There’s a fascinating article at the Harvard Business Review that ties together a number of studies on the efficacy of being a nice boss versus a stern, removed one. Despite many changes in how businesses are run in the 21st century, the long-lasting stereotype for how to be a boss remains: It’s better to be respected than liked.
Turns out, nothing could be further from the truth.
The study goes on to list the incredible number of benefits that warm, self-sacrificing bosses can expect from their employees, including:
– A lower stress workplace (Consider the effect of the whole plethora of symptoms related to high-stress on the productivity of a workplace, including “Trouble learning new information”, “Forgetfulness, disorganization, confusion”, and “Difficulty in making decisions”, absenteeism and finally, employee loss)
– Higher effectivity — employees trust a kinder boss
– Higher levels of citizenship and productivity
– Better client outcomes
Read the article at Harvard Business Review: The Hard Data on Being a Nice Boss