Press Report from the University of Florida:

Heading back to work after the holidays can be tough at the best of times, but a recent study suggests the reluctance some feel about heading back to the office has more to do with their boss than anything else.

The report from the University of Florida claims two out of five bosses are liars, nearly a quarter of those managers invaded their employees’ privacy and nearly 30 percent bad-mouthed those they supervise to co-workers.

“They say that employees don’t leave their job or company, they leave their boss,” said Wayne Hochwarter, an associate professor of management in the College of Business at Florida State University.

Doctoral students at the university surveyed more than 700 people working in a variety of jobs about how they’re treated by their boss.

Researchers found that a healthy and relaxing work environment is often more important to employees than pay. Workers who have to deal with poor relationships on the job are more likely to face stress, nervousness, depressed moods and mistrust, leading to lower productivity for the company.

“They (employees) were less likely to take on additional tasks, such as working longer or on weekends and were generally less satisfied with their job,” the study found.

“Also, employees were more likely to leave if involved in an abusive relationship, than if dissatisfied with pay.”

The findings of the study include:

39 per cent of workers said their supervisor failed to keep promises.
37 per cent said their supervisor failed to give credit when due.
31 per cent said their supervisor gave them the “silent treatment” in the last year.
27 per cent said their supervisor made negative comments about them to other employees or managers.
24 per cent said their supervisor invaded their privacy.
23 per cent said their supervisor blamed others to cover up mistakes or to minimize embarrassment.

Hochwarter said it’s important to stay positive if you’re suffering under bad boss.

“It is important to stay positive, even when you get irritated or discouraged, because few subordinate-supervisor relationships last forever,” he said.

“You want the next boss to know what you can do for the company.”