30 Reasons Employees Hate Their Managers: What Your People May Be Thinking and What You Can Do About It

AORN Journal, June, 2008 by Eileen Campbell

30 Reasons Emptoyees Hate Their Managers: What Your Peopte May Be Thinking and What You Can Do About It

Bruce L. Kather with Adam Snyder

AMACOM

2007, 224 pages

$21.95 hardcover

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

This book describes 30 workplace scenarios that involve management issues. The casual language and tone of the title attract the reader's attention and neatly summarize the content of the book. The book addresses a variety of issues, from micromanagement to short staffing.

Management issues are illustrated as case studies that address each issue and then explain the relevant theory behind the problem. The end of each section presents research-based solutions.

The book targets a general audience rather than a particular industry or occupation; however, most of the issues are applicable to the nursing profession. The author uses research and his own experiences to credibly argue that improvements in management techniques invariably result in more productive employees.

The author is an organizational psychologist who has experience conducting employee satisfaction surveys for major corporations, and this gives the book a unique viewpoint. He uses information gained from his experience surveying 50,000 employees. The author offers readers insight into various issues and then applies organizational and human dynamic theories to each situation.

Although the book is rich in research, it is reader-friendly in its presentation. The scenarios are interesting and often mirror nursing experiences. The scenarios in which employees do not have what they need to do their jobs will resonate with any nurse who has experienced short staffing.

The book is well organized, and the issues are divided into five major categories:

* employees are treated like children;

* employees are not respected;

* employees are not receiving what they really need;

* employees feel unappreciated; and

* W-O-R-K should be more than a four-letter word.

The scenarios in each category are complimented by the inclusion of relevant research and statistics. For example, the author reports that 63% of employees surveyed thought that decisions in their workplaces were not made at the appropriate level. The similar point that decision making does not occur at the clinical level has long been a source of frustration for nurses and has been explored in nursing literature. The author also examines the concept of employee respect and how it affects productivity. This has been well documented in research studies and is useful knowledge for managers and employees.

At the end of the book, the author provides three suggestions to help managers perform their tasks more effectively. The authors suggest that managers should

* listen to employees,

* involve employees in decision making, and

* start small with their endeavors.

These recommendations are simple but effective ways of addressing employee frustrations caused by management problems.

This book would be an excellent resource for a nurse who is transitioning into a management position, and it would be an interesting addition to most nurse's libraries* It is also an excellent primer for new managers and provides valuable insights for employees.

EILEEN CAMPBELL

RN, BSN, CNOR

OR NURSE

DANBURY HOSPITAL

DANBURY, CT