WORKPLACE SURVEY - 28% Quit their job over bad management, bad bosses

Getting away: One in ten workers have taken up a new career to get away from bad management

Fed-up with your boss? You're not alone as 28% quit their job over bad management

Workers are quitting their jobs and even switching chosen careers because they’re fed-up with their boss.

A survey found 28 per cent of workers have moved work in an attempt to find someone who can motivate them more.

More than one in ten have taken up a completely new career in their search, while one in 20 has decided to set up their own business to get away from bad management.

Asked what they thought were the qualities of a good manager, the top credentials were:

• Approachability (83 per cent),
• Good communicator (82 per cent),
• Supportive (81 per cent),
• Good leader (80 per cent),
• Someone who respects their staff as individuals (76 per cent)

The report, compiled for bank First Direct also showed bad behaviour in the workplace is putting a strain on British business.

When working under a bad boss, employees report a loss of motivation (47 per cent) and productivity (28 per cent), with one in five (18 per cent) taking 'sickies' as an avoidance tactic.

Paul Say, First Direct's Head of Marketing, said: 'When it comes to fostering British creativity at work, it seems many managers are holding back the true potential of their staff.

'More than three quarters of workers (77 per cent) think their boss does not encourage new ideas or allow self-expression.

'The results make for bleak reading and given the current economic climate, so much untapped potential is a serious issue.

'But valuing workers as individuals and embracing their creativity can make all the difference - which is why we have launched a new search to find and reward the best bosses in Britain.'

The findings are featured in the Colourful Lives Report by the Future Foundation, commissioned by first direct to mark its 21st birthday.

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COURSE - Sydney University - Psychopaths in the Workplace - 2011

PSYCHOPATHS IN THE WORKPLACE

The majority of psychopaths are not serial killers or rapists; they’re colleagues, bosses and employees found in workplaces throughout Australia. We’ll examine what a psychopath is, their personality style, behaviours, interpersonal approach and thought processes. You’ll learn how they infiltrate companies undetected and the strategies they use to manipulate those around them to achieve power and promotion. The four different types of workplace psychopath will be explored, and we’ll also look at what companies and individuals can do to minimise damage caused by the psychopath. (Warning: this course will include material that may confront some students.)

Course Content

• Psychopath Characteristics
• The four types of workplace psychopath – organisational psychopath; corporate criminal psychopath; violent criminal psychopath; and occupational psychopath
• Tactics and Strategies used by each workplace psychopath sub-type
• Workplace Psychopath – Good For Business?
• Victims of the Workplace Psychopath – Protecting yourself and your employees
• Profiling the Workplace Psychopath
• A Case of Mistaken Identity

IF INTERESTED, ADD YOURSELF TO THE WAITING LIST

Link to Sydney University's Centre for Continuing Education

Australian Workplace - Canberra Hospital's Maternity Unit Bullying Cover Up?

Gallagher 'covering-up' maternity unit report

Pressure is mounting on the ACT Government to release the findings of an inquiry into bullying allegations at Canberra Hospital's maternity unit.

Earlier this year the ACT Government ordered two external reviews into the hospital's obstetrics and gynaecology units after allegations of workplace bullying were made.

The Government appointed a workplace relations expert to investigate the bullying claims.

The investigation was conducted under the Public Interest Disclosure Act - a law designed to protect whistleblowers by keeping information confidential.

Health Minister Katy Gallagher says confidentiality clauses in the legislation prevent her from reading the report or it being publicly released.

But the Opposition is pushing for the report's recommendations to be released in the Legislative Assembly.

Opposition health spokesman Jeremy Hanson says the information could be released without personal details being made public.

"I want to see the recommendations, I want to see the findings and unless we see that then we're going to have to consider further action," he said.

Mr Hanson says the Government is deliberately trying to cover-up the report.

"The minister has set this process up under the Public Interest Disclosure Act to avoid scrutiny," he said.

"We were very concerned about this when it occurred in February. We said then that what we needed was an open inquiry because in the end of the day the minister's going to make sure that this never sees the light of day, and it has come to fruition."

The ACT Greens says releasing details of the inquiry could jeopardise investigations in the future.

"What Mr Hanson is suggesting could potentially expose people, could threaten their confidentiality - either he doesn't understand the process or he's using it for his own political ends," said Greens MLA Amanda Bresnan.

Ms Bresnan says releasing any detail could lead to a loss of faith in the public interest disclosure process.

"With public interest disclosure, people have come forward on the understanding everything would be protected and while we might say, 'it's only a few details', Canberra's a small place, this is a small unit, and any information could actually potentially identify the people involved," she said.

"It would really seriously undermine the whole public interest disclosure process."

Chief Minister Jon Stanhope says the inquiry will be followed up.

"I can give an absolute assurance that any of the findings will be taken absolutely seriously and if there were recommendations or implications they will be taken seriously and there's no reason for people not to believe that," he said.

The Health Services Union says there is a broader problem with the way bullying claims are handled.

"It just seems to be endemic and also the process is so lacking in transparency and information," said union spokeswoman Bev Turello.

ACT Health says it has written to the people involved in the inquiry.

But the Ms Turello says in the union's experience, staff are often kept in the dark.

"They need to know if action has been taken, if appropriate action has been taken, if they're going to be safe in their workplaces."

Royal College of Obstetricians ACT chair Dr Andrew Foote says it has been nearly 12 months since the bullying allegations were made public and nothing has changed.

"I've spoken to a number of people at the hospital and there is a real dread, and fear and sense of helplessness," he said.

"It sends the message, what's the point in complaining about bullying because nothing will get done."

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