Why bosses never say thank you

 
Office Boss Pic: Getty Images
12 February 2013

Ellen Crowley enjoys her job in advertising. Most of the time she even likes her boss. “There’s just one short phrase missing from his vocabulary,” she adds. “Thank you.” While “thank you” is one of the first things we are taught to say as children, across London offices these kind words are dying out. According to a study of 2,000 workers commissioned by office expert Avery, one in four says they have never had a thank you from their boss — and in the capital, 47 per cent of workers felt their superiors fail to show them enough appreciation.

“It’s a time thing that’s stopping bosses from thanking their staff, and too much focus on the task instead of the people,” explains Clive Lewis, CEO of Illumine Training, which teaches companies how to think creatively. “Women are slightly more likely intuitively to say thank you and focus on the social aspect of relationships rather than transactions.”

However, it’s something superiors of both sexes should take seriously, as the first reaction of unappreciated employees is to start to care less about work and put in less effort as a result, the recent survey also reveals. But if they forget to thank someone in the moment, it’s still not too late.

“A thank-you email later on is still appreciated,” adds Lewis. “It can even be more powerful than saying it straight away. People love their work to be recognised. It’s a simple, easy way to create a positive workplace.”

It is important, though, that bosses don’t use it as a get-out clause. A friend’s boss makes an effort to say thank you in a fake sincere voice, before continuing to give her terrible jobs with unrealistic deadlines. “If he’s really grateful, he should plan better. I’d rather he did that and didn’t thank me so much,” she says.

David Pardey, head of research and policy at the Institute of Leadership and Management, agrees. “You shouldn’t say thank you all the time because it loses meaning,” he says. “Although it is a simple, low-effort way of creating a positive working environment, there’s also a reluctance to say it because it implies people had a choice in doing their job. Bosses also worry that if you say it to one person you have to thank everyone.” Indeed, the Avery study found that more than half of workers felt their boss favoured certain employees.

Saying thank you doesn’t have to be an extravagant gesture, bosses (although there are tales of workers being bought silver necklaces or Mulberry bags while resenting the fact that their salaries remain low). Just don’t say it sarcastically, like, say Malcom Tucker from the Thick of It. And from time to time, remember, it’s simply a pleasant thing to do.

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