Ultimate Software, a leading HCM provider, led a national study with The Center for Generational Kinetics. The study sought to uncover the differences in the ways employees and managers view their relationship.
Many of the findings were widely unexpected and two of the key findings were featured in USA Today Snapshots as the Stats of the Day!!!
Here is one finding that received tremendous attention: 80% of employees said they can do their jobs without their managers.
Watch the video below for to see the highlights from the study Jason Dorsey, President and Co-Founder at The Center, and Adam Rogers, Chief Technology Officer at Ultimate, shared on 24 TV shows!
How do managers impact employee satisfaction, productivity, and retention?
When it comes to productivity, employee happiness makes a big difference. In fact, 93% of employees surveyed said that trusting their direct supervisor is essential their satisfaction at work. Over half stated that if they aren’t satisfied at work, they can’t put forth their best effort.
Beyond productivity, an employee’s relationship with their manager affects retention. Employees said they would turn down a 10% salary increase to go work somewhere else in order to stay with a boss that they think is great.
But are managers and employees on the same page when it comes to how managers are performing? The data says not so much.
“These results really highlight that longstanding belief: people don’t leave companies, they leave managers,” said Jason Dorsey.
How are managers failing to meet employee expectations?
Communication is a big issue. While 80% of managers think they’re transparent with their direct reports, only 55% of employees agree. Additionally, 75% of employees say that approachability is the most important quality in an effective manager, but only 5 out of 10 employees say their managers are approachable.
Motivation is another area where managers are falling short; 71% of managers say they know how to motivate their team. On the other hand, only 44% of employees feel their managers know how to motivate them.
“We’re witnessing a fundamental shift in how employees view their managers. Manager relationships aren’t just about someone telling you how to do your job, it’s a relationship that has a major impact on employee retention and happiness,” said Adam Rogers.
How to improve the employee and manager relationship
Managers aren’t being trained or mentored. The survey revealed that 45% of managers have never received formal management training, and less than half have a mentor that gives them guidance on how to be a better leader.
Employers must mentor, train, and coach their managers in order to drive the workforce behaviors they need. In addition to teaching managers how to be better leaders, employers should leverage human resources and new technology to ensure relationships don’t deteriorate.
“The good news is organizations of all sizes can start taking steps today to close this growing divide and ultimately improve the manager-employee relationship,” added Jason Dorsey.
We are excited to bring this great information to you!
The Center’s team is proud to partner on such an important study. We are also pleased to share that Jason Dorsey is a member of the board of directors of Ultimate Software Group.
Interested in more cool stats, facts, and insights for solving leadership challenges? Follow us on Twitter @GenHQ and @JasonDorsey. We are passionate about sharing our latest discoveries.
