Brace For Impact

According to a LinkedIn survey, 88% of participants said they would be happier if their boss called in sick for work. This is incredibly disheartening because a boss is supposed to enhance the ability of their people to succeed in a safe and inspiring environment. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case most of the time.

The impact of a boss who isn’t focused on the betterment of their people is creating a bit of chaos in the ranks. According to Training Industry magazine, bad bosses create lower self-esteem, manifest a variety of physical health problems in others, and diminish the overall psychological well-being of an individual. Their research indicated an average cost of $5,000 per direct report in treatment by physicians and counselors per year.

So what does that mean a good boss does? Interestingly, a good boss reduces physical, mental, and emotional distress in their direct reports. A good boss inspires people to have stronger personal relationships both at work and outside of work. A good boss increases the ethical self-concept of their employees, resulting in better service to clients and customers. And, a good boss reduces the requirement for medical treatments per direct report.

When we begin to really look at the value of developing the leadership capacity of our people, we begin to see the benefits to both the individual direct reports as well as society as a whole. Employees are looking for several positive impacts from their boss.

1. They want to know they are safe to learn, grow, struggle a little in mastering new skills, and strive to be the best version of themselves possible. If they are beaten up for making mistakes or “rewarded with more work” for doing a good job, they don’t feel safe.
2. They want to know they are valued for their contributions and ideas. The simple act of appreciation has been demonstrated to increase an employee’s desire to perform at a higher level. Listening to your employees and seeking to create a culture of collaboration for a specific end goal makes a huge impact.
3. They want to know the boss is present, both physically and mentally. Far too many top leaders are R.O.D., Retired On Duty. People are now talking about “quiet quitting” with employees when they give only the minimum required. The same phenomenon has been around with bosses for years. When a boss gets promoted and begins to think they don’t need to actively be a part of the team because they have ‘made it,’ this leads to disengagement from the team. Regularly engaging with the team in a positive manner and setting the pace for performance matter greatly.

Being a great boss is a tremendous responsibility. The impact of a bad boss can cause problems for years after an employee leaves their employment. It can even impact the next generation of employees and their desire to work at all. But, the impact of having a great boss makes all the difference in the world for employees and the perspective their kids will have on the benefits of work and purpose. Go out and make a positive impact as a boss today. Increase the health and well-being of those employees you serve.