STOCK MARKET WATCH -- Friday, 6 December 2013

[Demeter]

11. 10 things your boss won’t tell you: Why one in four workers dislikes his or her boss

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/10-things-your-boss-wont-tell-you-2013-12-02?pagenumber=10

1. “Yes, I’m reading your emails … and your IMs.”

2. “I’m looking for someone younger. And cheaper.” AND STUPID ENOUGH TO DO WHAT I TELL HIM, WITHOUT QUESTION

3. “I know when you’re faking the flu.” AND I DON'T CARE IF YOU ARE REALLY SICK, EITHER

4. “Your kid? Your problem.”

5. “I could be your best friend…”

For the six out of 10 workers who say they’ve considered a boss a friend, this won’t come as a surprise: Being the boss’s pal, or pet, comes with perks. Some bosses play favorites in obvious ways, like giving a particular subordinate the plum assignments or pushing upper management for his raise. Others are more subtle, seeming to treat all employees equally. But then they’ll offer more guidance to a favored worker, or make sure she is introduced to the “right” people, says New York City-based career and executive coach Roy Cohen. And as long as the relationship works, everyone can benefit: Good relationships tend to lead to higher worker engagement; compatibility can help a worker get a raise or a promotion; everyone likes to work with people they like and trust....

6. “…Or your worst enemy.”

Just as a good relationship with your boss can bolster your career, a lousy one can tank it. Or worse. One study found that, in incidences of workplace bullying, the boss is the bully 72% of the time. Nearly half of people who were bullied at work suffered stress-related health problems, according to the Workplace Bullying Institute...

7. “I don’t promote based on performance.”

8. “I’m shallow.”

As if being thin and attractive weren’t its own reward, being both helps workers get ahead at work, too. The opposite is also true: People who are unattractive or overweight are punished for it at the office. In spite of the fact that in most professions, attractiveness has no bearing on performance, many bosses subscribe to the notion that “what is beautiful is good,” according to a psychology researcher from Hofstra. As a result, in a study by Daniel Hamermesh of the University of Texas and Jeff Biddle of Michigan State University, good-looking people (as rated by staff assisting with the research) earn 3% to 8% more than average-looking people, who, in turn, earn 5% to 10% more than those rated “plain.”...

9. “I don’t have time for you.”

10. “It’s all about me.”

AND THAT DOESN'T EVEN START TO COVER IT...WHAT ABOUT JOB ASSIGNMENTS THAT BREAK THE LAW, DEFRAUD THE CUSTOMER, ENDANGER THE VERY PLANET WE LIVE ON, ETC....