Why People Trust a Robot Over Their Manager

I love it! I have just read in a new study that 64 per cent of people have more trust in robots than their managers. The research was for the second annual ‘Artificial Intelligent at Work Study’ conducted by Oracle and Future Workplace, a research firm specialising in artificial intelligence. The study of 8,370 employees across 10 countries, found that artificial intelligence has changed the relationship between people and technology at work however I personally do not think it means that people have huge faith in robots. It is more likely that many people have little faith in their managers!

The survey results are:

• 64 percent of people would trust a robot more than their manager and half have turned to a robot instead of their manager for advice.
• Workers in India (89 percent) and China (88 percent) are more trusting of robots over their managers, followed by Singapore (83 percent), Brazil (78%), Japan (76 percent), United Arab Emirates (74 percent), Australia/New Zealand (58 percent), U.S. (57 percent), UK (54 percent) and France (56 percent).
• More men (56 percent) than women (44 percent) have turned to artificial intelligence ahead of their managers.
• 82 percent of people think robots can do some things better than their managers.

When asked what robots can do better than their managers, survey respondents said robots are better at providing unbiased information (26 percent), maintaining work schedules (34 percent), problem solving (29 percent) and managing a budget (26 percent). When asked what managers can do better than robots, workers said the top three tasks were understanding their feelings (45 percent), coaching them (33 percent) and creating a work culture (29 percent).

Many people leave jobs because they have poor managers. A bad boss is consistently in the top three reasons why Australians leave jobs. The average employee will change jobs 12 times during their life, and stay in their position for an average of 3.3 years.

So, what are the key traits of a bad boss?

1. Lack of trust in their workers

No one wants to be told what to do constantly or always be monitored. People hate bosses who micromanage. Bosses may have the big picture in mind, but workers are hired for specific skills and need to be left to get on with their jobs.

2. Failure to understand and respect people’s different strengths and weaknesses 

The job of a manager is to make sure that a team works together, and everyone knows the key goals and has the resources to achieve those goals. Every worker is different, so the only way for a boss to manage them is to moderate their communication techniques. Bad bosses go with a one-size-fits-all approach. They are impatient when an employee differs from the pack.

3. Doesn't lead by example 

The best managers get their hands dirty with hard work. The worst have no idea what their employees are doing on the ground. True leaders lead by example. They sit in with different teams and departments, and look at what they are doing. Employees respect bosses who lead by example.

4. No emotional intelligence

What inspires employees is working for a leader they feel understands them, listens to them and manages them accordingly. There are always going to be challenges in a workplace, and leaders must empathize with their employees. If employees make mistakes, managers need to take the time to understand where things went wrong before passing judgment. Having empathy shows employees their leader cares  and is invested in their future.

5. A mean, punitive manager

Not supporting the team is the biggest mistake a manager can make. Good leaders never blame their team for mistakes, but seek to improve performance and prevent future mistakes through more training and better strategies. Bad leaders cast blame as a way of avoiding responsibility.

6. Never shares the glory

Bad bosses think the team is only there to help them advance. The quality of the work and the morale of the team are largely irrelevant to bad bosses. Good managers share the glory and even take team members along to senior meetings to meet their bosses. A good leader helps the team do great work, and they want everyone in the team to reach their potential. This type of manager has the best outcomes over the long term.

7. Has lost interest 

Good bosses have a clear vision of what they wanted to achieve and to reach goals. Whether this goal was moving units, improving customer satisfaction or designing new products, the common thread is focus. Bad bosses don’t give a s***.

8. Takes credit for others’ work 

Taking credit for others’ work is a big problem because employees have no way to claim the work as theirs in the first place. Taking credit for the work of others destroys employee morale. People want to be recognized.

9. No respect for others 

Bad leaders don’t respect their employees. A leader needs to do the work, listen to their employees, learn constantly and have respect for the employees they manage. Without this, employees won’t be able to respect their employees. Employees want to feel their opinions matter and they matter – values and aspirations, likes and dislikes.

10. They don’t know their own strengths and weaknesses 

Leaders who lack self-awareness are bad bosses. Leaders need to know who they are in order to understand their employees. If a boss has no idea what sort of person she or he is, and are uncertain about their life values, how can they create an office culture of productivity, creativity and happiness?

11. A sense of entitlement rather than a sense of duty 

In the Bible, Jesus washed the disciples’ feet and told them that whoever wants to be first, must be prepared to be last. A good leader is not there to take, but to give. Good leaders serve their employees and help them reach their goals. A bad boss manager is a taker, not a giver. A bad boss rides on the team’s success and never shares glory. That kind of leadership often results in a toxic work environment, which typically stifles a business’s growth. Great leaders inspire their colleagues to become better employees and better people.

12. Expects all employees to be like them 

Bad bosses expect their employees to be ‘mini-me’s’, much like Austin Powers and his Mini-Me. Bad bosses try to meld others into a younger version of his or herself. Good bosses identify people’s strengths and encourage them to use those strengths. Great bosses want employees to achieve their potential and know what they care about. If you have a bad boss, I will advise you not to hang in there forever. Ask yourself if there is any chance of your team getting a new boss in the near future? Are other people unhappy? Do the senior managers know that the team is unhappy with the boss? Basically, what is the chance your bad boss will be replaced sometime soon? If there is no chance then you really need to start looking for a new job. Sorry, but bosses too often set the tone of the organisation. A bad boss means a bad work place. Get out of there as soon as you can.