Have you ever thought you could do your boss's job better? If so, you are not alone. New research from PeoplePerHour shows that four in ten working Brits think they could run the business they work in better than their current managers. Managers either micromanage or under manage in a number of work situations, providing too much or too little supervision. Many thought we should be in a job we enjoy and with a boss we get along with considering the number of hours we spend at work.
53% of those surveyed said they were disengaged with their work, or put more simply, dislike their jobs. Not getting along with their boss (33%), feeling undervalued (20%) and underpaid (32%) were factors attributed to the discontent in their current roles. In general most felt that they were more productive and inspired under good management where they were allowed to experiment and formulate some of their own ideas.
The key offences bosses commit included overuse of corporate speak, using terms such as 'blue sky thinking'(21%) , micromanaging (20%) changing deadlines (18%) and the endless meetings (14%). In other words there were too many occasions when simplicity would have provided a better more time efficient outcome. It was felt that endless meetings took up too many valuable working hours and that micromanaging obstructed their ability to develop and grow in their role
Some of the employees interviewed felt that their managers took credit for work they had done such as ideas they had provided for a new product or promotion. They felt unable to challenge their manager when this happened as it created a vulnerable situation for them. They believed their fate was often in the hands of their manager when it came to issues such as promotion. The general consensus of opinion was that their own businesses would provide them with the opportunity to benefit from their own ideas.
The research also revealed that more workers are looking to start their own small business. 47% of employees are looking to either go it alone as soon as they can or would like to accomplish this at some stage in the future. Financial factors, families to support and mortgages to pay, were cited as the main hindrance to not being able to found their own business at present.
It would seem Britain is a nation of business leaders in waiting - nearly 40% of Brits are frustrated in their current roles, believing that they could do a better job than their boss. It's perhaps unsurprising that self employed figures currently at their highest levels ever in the UK and still rising, reflecting both the economy and the entrepreneurial spirit in the UK right now.
In a struggling economy, it is not as easy to find another job as it used to be. British ambition is high, and employees are coming out of the shadows and want to take control. If people feel they could do a better job than their boss, they should be encouraged to follow their dreams and become their own boss.