Whether they play it safe, are bullish, self absorbed, or prone to micromanaging – these types of bosses are sure to chase good employees out the door.

Employees might  join companies, but they leave managers. A Gallup poll of more 1 million employed US workers concluded that the number one reason people quit their jobs is due to a bad boss or immediate supervisor. More than two thirds (75 per cent) of workers who voluntarily left their jobs did so because of their bosses and not the position itself. In spite of how good a job might be, people will quit if the reporting relationship is not healthy. Here are the four types of bad bosses that make employees want to quit companies:

1. Marionette

In an age of uncertainty, many managers are yielding to the trap of playing it safe to preserve their position and privileges. They are just following orders; they never stand up for their team or question policies. They are mere puppets and exude no loyalty to employees. A lack of integrity in a manager can make an employee lose passion for the job.

2. King Kong

When some managers reach to the top, they immediately forget where they came from. These type of managers possess a superiority complex and like to draw the distinction between management and staff. It’s dreadful to work under a manager who’s more worried about pushing their weight around than building relationships. Great leaders don’t talk down to their employees or make them feel inferior. Respect is a must.

3. Superman

This breed of manager thinks the organisation revolves around them. Some start behaving like they’re the owners of the company. This trap includes making all of the decisions solo, ignoring feedback and taking the credit. When employees don’t feel appreciated, morale and engagement plummets.

4. Taskmaster

Their sole focus is on the bottom line. Continuously drilling employees is a sure way make them unhappy at work. Micromanagement suffocates, demoralises and kills creativity. If you hired someone, it means you believe they are capable of fulfilling the role. A manager’s job is to motivate and provide guidance and support, not constantly monitor an employee’s every move.

The damaging effects of a bad boss

A bad boss creates fear and makes work drudgery. Studies show having a bad boss increases a worker’s chance of having a heart attack by as much as 60 per cent due to the stress and anxiety caused by unfeasible targets, lack of support, unfair practices and threats of punishment.

How not to act

Take this email I received from Steve as an example:

“I got a call my wife had been in a serious car accident. I told my boss I needed to leave immediately. He asked me to give him 10 more minutes. I was so disappointed because he could have covered for me. I come in early. I leave late. I hardly take any sick leave and that was the response I got from him? I looked at him and walked straight out the door. My relationship with my manager went south after that. I started planning my exit strategy and within three months, I quit.”

When you go beyond the call of duty for your employer, and they respond with inflexibility during your time of need, the relationship at that exact moment is lost.

Bad bosses are the number one cause of unhappiness at work. People see the company only through their immediate boss, and employees know when they are on shaky ground. A manager who keeps throwing employees under the bus will create an atmosphere of anxiety and distrust. A recent study says that 56 per cent of employees would turn down a 10 per cent pay rise to stay with a great boss. Treat employees fairly, reward them for their hard work and they will give 110 per cent.

There are too many individuals in positions who abuse their power. This is why good employees quit jobs. A culture of blaming, punishment, inflexibility and insensitivity only pushes people away. Employees want managers who are leaders. Managers who will inspire them, who are fair and honest and will stand up for their team.

I have seen too many exceptional employees become disheartened, stop caring, and just go through the motions until they find another job. Managers, please use the human-to-human approach when dealing with employees. It’s people you are dealing with, not just a statistic on a graph. Get to know your people, meet them where they are and be flexible. You can’t buy loyalty but you can earn it. If you want loyal employees – treat your people well!

Brigette Hyacinth is a keynote speaker and author of “The future of leadership: Rise of robotics, automation and artificial intelligence”.

This is an edited version of her LinkedIn article.

Learn how to identify and address bullying and harassment with AHRI’s short course “Bullying and harassment”.