Industry Buzz: The Plight of a Horrible Boss

I’ve been hearing a lot about bosses lately. In fact, the media tends to be a bit obsessed with them. Undercover Boss is a hit show on CBS; Warner Bros. made not just one, but two films about just how horrible bosses can be; and TIME magazine recently published a piece titled “If You Think Your Boss Is Horrible, You’re Probably Right.”

Take note — two of these included “horrible” in the title, and that’s not surprising. In fact, when it comes to employee turnover, a Gallup poll of more than 1 million U.S. workers deduced that the top reason people quit their jobs is a bad boss.

So how can you ensure your company’s employee turnover isn’t a result of a “horrible boss?” Here are some top signs you may have a bad supervisor in your midsts.

When there’s an issue, he or she always blames those below him or her, instead of taking responsibility.
When a mistake is made, he or she seems indifferent.
He or she talks bad about other employees behind their backs.
You rarely, if ever, hear them offer praise about others.
He or she doesn’t seem to know the answers to questions he or she should be plugged into.

These are just some signs to look out for. However, looking at those under a boss can be very telling as well. If they clearly respect what their supervisor has to say and work hard for him or her, that’s a sign you have a good boss on staff.

This issue is an important one because employee turnover can be costly. According to Gallup, it’s estimated that replacing an employee costs a business one-half to five times that employee’s annual salary. As a result, ensuring your supervisors are good ones is not just smart — it’s business savvy.

Rachel Zabonick is the Editor of Club Solutions Magazine. She can be reached at rachel@clubsolutionsmagazine.com. Reach out to her about exciting events or programs your club has implemented, or to share the amazing accomplishments of a member.