The Beast in the Corner Office: A Living Nightmare for Many Canadians

New Monster survey reveals nearly half of Canadians have left a job because of their boss

TORONTO, Oct. 28, 2015 /CNW/ - Halloween is a great time for a monster movie marathon, but for many Canadians, the horror persists long after October 31^st, in the form of nightmarish bosses. In fact, a recent survey conducted by Leger on behalf of Monster Canada found that nearly half (42 per cent) of Canadians have left their job because of their boss.

"People seek new roles for a variety of reasons, but quite often people don't leave their jobs, they leave their bosses," says Sheryl Boswell, Director of Marketing, Monster Canada. "These poll findings indicate that this isn't an isolated phenomenon – a significant amount of Canadians have pursued a new position as a direct result of a bad boss."

When every day is Friday the 13^th
The survey found that it's not just one type of monstrous manager wreaking havoc on Canadian workers. Canadians have experienced a range of spooky bosses, including:

• Jack Torrance from The Shining: This overbearing micro-manager is constantly hovering and asking for status updates – 31 per cent
• Gas Station Zombie #3: This incompetent buffoon is clueless, ineffective and unable to make a strategic decision – 27 per cent
• Jekyll and Hyde: This boss says one thing and means the other, then gets angry when staff can't read minds – 27 per cent
• Phantom of the Opera: This glory hog takes credit for anything and everything – 23 per cent
• Cruella de Vil: This abusive tyrant is always yelling. Nothing is ever good enough for this tyrant – 22 per cent
• Werewolf: This boss is likely to throw you or your team under the bus at the first sign of trouble and nothing is ever the Werewolf's fault – 21 per cent
• The Invisible Man:  This missing-in-action executive rarely answers emails or shows up at the office – 14 per cent
• Dracula: This 24/7 stickler expects you to be available and responsive at all times, even on your vacation – 13 per cent
• Beetlejuice: This offensive creep is the very definition of disgusting, from making crude jokes to chewing with an open mouth– 9 per cent
• Freddy Krueger: This inappropriate boss doesn't know how to follow the 'no touching' rule – 4 per cent

"The daily experience in any workplace can vary greatly from person to person – all it takes is one negative working relationship with a boss to make work unbearable," adds Boswell. "This is even more pronounced for those who might already feel unappreciated or frustrated in their current role. This can also be a source of tension for the entire workplace, impacting productivity and morale."

The creature in the black suit
While Canadians have experienced a range of foul bosses, there are some types they find especially frightening. When asked what were the top two scariest managers, more than half (54 per cent) of Canadians indicated that the tyrannical "Cruella de Vil" boss was the most frightening, followed by the unpredictable "Jekyll and Hyde" manager, at 36 per cent. Rounding out the top three scariest bosses was the blame-oriented "Werewolf", with more than one-third (35 per cent) expressing fear for this type of leader.

Millennials are more likely to find the creepy "Beetlejuice" boss to be one of the top two scariest (35 per cent, compared to 25 per cent overall). In addition, Quebecers were more spooked by demanding "Dracula" with 25 per cent finding that boss to be one of the top two most frightening, compared to 18 per cent overall.

Avoid a nightmare on Bay Street
"When work experience is soured due to a difficult boss, it can really impact employee satisfaction," says Boswell. "People shouldn't have to settle for a negative work culture and the ideal job should include a positive and productive relationship with your superior. If it doesn't, you should find better."

To help Canadians find the workplace that's right for them, Monster Canada has prepared the following list of steps to consider:

• Do your research. If you're thinking of accepting a new job, be sure to do your research. Consult a number of resources and learn as much as you can about your potential new company.
• Work your network. Before putting pen to paper and signing a new contract, determine if you have any connections in common with your new team. See if you can speak with someone with insider knowledge about the company and your new boss, to learn more about what your day-to-day life will look like.
• Ask pointed questions in interviews. The job interview is a great time to ask direct questions. Consider asking about details such as the turnover rate or how long the position has been open. Watch out for evasive, vague or inconsistent answers.  
• Don't settle. If your job is not living up to expectations, remember that you don't have to remain there forever. Consult a career resource, such as Monster, to see what else is out there for you.

For more tips on how to find better in your professional life, visit career-advice.monster.ca.

About Monster Worldwide
Monster Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: MWW) is a global leader in connecting people to jobs, wherever they are. For more than 20 years, Monster has helped people improve their lives with better jobs, and employers find the best talent. Today, the company offers services in more than 40 countries, providing some of the broadest, most sophisticated job seeking, career management, recruitment and talent management capabilities. Monster continues its pioneering work of transforming the recruiting industry with advanced technology using intelligent digital, social and mobile solutions, including our flagship website monster.com® and a vast array of products and services. For more information visit http://monster.com/about.

About the Survey
Leger conducted a quantitative online survey of 1,525 Canadians. The fieldwork was completed between October 12^th to October 15^th 2015 using Leger's online panel, LegerWeb.  A probability sample of the same size would yield a margin of error of +/- 2.5 per cent, 19 times out of 20.  

SOURCE Monster Canada

Leanne Bull, Environics Communications, T: 416-969-2765, E: [email protected]