Stressed, sick? Blame your boss

Washington: Meryl Streep playing Miranda Presley in the movie version of The Devil wears Prada may have given a fair idea of the boss from hell.

But now Florida State University researchers have conducted a study that throws some light on the magnitude of the problem and documents its effects on employee health and job performance.

"They say that employees don't leave their job or company, they leave their boss. We wanted to see if this is, in fact, true," said Wayne Hochwarter, an associate professor of management in FSU's College of Business.

Working with doctoral students Paul Harvey and Jason Stoner, Hochwarter surveyed more than 700 people who work in a variety of jobs about their opinions of supervisor treatment on the job. The survey generated the following results:

Thirty-one per cent of respondents reported that their supervisor gave them the "silent treatment" in the past year. Thirty-seven per cent reported that their supervisor failed to give credit when due.

Thirty-nine per cent noted that their supervisor failed to keep promises. Twenty-seven per cent noted that their supervisor made negative comments about them to other employees or managers.

Twenty-four per cent reported that their supervisor invaded their privacy. Twenty-three per cent indicated that their supervisor blames others to cover up mistakes or to minimise embarrassment.

According to the researchers, "Employees stuck in an abusive relationship experienced more exhaustion, job tension, nervousness, depressed mood and mistrust.

They also were less likely to take on additional tasks, such as working longer or on weekends, and were generally less satisfied with their job. Also, employees were more likely to leave if involved in an abusive relationship than if dissatisfied with pay."

Apparently, employees are willing to leave their supervisor after all. Hochwarter suggests several ways that employees can minimise the harm caused by an abusive supervisor.

"It is important to stay positive, even when you get irritated or discouraged, because few subordinate-supervisor relationships last forever," he said.

"You want the next boss to know what you can do for the company," he added.

Finally, he said, "No abuse should be taken lightly, especially in situations where it becomes a criminal act (for example, physical violence, harassment or discrimination).

The employee needs to know where help can be found, whether it is internal (i.e., the company's grievance committee) or external (i.e., formal representation or emergency services)."