“You’re fired!” 39% of Women Would Replace Their Boss
Burlingame, CA (PRWEB) December 02, 2014 -- In results from a recent survey conducted by SheByShe, the leading women’s opinion site, participating women had a lot to share about their bosses. Although the survey, “All About Bosses,” found that a majority of the women, 58 percent, loved or liked their boss, it is the other side of the coin that is more interesting – 26 percent of the women hated or disliked their boss and 16 percent were ambivalent. Well over a third, 39 percent, would fire their boss today if they could and 43 percent of the participating women avoid interacting with their boss as much as possible.
This SheByShe survey shows gender does not have a strong sway in how women feel about their bosses. About half the women taking the survey work for a woman (49 percent) and the other half (51 percent) work for a man. When asked if gender plays a role in boss effectiveness, 68 percent of survey participants said “no.” Seventy-three percent of survey participants have no preference about whether they work for a man or a woman.
“The ‘boss’ relationship is one of the most important in everyone’s life, man or woman. What this survey tells us is that women are ready to put bosses on notice – they know they deserve a great boss and understand the difference between a boss that helps their career and one who does not,” said Victoria Pynchon, attorney and co-founder of She Negotiates.
What Makes a Boss Bad?
What is it that bothers women about their bosses? The reasons vary but there are common themes. Forty-six percent say they do not receive regular, constructive feedback from their boss, 41 percent say they do not receive specific and clear expectations, and 45 percent say their boss doesn’t help them much at all.
One participant explained, “My boss rarely communicates with me. There is never any praise or criticism of my work. He provides no feedback despite being asked.”
Unfortunately, 29 percent of the respondents have had to suffer through a nightmare boss at least once. One woman said, “I once had a boss that would tell me I’m doing such a great job, but would then snap and say that I don’t know what I’m doing.” Another woman said, “My nightmare boss had an affair with my assistant. He made my life hell.”
Eight Qualities of a Good Boss
When asked about what qualities define a good boss, the results show a wide variety of opinions. The following eight qualities of a good boss were mentioned most frequently:
1. Respectful
2. Good Communicator
3. Honest
4. Fair
5. Knowledgeable
6. Good Listener
7. Mentoring
8. Motivating
One woman describes the perfect boss as, “…being fair across the board and not taking sides. Someone praising your work rather than always pointing out mistakes, and respecting employees by not talking down to them.”
Another woman said a good boss is, “…someone who sets goals…and, actively follows through. Someone interested in my growth, and who pushes me in a positive fashion.”
SheByShe is Providing Women a Voice
The SheByShe “All About Bosses” survey questioned Internet-savvy women, ages 20-64, from across the U.S., and representing a broad range of ages, income levels and geographic locations. Eighty-seven percent of the survey respondents are employed full-time and 13 percent are employed part-time.
A colorful, visual slideshow of survey results can be found here.
The survey was conducted in September and October of 2014 and represents the views of 202 women.
About SheByShe
SheByShe is a women’s opinion site dedicated to sharing what women think about important issues. SheByShe is committed to being objective and transparent. SheByShe is not affiliated with any political party, religion or other group. Surveys are fielded to cover current social, lifestyle, economic, and political issues. Results are posted on SheByShe.com and are shared with key influencers and publicized through major media and information dissemination sources. Participating women feel satisfied that they are speaking up and sharing their point-of-view. For more information or to contact SheByShe please go to http://www.shebyshe.com.
SheByShe is a trademark of SheByShe. All other product names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Julie McHenry, SheByShe, http://www.shebyshe.com, (650) 504-6655, [email protected]
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