Bosses Beware: Your Management Style May Be Chasing Away Employees

Yahoo! HotJobs finds employees expect more from their jobs and
bosses in 2008, whether it be money, communication, respect or time
off
SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(Business Wire)--Heads-up, bosses! According to Yahoo! HotJobs'
(http://hotjobs.yahoo.com) annual job satisfaction survey, 72 percent
of employees are open to a new career opportunity in 2008, and you
might be the reason. More than four out of ten employees (43 percent)
blame either dislike of their boss' management style or lack of
mentorship at their company as the reason they would be willing to
leave their current job.

While salary (36 percent) and growth potential (34 percent) are
also major considerations in deciding whether to seek out a new career
challenge, the majority of respondents, 55 percent, agree that "people
don't leave companies, they leave managers."

"Having a fair, sympathetic manager who makes employees feel
valued is a crucial element to an employee's job satisfaction," says
Yahoo! HotJobs Managing Editor, Tom Musbach. "A good manager will
remember that it's important to offer intangible benefits like
work-life balance, positive recognition and opportunities for growth.
These are just as relevant as the basics, like salary, benefits and
vacation days, when it comes to making employees happy."

In fact, when asked which aspect of their job was most important
for determining their happiness at work, most respondents, 32 percent,
say having a good boss or supervisor ranks first, followed closely by
salary and opportunities for advancement. And, in identifying their
ideal manager, 70 percent of respondents prefer a hands-off boss who
trusts them to do their job but is there when needed.

Top Qualities of a Good Boss

Almost half of respondents, 43 percent, think they could do as
good or a better job than their boss if they switched positions for a
day. If given that opportunity, here are the qualities they consider
necessary for being a good boss (in order of importance):

1. Communication/listening skills

2. Effective leadership skills

3. Trust in their employees to do their job well

4. Flexibility and understanding

5. Intelligence

6. Teamwork skills and even temperament (tie)

7. Interest in employee development

8. Ability to share credit

9. Successful in finding and retaining new talent

10. Presentation skills

Earn More Job Satisfaction

The workplace dynamic is changing. Employees have raised the bar
when it comes to job satisfaction, expecting their employers to offer
more--whether it is salary, respect, work-life balance or even
vacation time. If they're not getting what they feel they deserve,
they might join the 30 percent of employees who are not only open to a
new opportunity, but who are actively looking for a new position in
2008.

Employees should regularly re-evaluate their standing in the
workplace to ensure their career needs are being met. Here are a few
job evaluation tips from Yahoo! HotJobs to help employees look at
their career from a "big picture" perspective:

-- Schedule regular "update" meetings with your boss to discuss
your strengths, weaknesses and progress toward your career
goals.

-- Ask for what you want. If you want a raise or more
responsibility, it is important that you ask for it, don't
just assume it will automatically come to you.

-- Be prepared. Keep a list of your career successes and lessons
learned handy so that you can easily justify your request for
more salary or responsibility.

If your regular career evaluations lead you to see that your
growth in your current position has stalled, it may be time to move
on. Here are a few suggestions for taking that next step:

-- Develop a list of pros and cons about your current position
and a list of aspirations for your next job, then research
companies and positions that fit the bill.

-- Think of your resume as a billboard, not an encyclopedia. Keep
it short and tight by including action verbs and performance
metrics.

-- Make sure everyone in your network knows you are looking for a
new position. There is a job opportunity lurking around every
corner.

-- Take advantage of online search agents, RSS feeds and job
recommendation services like the ones on Yahoo! HotJobs. Not
only will they notify you when a new position is posted but
they'll even make recommendations that fit the criteria found
in positions to which you have already applied.

Assess Your Career

Yahoo! HotJobs is ringing in 2008 by re-launching its "Career
Check-In" tool to help people assess their job satisfaction and career
development opportunities. Visitors to Yahoo! HotJobs
(http://hotjobs.yahoo.com) can now take a career assessment quiz that
will give users advice about their current employment situation while
offering possibilities for the future.

About the Survey

Data was collected from more than 1200 office professionals in the
United States via an online survey questionnaire across the Yahoo! and
HotJobs networks. Respondents to the survey represent all 50 states.
Forty-nine percent of respondents were male and 51 percent were
female. The results reflect only the opinions of the professionals who
chose to participate.

About Yahoo! HotJobs

Yahoo! HotJobs (http://hotjobs.yahoo.com) is the fastest growing
Web site among the leading job boards, with +48% traffic growth during
January - November 2007, versus 2006 (comScore Media Metrix). As a
leader in the online recruiting industry, Yahoo! HotJobs has
revolutionized the way people manage their careers and the way
companies hire talent.

Yahoo! HotJobs
Jennie Dobies, 408-349-8452
jdobies@yahoo-inc.com
or
Euro RSCG Magnet
Dara Cothran / Kristin Dwyer
212-367-6814 / 212-367-6824
dara.cothran@eurorscg.com
kristin.dwyer@eurorscg.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008