This shows that the gulf between Zimbabwean bosses and their subordinates seems to be widening with each passing day.A survey titled Why employees hate their bosses showing 42 reasons employees hate their managers has revealed that 28,67% of the 268 individuals who responded to the poll conducted by a human resources consultancy firm this month do not like their supervisors because they feel disrespected. Out of the sampled people, 26,1% were qualified at the post-graduate level, 42,9% had at least a degree, 26,1% had diplomas and 1,5% had “other” qualifications.According to the poll, some of the bosses have become so disrespectful that they pry into their subordinates’ private life. Apart from snooping, 23,19% of the workers resent their managers citing favouritism and nepotism.“Most employees explained that although their bosses were their superiors, it was no excuse for bosses to disrespect them,” reads the report compiled by Industrial Psychology Consultants. “Also in relation to bosses not having respect, employees expressed that bosses often treated them as though they were not intelligent. Employees complained about the fact that bosses would not respect their privacy and would often enquire about their every activity including where they were going and why… Many employees gave the example of bosses enquiring where they are going even if it was a private matter such as going to the bathroom.”The respondents, according to the survey, say some employers continue to discriminate their workers on the basis of gender or race despite constitutional provisions outlawing discrimination.Only 5,25% of the respondents said their bosses felt “threatened” by more competent and experienced subordinates that reported to them.“Other complaints were that bosses would not fairly align remuneration or benefits with work responsibility and thus they felt that they were not being fairly rewarded for their work. Those who complained about this aspect expressed that their bosses would not recognize their potential even after achieving agreed targets,” reads the report.Smoking in the office and having a different view with the boss were given as the least reason for disliking supervisors, each accounting for 0,08% of the poll.Meanwhile, another independent research on employee tax differences in the Sadc region has advised government to review tax brackets in a bid to attract critical skills that emigrated to neighbouring countries in pursuit of better employment prospects. Key Factor, a business and human capital consulting firm reported last month that government should lower income tax thresholds to entice Zimbabwean skilled labour force to return to their homeland. Zimbabwe, unlike South Africa and Botswana where most citizens emigrated to, levies 10% income tax for workers earning between US$200 and US$300 each month leaving most workers with a lower disposable income compared with regional peers. The country also has a higher income tax levels for upper income earners, with an effective monthly pay as you earn of 32% for those earning US$7 000 or more. South Africa deducts 29% for the same employees while Botswana government taxes 22%.“Government might need to seriously consider strategically readjusting tax levels or coming up with targeted but innovative tax exemptions to restore the competitiveness of Zimbabwe in the regional human capital markets and enable Zimbabwean firms to stem talent leakages and trigger talent injections,” the report said.“The current tax exemption on subscriptions to professional bodies is a cap in the feather and should be maintained or extended as a way of assisting employee-retooling and skills-sharpening. This should be possible as the economy recovers due to increased injections into the national economy in the form of increasing exports and foreign direct investments, such that the state will not have to be over-dependent on income taxes for its fiscal support.”
Bernard Mpofu
