Tough Bosses less likely to Burn Out: Study

Bosses may not be the most loved individuals in their companies, and rightly so. A recent study shows that better bosses? Well, they're just not that friendly.

Whereas nicer individuals may get stressed out and give up on harsh, unfair or too-demanding workloads, recent research shows that meaner individuals are less likely to throw in the towel when everything's falling apart.

For the study, researchers from Michigan State University examined 82 company executives twice a day over a period of several weeks and tracked their emotional state and work efficiency. All of the executives reported having to deal with cases of procedural justice or fairness in the work environment.

Findings showed that some weren't as easily able to deal with procedural justice. This, for example, might include a worker accusing a boss of discrimination due to lack of promotion, etc. For those less able to handle with the problem, they took the issue more personally than those who were able to repress and move forward.

They also discovered that bosses who often reported symptoms of mental and physical fatigue were more likely to make mistakes inside the work environment that may have resulted in issues for the overall office.

Researchers note that while promoting fairness is usually helpful overall to the workers and overall environment, Johnson said that workplace fairness can be especially wearing on nicer bosses whose goal is to make everyone happy.

"Managers who are fair cannot realistically avoid some burnout," Johnson explained.

And with any job, whether you're the boss or a regular employee, regular rest, a healthy diet and exercise can all play an important role in overall productivity and happiness at your job.

What do you think?

More information regarding the findings can be seen via the Journal of Applied Psychology.