197/03 9 December 2003

DO YOU WORK FOR THE BEST BOSS IN BRITIAN

IF SO NOMINATE THEM FOR BEST BOSS 2004

Does your boss rate or grate? Nearly half (45 per cent) the population say they aspire to being just like their esteemed leader, while a rather confident 55 per cent believe they could do a better job than their boss. The research carried out by Lloyds TSB and Working Families marks the launch of the annual search to find the UK’s best boss for 2004.

The difference in employee, employer relationships varies widely up and down the country. Two thirds (60 per cent) of people who live in the West Country consider their boss to be a close friend more than an authority figure, almost 20 per cent more than the national average (43 per cent).

While one in five say their boss is a bully and they work for the boss from hell, the figure soars in London with over a third of people (34 per cent) using this description to talk about the one in charge.

People in Wales and the Midlands are most likely to have a dream boss who is an inspiration and a mentor, with more than one in five saying this is the case (22 per cent). However a quarter (25 per cent) of people in the Midlands also consider their boss to be a bit like the dreaded TV character, David Brent, an office joke who tries to hard to be one of the gang.

The research overwhelmingly reveals that despite the ‘matey’ approach displayed by some bosses, a majority of employees want a friendly but professional relationship with their boss (69 per cent). Only four per cent see their boss as a personal confidante and one in ten (10 per cent) want to socialise with their boss outside of work.

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Fiona Cannon, head of equality and diversity at Lloyds TSB, who are acknowledged for introducing a number of modern working practices in the UK, explains, “One of the keys to being a good boss is to understand the importance of work life balance.

People work hard and they get fed up if their boss doesn’t recognise that they have a life outside of work.”

Sarah Jackson from Working Families agrees, “We’re keen to hear from everyone who has a great boss. This competition celebrates the work of unsung heroesevery where. Over the past four years, all sorts of people, doing very different jobs, have been entered. It doesn’t cost a penny to nominate and you and your boss stand a chance of joining other finalists at the House of Lords for the celebratory lunch in June 2004. The UK’s Best Boss will win £1000 of travel vouchers. “

To get a nomination form Tel 020 7253 7243 or download one from

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About the competition

Lloyds TSB and Working Families are searching for the Best Boss in the UK. The Best Boss competition was first launched in 2000 to celebrate the unsung local heroes who show other managers how a happy team with balanced lives makes for a ‘win-win’ situation for everyone. Previous winners – from a wide range of sectors - have demonstrated how individuals really can make a difference.

The closing date for nominations is 1 April 2004.

About Working Families

Working Families, formerly Parents At Work and New Ways to Work, is a campaigning charity which supports and gives a voice to working parents and carers, and helps employers create workplaces which encourage work-life balance for everyone. We have Individual, Professional and Employer members, as well as offering the Balance At Work consultancy. In addition to this competition, we also run the Employer of the Year Awards, which recognise organisations rather than individuals and for which employers nominate themselves.

Sacha Hardy

Lloyds TSB Press Office

Tel: 020 7356 1262

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