15 ways employees would change their workplace

More than half (61%) of US employees said they believe they could handle the daily responsibilities of their manager, according to a recent ResumeLab report. The report surveyed 1,000 employees to determine employee attitudes about company leadership.

Some 24% of men and 19% of women said they believe they are more qualified than their managers, the report found. These employees said they felt they have better people skills (56%), hold a better understanding of day-to-day work (52%), and practice a better work ethic (45%) than their current managers.

SEE: How to build a successful project manager career (free PDF) (TechRepublic)

While not all employees claimed to be more experienced or qualified than their superiors, 55% of employees said they would practice a different management style if they were in charge. The report identified the following 15 changes employees said they would make:

1. Create goals for employees (35%)
2. Increase employee pay (34%)
3. Foster team bonding (33%)
4. Focus on improving office culture (33%)
5. Give employee bonuses (32%)
6. Upgrade workplace technology (27%)
7. Roll out new initiatives (25%)
8. Meet more frequently with employees (24%)
9. Hire employees (19%)
10. Decrease micromanagement (18%)
11. Schedule fewer meetings (16%)
12. Fire employees (16%)
13. Focus on getting new clients (16%)
14. Schedule more meetings (15%)
15. Add health benefits (15%)

While 46% of employees said they felt comfortable giving their manager feedback, nearly 56% said otherwise, the report found. If employees don’t feel comfortable coming to their bosses with issues or suggestions, the workplace can suffer. Some 13% of employees said they have subverted their manager to save time (42%) or avoid confrontation (36%), the report added.

The top management style preferences by employees include the consultative (37%) and democratic (30%) approach. Both of these styles engage employees in decision-making, giving them an opportunity to make their voices heard. If managers want to promote a healthy, happy work culture, then including employees in on the decision-making process is crucial, the report found.

For more, check out 4 things successful change managers practice daily on TechRepublic.

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