51%

In 2016, Securex organized a study among employees and employers. The most important thing we remembered from this is that the opinion of Belgian employees was opposed to that of Belgian employers and managers. A few critical numbers:

• More than 35% of Belgian employees did not think their manager was a good boss
• Only 13% of managers did not consider themselves a good boss
• 82% of managers thought they were inspiring with their vision for the future, while only 52% of employees agreed
• Barely 52% of the employees thought that their manager dared to admit mistakes and weaknesses, while 79% of the manager thought they did
• 85% of supervisors said they showed empathy towards others, while only 65% of employees felt this way

Based on this result, one would expect better numbers. However, a study by Halleluja in 2021 showed the opposite. It demonstrated that 51,1% of employees are not convinced of the leadership qualities of their manager—a stark contrast to the 62% of employers who are confident that people share their vision.

The two leading causes for this result are as follows:

• The COVID-crisis and how it has been handled in companies in the first place. 1/3 are dissatisfied with how their manager has dealt with it. On the other hand, 74,9% of the managers are very optimistic about it.
• 59,9% of employees feel they cannot develop their competencies properly on the work floor. 72,6% of supervisors think otherwise.

The above numbers clearly show that executives overestimate themselves. We looked for and found an explanation: the Lake Wobegon Effect, or 'the human tendency to overestimate one's performance and capabilities in relation to others.'. The effect takes its name from the fictional town of 'Lake Wobegon', in the radio series 'A Prairie Home Companion,', where, according to Garrison Keillor, all children are above average.

Experiments and surveys of drivers, CEOs, stock market analysts, university students, and state education officials, among others, have shown that most believe that they possess traits that are better or more desirable than the average.

The effect has been found repeatedly in many studies and is similar and may be related to intra-group bias and wishful thinking.

The study shows managers can focus on three important points to boost employee satisfaction.

1. Give employees the necessary recognition for performed tasks
2. Create more pleasant working conditions on the shop floor and in the home office
3. Ensure better general communication from the management

Furthermore, as a manager, it is important to actively look for feedback to get a more realistic picture of your managerial capacities. A mentor can be a good sounding board for this.