Better Bosses Is the Number One Perk People Want - The Muse

Better Bosses Is the Number One Perk People Want - The MuseBetter Bosses Is the Number One Perk People WantTheres always something that drags our day down- a cranky co-worker, a noisy schreibstube, a boatload of demanding emails, rain, snow, getting attacked by a pigeon, I could go on forever.So, we wanted to know Whats one thing that would make every day better? In fact, we asked our fellow Musers (a.k.a., you) to pick one thing that would make their work day a heck of a lot mora enjoyable- a better boss, fewer emails, a private office, or free snacks. And the results, polled from 234 users on Twitter, were fascinating Were curious What would make your workday a whole lot better? career poll- The Muse (dailymuse) October 4, 2016According to this, most people would choose to have a better boss over any other benefit we offered up- proving to employers that its elend all about the perks.In addition to this being interesting (and making me question how much I love free food), it also made us realize that the struggle is real when it comes to enjoying work when your manager is just meh. So, we wanted to go ahead and help you out if you find yourself in the same boat as our Twitter poll-ees. First, figure out the disconnect. Is it a communication issue? A personality difference? An unfair ordnungsprinzip? Identifying this will make the next step easier.The next step being that you need to get honest with your boss (in a professional manner). Yes, you have the authority, as well as the responsibility to start a conversation with your supervisor and come up with a better system for yourself- and for him. Remember that this person is human, and chances are he didnt hire you just to make your life a living hell. Most managers want to help their employees be happy and succeed, because it means theyll be happy and successful, too.So, make an effort to develop a relationship filled with open communication- try scheduling weekly or monthly meetings to update each other on whats working (and whats not), then ask for regular feedback in these meetings so you can nip any bad habits in the bud or find out if theres any miscommunication happening. Maybe your boss sends you confusing email responses because youre not asking your questions clearly. Or maybe shes not assigning you big projects because you regularly complain about how much is currently on your plate. If regular meetings just arent feasible, make sure to use your next performance review to voice concerns you might have- big and small. Get clear on your upcoming goals and get as much as possible in writing so its easy to follow up. Lastly, you can even try managing up to make both your lives easier without her even knowing.Having a not-so-great boss stinks, but its also very common (as shown by this poll). Rather than wishing on a lucky star that youll be handed a perfect one, there are ways to improve your situation now. And if none of the above strategies work, we know of about 10,000+ job o penings. (Just make sure to ask yourself these questions before you start interviewing to ensure youll be a fit from the start.)And good news for the people who chose the other perks, we didnt forget about you- look here if you want to receive less emails, here to create your own private office even in an open workspace, and here to make your own delicious office snacks.Are none of these the thing that would turn your day around? Tweet us your answerPhoto of boss in meeting courtesy of Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images.