Good Employees Leave Bad Managers: 4 Biggest Problems

A company is only as good as the people it keeps.

And while the workplace has changed dramatically in the past 50 years, this hasn’t: Good employees don’t leave companies. Good employees leave bad managers.

Why Good Employees Leave

And they probably leave them more than we care to admit, if results of a study from the Adecco Group are accurate. Here are some telling numbers on the gaps between employee expectations and reality:

• 61% of managers think they support employees working arrangements; Just 43% of employees feel they do.
• 53% of managers feel they assess performance on outcomes, not hours; Only 36% of employees see it that way.
• 47% of managers claim they check on employee mental well-being; Only 33% of employees say that happens.
• 50% of managers feel they provide regular guidance and check-ins; 34% of employees say they actually get that.

Even if your front-line managers think they’re great, their employees may not feel that way. So, anyone who wants to be a good manager still has some work ahead of them.

To hear good employees tell the story, the problems they have with bad managers at work are less about the workload and more about style.

4 Management Styles That Drive Employees Crazy

So it’s critical to know the management styles that drive employees crazy. Here are the four of the biggest that’ll make good employees leave — and how to avoid them.

The worst managers:

1. Micromanage

There must come a point in the life of every good manager where they have to learn how to trust employees to do their jobs. It doesn’t mean not to hold them accountable – just to trust them.

Micromanagers are easy to spot because they are always asking: Where’s that report? What about this? How about that? Is this done? Have you pursued that? Did you call this person? Did you call that person? Did you do that? Here, let me show you how to do that.

This drives good people crazy – and it drives them away.

Better: Tell employees what to do, set them straight, be clear on the bottom line and the results that are needed. Then get out of the way!

2. Swing a Bat (Figuratively)

If you still have managers saying this – “Do It Or Else!” – you may have some decisions to make.

Yelling and screaming at employees, commonly called the baseball bat approach, should be banned. They are driving good people away. It’s just a matter of time.

Better: Ask employees to complete tasks. Guide and train them toward better ways to accomplish goals.

 3. Use the Silent Treatment

Good employees always demand to know, “Where do I stand?” That’s why good communication and feedback are key.

It’s never good to say, “Kathy, if you haven’t heard from me until next year’s evaluation, please know in your heart that you’re a good employee.”

Translation: “Kathy, you’re doing OK, so I’m going to spend all of my time ignoring you and managing the crummy employees.”

Obviously, that’s not an engaging message of value or worth to Kathy. Kathy wants to do more than just be “OK.” She is going to be completely unfulfilled, and she is going to start finding greener pastures real soon.

Better: Schedule time for feedback throughout the year. Recognize and compliment what’s going well. Coach what’s not.

4. Treat Everyone the Same

Sure, consistency can buy morale – at times. And it can buy some degree of legal protection, depending on the situation. But under the law, equal opportunity never meant equal treatment.

When a manager treats good and bad employees the same, the wrong message is being sent.

Good employees soon realize that it doesn’t matter how much effort they put into their work, they’ll get treated same as every one else. So then they wonder, “What’s the difference?”

Reward good people for their behavior, or be prepared to replace them. It doesn’t have to be money, but that goes a long way. Be certain to recognize all good work — and reward the best.