Gallup Survey: Nearly 25 Percent of Employees Would Fire the Boss

Fire ’Em Up, or Get Fired: Engagement is a hot topic among talent managers. Keeping employees interested and involved is viewed as a linchpin to better retention. Conversely, nothing breeds discontent in workers more than feeling alienated from their supervisors. Nearly one-quarter of U.S. employees in a recent Gallup Management Journal survey say they would fire their bosses if presented with the opportunity to do so. These are employees who feel “disengaged” from their managers for a variety of reasons. By contrast, workers that enjoy strong personal relationships with bosses view this as symbiotic. Having a boss that engages them in their work is rewarding and crucial to their success. According to Gallup, only 6 percent of engaged workers say they would ax their bosses if given the chance. The Gallup research found that nearly 25 million workers who are 18 or older, or roughly 18 percent of the workforce, are “actively disengaged,” resulting in diminished productivity that costs the U.S. economy about $382 billion.