A 2023 study has revealed that Reading was voted in the top 10 for having the worst bosses in UK, with participants claiming they don’t trust their boss.

The survey, conducted by BestNewBingoSites, heard from 2,000 Brits on what they really think of their bosses. It concluded that Edinburgh is home to the best bosses in the UK and Walsall has the worst.

Reading came in tenth on the list of 'cities' - despite being a town itself - having the worst bosses after Southampton, Brighton and Luton.

The survey respondents felt that the worst had the following attributes: 

  • Unrealistic expectations (75%)
  • Treating staff members differently or inconsistently (70%)
  • Does not communicate clearly (60%)
  • Does not offer support to staff (59%)
  • Does not listen to feedback (56%)

The research also revealed a lack of trust between staff and bosses as 60% of respondents were not confident that issues raised in the workplace would be addressed and a staggering 69% reported experiencing a boss breaking regulations themselves.

80% of the 2,000 respondents claimed their bosses had behaved in a way that raised questions and only 20% of people see their boss as a friend.

Reading Chronicle:

Top 10 areas in the UK for having the best and worst bosses. Photo by BestNewBingoSites.

Northern cities such as Edinburgh, Manchester and Newcastle were found to have the most liked bosses, whereas bosses from the Midlands and further south seem to rank worst overall.

Reading Chronicle:

Photo by BestNewBingoSites

On a positive note, the survey revealed that there are some things that seem almost universal in terms of what makes a good boss:

  • Fair to all staff (79%)
  • Takes staff concerns seriously (73%)
  • Communicates clearly (71%)
  • Listens to feedback (71%)
  • Trusts staff to do their jobs (67%)