What do employees look for in a boss?

Throughout your career it’s likely that you will come across a boss or two that you’re not compatible with, but what separates a good boss from a bad one?

A good leader is approachable, supportive, fair, and honest according to new research into how UK employees feel about their bosses.

In a survey of more than 1,000 employees conducted by printing company, Toner Giant it was revealed 31% of employees would describe their boss as a good leader, and over half (51%) believe their boss will help them to achieve their career dreams.

Although the research showed that 45% of employees wouldn’t describe their boss as a friend, it did reveal that employees had some positive things to say about their current employers.

The top five descriptions UK workers use to describe their bosses:

1. A good leader – 31%
2. Happy – 15%
3. Funny – 11%
4. Stressed – 9%
5. Strict – 6%

For a good leader employees are far more willing to put the work in, but what are we most likely to do in order to impress? The UK is most likely to contribute to problem solving in order impress bosses (24%), followed closely by lending a hand with workloads.

The research suggests we are more than comfortable with letting our bosses know when they are in the wrong. Men are most likely to confront their boss if they think they are in the wrong (91%), but there are certain conversations all employees find difficult to approach.

The top five most difficult topics to discuss are:

1. Pay – 19%
2. Mental health – 15%
3. Personal/family life – 14%
4. Workplace bullying – 9%
5. Meeting/missing deadlines – 7%

The survey also asked the public which celebrity figures they thought would make the best boss:

1. Sir Alan Sugar – 20%
2. Jeremy Corbyn – 16%
3. Elon Musk – 11%
4. Boris Johnson – 11%
5. Donald Trump – 7%

Marketing manager for TonerGiant, Stuart Deavall commented: “Our relationships with our bosses and how we conduct/present ourselves in business triggered an interest for us as it is a huge part of what we do. The way we market ourselves is important, and the business cards shed a humorous light on how this can be done. We couldn’t resist imagining what the business cards of famous bosses might look like.”