Here’s a stat that can’t be good for productivity: Almost half the employees responding to a recent survey said they thought their manager was looking for a new job.
Can’t say we’re exactly shocked. After all, we’ve been inundated with reports of how the rank-and-file — burned out after carrying the extra workload that accompanied staff cuts during the recession — was ready to jump ship at the earliest opportunity.
Why would managers feel any differently?
Right Management recently asked a group of about 800 employees, “Do you think your boss is looking for a new job?”
The responses:
- Yes, definitely — 27%
- Yes, probably — 21%
- No — 40%, and
- Don’t know — 12%.
Losing lower-level employees in big numbers could be a real headache. But losing managers — along with their accumulated expertise and corporate memory — could be a disaster.
Even if managers are just in “a leavin’ frame of mind,” as the country song goes, it’s likely overall performance is eroding, said Right spokesperson Monika Morrow: “It hardly needs saying that if employees think their boss might jump ship it’s going to be twice as hard to get them engaged in their work.”
Think your company’s in danger of losing top managerial talent as the job market loosens? Let us know in the Comments section below.