When employees have problems with their supervisor, many do not dare to speak it openly. Nearly half of all employees (44 percent) are afraid to address difficulties with the bosses or the management. This resulted in a survey of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB), which is the SPIEGEL exclusive.
For employees who are 55 years or older, the proportion of those who are afraid is even 52%. For younger employees, just under one in three (30 percent) perceives a fear-laden working atmosphere.
DGB survey on the working atmosphere
Who is the surveyer from?
The survey on the working atmosphere is based on data from the nationwide representative survey of employees on the Good Work Index of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB). This interviews employees about the quality of their working conditions. The subjects of the interviews are the burden and income situation as well as the resources available at work.
How was the data collected?
The annual telephone survey is based on a representative random sample of employees with weekly working hours of ten hours or more.
How was the data evaluated?
For the evaluation, the answers to three questions about the working climate from 2018 were analyzed. The sample used includes a sample of 8,011 employees surveyed (excluding trainees) from all sectors, income and age groups, regions, farm sizes and employment relationships, union-organized and non-members.
The size of a company also plays a role here. Small businesses with fewer than 20 employees are rated somewhat more positively in terms of the working climate than medium and larger companies. However, around one in three (34 percent) is afraid to speak openly.
If employees do not dare to address problems, they are more likely to change their employer. About one in ten thinks about leaving the company in such a case.
Too little appreciation
The DGB survey also showed that one in three employees (32 percent) feels they are underpriced by the boss. The more demanding the activity is, the more frequently employees report being valued by their superiors. For employees performing highly complex activities, the proportion is 77 percent, and 56 percent for employees doing ancillary work.
However, according to the survey, colleagues often support one another: 85 percent of respondents say that their colleagues help them a great deal. In those companies where collegiality is promoted, 94 percent of respondents report on help from colleagues. There, there is not this promotion, there are only 70 percent.