"He shouted at me and shit in front of everyone else and made me cry, so I quit." Or: "Choleric seizures because of trivialities." That shakes the nerves. "
Bullying, systematic pressure, exposing in front of a team, personal insults by the boss: This must deal with a good part of the skilled workers in Germany, according to a study of the market research institute respondi. More than half of the participants reported that they had already experienced stressful behavior by superiors.
And not a few drew consequences: Almost 30 percent of the respondents have already quit their jobs because of a supervisor. The main reasons mentioned by the experts were incompetence, bad character of the superiors, unfair treatment and mental and physical assaults.
Around 2000 skilled workers with completed vocational training but no studies, ie non-academics, from different sectors were interviewed for the study - and were allowed to rate their superiors with school grades. Overall, the result was positive. More than half of respondents rated the bosses with censorship "good" or even "very good".
On average, executives across all industries came up with a three +
Very good: 12.8 percent
Good: 41.5 percent
Satisfactory: 25.6 percent
Sufficient: 11.5 percent.
Poor: 6.6 percent
Insufficient: 2.2 percent
Supervisors in the craft trades and in smaller companies were rated best. However, the size of the company apparently also plays a role in the termination.
In companies with less than 50 employees, the proportion of those who have already quit out of frustration was significantly higher at 36 percent than at employers with more than 500 employees. Here, about 25 percent changed jobs because of their boss.
Also depending on the industry there were differences. In nursing, for example, skilled workers often changed jobs because of a boss rather than in the public sector.
Best experience: "That my boss tells others that he knows what's wrong with me"
The study authors also asked the participants about their "most beautiful" and "worst experience" with their superiors. Around 1000 respondents reported specific negative examples:
"Choleric roared, screamed and thrown with folders."
"That my boss forced me to work 21 days without a break."
"My wife had a stroke and my boss did not want to let me go."
During the survey more than 1,600 participants also described positive experiences with their superiors:
"When I was not feeling well, he kept stress and work away from me."
"That my boss says in front of others that he knows what he has about me and that he attaches great importance to my statements."
"toasting with champagne at success" or the chocolate Santa Claus on 6 December
The described "most beautiful experiences" have often gone to esteem, the study authors stated. And: "With very many professionals, it has a lasting positive effect, when the superiors take account of personal distress or stress, react caring and" keep their backs "for their people."
And what do professionals recommend to their superiors?
The authors of the study report that individual respondents recommend to their executives going to a psychotherapist or advising them to "stop lying". Apparently, some employees have accumulated enormous frustration due to bad leadership experiences.
However, the recommendation made several times to visit "social and emotional skills training" or a "staff management seminar" on occasion may well give the impression that some supervisors are overburdened with their job either professionally or personally.
Part of the concrete advice to executives is also still strongly influenced by a traditional leadership, according to the "boss" to be assertive, and make strong decisions by themselves, the authors write. The bulk of the concrete advice, however, let a modern, employee-oriented management style shine through as ideal.