9 ms·

2 in 5 Canadians quit their jobs because of bad bosses

lnsru 7y ago
The problem is how people get into this position “boss”. There might be, that one guy gets promoted, then department is growing and first guy makes his old buddy to a manager. He’s loyal and that’s good, but this new manager isn’t able to manage anything. There is also situation when owner of a small company retires and leaves his company to the kids. Horror for employees is about to start. There are no perfect bosses, that’s clear. But it’s time to leave when you see after couple years, that your boss is a real nutjob.
thfuran 7y ago
40% of Canadians or 40% of Canadians who quit jobs?
- beat 7y ago
  40% of office workers.
  - UI_at_80x24 7y ago
    40% of respondents to the survey.
CoolGuySteve 7y ago
Actual article linked from the tweet: https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/bad-bosses-survey-1.5313294 https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/bad-bosses-survey-1.5313294
- mikejarema 7y ago
  The research linked from the linked article: https://www.roberthalf.ca/en/two-in-five-workers-in-canada-have-quit-due-to-a-bad-boss-survey-reveals https://www.roberthalf.ca/en/two-in-five-workers-in-canada-h... According to that page, the data is drawn from an online survey of 400 office workers aged 18 and older.
mugwort13 7y ago
Is it really bad bosses, or is it spoiled entitlement mentality that is becoming so popular?
PeterisP 7y ago
It's kind of well-known universal truth in HR/management research - when hiring, various "whole-employer" factors dominate, but at employee retention/quitting the largest single factor is the line manager/direct supervisor; people join companies but quit bosses.
- jcroll 7y ago
  How many people actually think they have a good boss?
  - Bootwizard 7y ago
    I have a great boss: nobody. Our company has a very flat structure, so sure we have product managers that tell me what to do, but in no way are they my boss. This works better than any other org structure I've been a part of in the past.
    - tomashubelbauer 7y ago
      How does that work? What happens if you say "no" to them? And who fires who in such structure?
      - wcarron 7y ago
        Well, they said "very flat", not "entirely flat". I'm willing to bet that his/her company does have some supervisory or managerial roles, but very few, with most employees on the same "level", per se.
      - WrtCdEvrydy 7y ago
        Not OP, but at my job, managers are fairly hands off. > What happens if you say "no" to them? It's not adversarial, it's a meeting of the minds to ensure we deliver the best product to our customer. > who fires who in such structure Termination is usually Director-level call, Managers are mostly for other HR items.
gunnr15 7y ago
“Employees leave managers, not companies”. I think this is well understood, however, why isn’t that logic applied to hiring? Even for startups, my experience points to early employees joining founders that they like or have worked closely with before. The actual problem they are solving usually is in the top 3, but not the #1 reason.
- Impossible 7y ago
  The manager and team I'm joining, as well as general team/company culture have a massive affect on whether or not I accept a position. Company matters of course but I've also joined potentially problematic companies because I felt good about the team and not regretted the decision.
- drdeadringer 7y ago
  I've applied this to hiring as an interviewee. Some places I've interviewed at ... would not have worked out. Sometimes you are happy for a "no".
badboxo 7y ago
At least in my working life, I have realize nobody actually thinks they are a bad boss. Even when presented with evidence that they might be causing a project to steer off course, most bosses I have seen just continue to act the same way. And when things don't get done, its always the employees fault.. no wonder people leave.
allemagne 7y ago
40% seems unusual, right? Does Canada have unusually bad bosses? Or is it that Canadians feel secure enough in their ability to find new jobs, that they don't hesitate to leave a bad one? Could be somewhere in the middle, but my guess is that the truth lies closer to the second option.
bregma 7y ago
3 in 5 Canadians continue to work with bad bosses.
Dumblydorr 7y ago
My boss is so kind and great. I'm almost bored though, my boss is so busy I dont have tasks delegated to me and there's very little pressure. How does a non self starter thrive with a busy boss?
- jrumbut 7y ago
  I think self starting is much less a trait and much more a skill, the kind you learn by doing, starting at whatever skill level you are. Maybe the first thing to do would be researching new ways you can contribute, typing up a brief summary, proposing them to your boss? A kind boss is likely to appreciate the thought anyway.
- mullen 7y ago
  You approach your busy boss with what you just said and ask for more work or tasks or you work out a system to get more work or tasks. A busy boss might really like having someone they can just toss work to. However, be warned, you might find yourself with tasks outside of what you usually do, but that is part of the adventure and challenge.
100-xyz 7y ago
Describes my situation exactly :-)

