RISMEDIA, Jan. 10, 2008-Heads-up, bosses! According to Yahoo! HotJobs’ annual job satisfaction survey, 72 percent of employees are open to a new career opportunity in 2008, and you might be the reason. More than four out of 10 employees (43 percent) blame either dislike of their boss’ management style or lack of mentorship at their company as the reason they would be willing to leave their current job.
While salary (36 percent) and growth potential (34 percent) are also major considerations in deciding whether to seek out a new career challenge, the majority of respondents, 55 percent, agree that “people don’t leave companies, they leave managers.”
“Having a fair, sympathetic manager who makes employees feel valued is a crucial element to an employee’s job satisfaction,” says Yahoo! HotJobs Managing Editor, Tom Musbach. “A good manager will remember that it’s important to offer intangible benefits like work-life balance, positive recognition and opportunities for growth. These are just as relevant as the basics, like salary, benefits and vacation days, when it comes to making employees happy.”
In fact, when asked which aspect of their job was most important for determining their happiness at work, most respondents, 32 percent, say having a good boss or supervisor ranks first, followed closely by salary and opportunities for advancement. And, in identifying their ideal manager, 70 percent of respondents prefer a hands-off boss who trusts them to do their job but is there when needed.
Top Qualities of a Good Boss
Almost half of respondents, 43 percent, think they could do as good or a better job than their boss if they switched positions for a day. If given that opportunity, here are the qualities they consider necessary for being a good boss (in order of importance):
1. Communication/listening skills
2. Effective leadership skills
3. Trust in their employees to do their job well
4. Flexibility and understanding
5. Intelligence
6. Teamwork skills and even temperament (tie)
7. Interest in employee development
8. Ability to share credit
9. Successful in finding and retaining new talent
10. Presentation skills
Earn More Job Satisfaction
The workplace dynamic is changing. Employees have raised the bar when it comes to job satisfaction, expecting their employers to offer more-whether it is salary, respect, work-life balance or even vacation time. If they’re not getting what they feel they deserve, they might join the 30 percent of employees who are not only open to a new opportunity, but who are actively looking for a new position in 2008.
Employees should regularly re-evaluate their standing in the workplace to ensure their career needs are being met. Here are a few job evaluation tips from Yahoo! HotJobs to help employees look at their career from a “big picture” perspective:
– Schedule regular “update” meetings with your boss to discuss your strengths, weaknesses and progress toward your career goals.
– Ask for what you want. If you want a raise or more responsibility, it is important that you ask for it, don’t just assume it will automatically come to you.
– Be prepared. Keep a list of your career successes and lessons learned handy so that you can easily justify your request for more salary or responsibility.
– If your regular career evaluations lead you to see that your growth in your current position has stalled, it may be time to move on. Here are a few suggestions for taking that next step:
– Develop a list of pros and cons about your current position and a list of aspirations for your next job, then research companies and positions that fit the bill.
– Think of your resume as a billboard, not an encyclopedia. Keep it short and tight by including action verbs and performance metrics.
– Make sure everyone in your network knows you are looking for a new position. There is a job opportunity lurking around every corner.
– Take advantage of online search agents, RSS feeds and job recommendation services like the ones on Yahoo! HotJobs. Not only will they notify you when a new position is posted but they’ll even make recommendations that fit the criteria found in positions to which you have already applied.
Data was collected from more than 1,200 office professionals in the United States via an online survey questionnaire across the Yahoo! and HotJobs networks. Respondents to the survey represent all 50 states. Forty-nine percent of respondents were male and 51 percent were female. The results reflect only the opinions of the professionals who chose to participate.
