Pew study finds bosses happier at home, work

Thursday, January 9, 2014 - 13:00 YT&Twebzine

He has the charm of a rabid coyote, a booming voice, a propensity to laugh at his own jokes -- and bad breath. But for all his faults, your boss is much happier than you.

And it’s not just the money he makes, either, according to a study by the Pew Research Center.
Based on an October survey of 2,002 adults, including 1,301 men and women working full- or part-time, the Pew Center found that top managers are:

Happier with their family life. Indeed, 83 percent said that they were “very satisfied” with family life, according to the study. Comparatively, 74 percent of workers reported the same.

More likely to think of their work as a career – not just a dirty job. The study found 78 percent of top managers thought of their job as a career, while 44 percent of workers said the same.

Satisfied with their financial situation. While the numbers were lower, 40 percent of managers were very satisfied with their financial situation, while only 28 percent of workers thought the same.

     Although interesting, the results are hardly shocking, according to Pew. About half of all bosses and top managers – 54 percent -- have household incomes of $75,000 or more, compared with only about a third, 32 percent, of other employees.
     Bosses are also more likely to think that they are paid fairly. According to the study, 62 percent said they were paid fairly, while 54 percent of workers thought they were paid fairly. Tellingly, 73 percent of bosses thought they had the education needed to get ahead on the job, while only 57 percent of workers felt the same.
     But the survey also found that bosses and workers agree about gender discrimination in the workplace.
     Some 43 percent of bosses and 46 percent of workers say society favors men over women. An identical 54 percent of bosses and workers say men generally earn more money than women for the same job. But when asked specifically about their workplace, 70 percent of bosses said men and women were paid equally, while 75 percent of workers said the same.
     The analysis concluded that the typical boss is still an older white man. He is more likely to be a Republican – 53 percent identified as voting for the Grand Old Party, 34 percent said they were Democrats and 13 percent identified themselves as independents. Among workers, 37 percent said they were Republican, 44 percent identified as Democrats and 19 percent are independents.
     Finally, if you have been secretly praying your boss will get another job and go away, you may be out of luck. Only 12 percent of bosses were looking for another job, compared with 23 percent of workers.

See the complete survey here.

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