The problem is how people get into this position “boss”. There might be, that one guy gets promoted, then department is growing and first guy makes his old buddy to a manager. He’s loyal and that’s good, but this new manager isn’t able to manage anything. There is also situation when owner of a small company retires and leaves his company to the kids. Horror for employees is about to start. There are no perfect bosses, that’s clear. But it’s time to leave when you see after couple years, that your boss is a real nutjob.

thfuran 7y ago

40% of Canadians or 40% of Canadians who quit jobs?

beat 7y ago
40% of office workers.
- UI_at_80x24 7y ago
  40% of respondents to the survey.

CoolGuySteve 7y ago

Actual article linked from the tweet: https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/bad-bosses-survey-1.5313294 https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/bad-bosses-survey-1.5313294

mikejarema 7y ago
The research linked from the linked article: https://www.roberthalf.ca/en/two-in-five-workers-in-canada-have-quit-due-to-a-bad-boss-survey-reveals https://www.roberthalf.ca/en/two-in-five-workers-in-canada-h... According to that page, the data is drawn from an online survey of 400 office workers aged 18 and older.

mugwort13 7y ago

Is it really bad bosses, or is it spoiled entitlement mentality that is becoming so popular?

PeterisP 7y ago

It's kind of well-known universal truth in HR/management research - when hiring, various "whole-employer" factors dominate, but at employee retention/quitting the largest single factor is the line manager/direct supervisor; people join companies but quit bosses.

jcroll 7y ago
How many people actually think they have a good boss?
- Bootwizard 7y ago
  I have a great boss: nobody. Our company has a very flat structure, so sure we have product managers that tell me what to do, but in no way are they my boss. This works better than any other org structure I've been a part of in the past.
  - tomashubelbauer 7y ago
    How does that work? What happens if you say "no" to them? And who fires who in such structure?
    - wcarron 7y ago
      Well, they said "very flat", not "entirely flat". I'm willing to bet that his/her company does have some supervisory or managerial roles, but very few, with most employees on the same "level", per se.
    - WrtCdEvrydy 7y ago
      Not OP, but at my job, managers are fairly hands off. > What happens if you say "no" to them? It's not adversarial, it's a meeting of the minds to ensure we deliver the best product to our customer. > who fires who in such structure Termination is usually Director-level call, Managers are mostly for other HR items.

gunnr15 7y ago

“Employees leave managers, not companies”. I think this is well understood, however, why isn’t that logic applied to hiring? Even for startups, my experience points to early employees joining founders that they like or have worked closely with before. The actual problem they are solving usually is in the top 3, but not the #1 reason.

Impossible 7y ago
The manager and team I'm joining, as well as general team/company culture have a massive affect on whether or not I accept a position. Company matters of course but I've also joined potentially problematic companies because I felt good about the team and not regretted the decision.
drdeadringer 7y ago
I've applied this to hiring as an interviewee. Some places I've interviewed at ... would not have worked out. Sometimes you are happy for a "no".

badboxo 7y ago

At least in my working life, I have realize nobody actually thinks they are a bad boss. Even when presented with evidence that they might be causing a project to steer off course, most bosses I have seen just continue to act the same way. And when things don't get done, its always the employees fault.. no wonder people leave.

allemagne 7y ago

40% seems unusual, right? Does Canada have unusually bad bosses? Or is it that Canadians feel secure enough in their ability to find new jobs, that they don't hesitate to leave a bad one? Could be somewhere in the middle, but my guess is that the truth lies closer to the second option.

bregma 7y ago

3 in 5 Canadians continue to work with bad bosses.

Dumblydorr 7y ago

My boss is so kind and great. I'm almost bored though, my boss is so busy I dont have tasks delegated to me and there's very little pressure. How does a non self starter thrive with a busy boss?

jrumbut 7y ago
I think self starting is much less a trait and much more a skill, the kind you learn by doing, starting at whatever skill level you are. Maybe the first thing to do would be researching new ways you can contribute, typing up a brief summary, proposing them to your boss? A kind boss is likely to appreciate the thought anyway.
mullen 7y ago
You approach your busy boss with what you just said and ask for more work or tasks or you work out a system to get more work or tasks. A busy boss might really like having someone they can just toss work to. However, be warned, you might find yourself with tasks outside of what you usually do, but that is part of the adventure and challenge.

100-xyz 7y ago

Describes my situation exactly :-)