Bad_bossA survey by Chicago-base LaSalle Network released in October 2016, canvassed more than 1,000 workers by email between October 10 to 16, 2016. The results were not surprising, most employees have had a bad boss but more than half have never told other leaders. The survey also highlighted the main characteristics that respondents attributed to bad bosses.

The findings of the survey:

  • 84% of respondents have had a bad boss.
  • 43% quit the company because of the bad boss.
  • 59% would have stayed if given the opportunity to report to someone else.
  • 55% never reported the bad boss’s behavior to leadership.
  • 56% of their bad boss only noticed negative things about the employee’s performance.
  • 45% considered they had a bad boss s/he only cared about themselves; not their staff.
  • 44% stated their bad boss was “clueless”; never knew what was going on in the company or was forgetful.
  • 31% their bad boss was absent (travel, little time in the office, etc)

What can you do about a bad boss? Speak up and let other leaders know about the bad boss but be very specific with the examples. This is the only way, the organizational leaders can provide feedback or remediation. 

Wilkie, D. (November 2, 2016). SHRM.org. Top Traits of Bad Managers: ‘Clueless,’ ‘Focus on Negatives’