New Fierce, Inc. Study: Despite the Hype, Bosses Aren't So Horrible After All

SEATTLE, WA--(Marketwire - Oct 12, 2011) - Fierce, Inc., a world-class communications and leadership development company, today announced the results of a survey of more than 1,700 corporate executives, employees, and educators across diverse market sectors including finance, healthcare, retail, aerospace, and defense. The survey provides new insight into how employees perceive their relationships with supervisors, the key factors that distinguish between good managers and bad, and the gaps between what managers want to improve and what employees actually need.

As the blockbuster movie Horrible Bosses made clear, an employee's relationship with his supervisor can deeply impact workplace morale and collaboration -- an assertion supported by the 75 percent of Fierce survey respondents who claim that their relationships with supervisors have a direct effect on their job satisfaction. Another 90% believe their bosses' management style impacts their relationships with coworkers.

Contrary to much of the recent hype around bad bosses, over 70 percent of respondents claimed to have a good working relationship with their supervisor. Even more encouraging is that 62 percent of those surveyed report that their job satisfaction is "high" or "extremely high," and 53 percent report that their boss' management style has a direct and positive impact on their relationships with coworkers, fostering collaboration and encouraging candid communication.

While these results are good news for businesses looking to retain and engage their workforce, the survey also revealed the central characteristics of good bosses, which include:

• Eighty percent of respondents who reported a good employee-supervisor relationship claim that the most important thing a boss can do to create a positive working relationship is to both solicit and value their input.
• Among respondents who claimed to have a poor relationship with their boss, 42 percent stated that one of the top reasons the relationship was strained was due to their boss' failure to listen or take their input into account.
• Of the managers surveyed, less than 25 percent identified soliciting input as an area in which they wanted to improve.
• Thirty-seven percent of those who reported a good relationship felt that it was also important for a manager to offer constructive feedback.
• Over 40 percent of those who felt they had a bad supervisor identified a lack of candor on the part of their boss as critical to the downfall of the relationship.

As this survey makes clear, communication is at the core of the employee-supervisor relationship. Employees who receive constructive feedback and feel heard overwhelmingly have positive, productive relationships with their supervisors and coworkers. Employees who feel under-valued and are kept out of the loop are less satisfied with their workplace relationships and with their jobs generally, reducing engagement and ultimately productivity.

"Communication is at the core of all of our relationships, both personal and professional," said Halley Bock, CEO of Fierce, Inc. "Without it, relationships fail, and with them our careers and lives. Fierce is committed to providing business executives, managers, and employees with the skills necessary to have effective, candid and goal-oriented conversations that build strong relationships, encourage collaboration, create engagement, and drive business results."

While the nearly three-quarters of respondents who felt that they had a positive relationship with their bosses is certainly encouraging, there is still a disconnect between what employees need and what bosses are actively seeking to provide. To close this communication gap, Fierce seeks to help employees and managers identify the key communication challenges impacting interoffice relationships, and to actively work toward communication that facilitates strong relationships, employee engagement, and the success of the business.

For more information on Fierce, Inc., visit http://www.fierceinc.com or connect with the company via the contact page.

About Fierce
Fierce, Inc. is an award-winning leadership development and training company that drives results for business and education by developing conversation as a skill. Fierce creates authentic, energizing and rewarding connections with colleagues and customers through skillful conversations that lead to successful outcomes and measurable ROI. Tailored to any organization, Fierce principles and methods translate across the globe, ensure individual and collective success and develop skills that are practical, easy-to-learn and can be applied immediately. Fierce's programs have been successfully implemented at blue-chip companies worldwide, including Ernst & Young, Starbucks, Wal-Mart, Coca-Cola, CARE and Crate & Barrel. Fierce has been received numerous industry and business accolades. The company has twice been honored as an Inc. 500|5000 company, and in 2011 was named to TrainingIndustry.com's Companies to Watch list and Seattle Business Magazine's 100 Best Companies to Work For list.