindness.
Amy Edmondson, Novartis professor of leadership and management at Harvard Business School, was recognised this week by HRMag’s as “HR’s Most Influential thinker’’ for her work on psychological safety at work. Commenting on the win Edmondson said: “People cannot flourish in a culture of fear.’’
Positive, human and authentic work cultures “improve learning and performance outcomes, and is created when leaders are inclusive, humble, and encourage their staff to speak up or ask for help.’’ (HBR article about Psychological safety at work).
Do your team or colleagues have nightmares about you?
Be honest:
- How often do you react negatively to stress and high workloads?
- When you need to get things done – how do you interact with your team: carrot or stick?
- What is your normal reaction when things go wrong? Default to blame and stress or manage your emotions and be constructive?
- When was the last time you gave positive feedback or celebrated success?
- Can your team and colleagues be open and honest with you?
- Outside of work, would any of your team actively avoid you?
- If you are a nightmare – make the choice to change!
#BeYourselfAtWork