Millennials Want To Critique Their Bosses More Than Gen Z

Exclusive research commissioned by Newsweek has found that millennials approve of the idea of doing a performance review on their boss more than any other age group.

In a poll of 1,500 American adults by Redfield & Wilton Strategies for Newsweek, when asked if employees should be given the chance to conduct a performance review to critique their boss, an overwhelming 76 percent of respondents said yes.

The idea achieved favor among both men and women, with 77 percent and 76 percent respectively voting in favor of employer performance reviews. Conversely, 13 percent of both genders said they wouldn't like to review their bosses.

Participants were categorized by their ages for the survey, ranging from 18 years of age to those over 65. The age categories revealed greater disparity in the results, as 84 percent of those aged 35-44 voted in favor of the idea.

Of adults aged 25-34, 81 percent said they would like to be able to do a performance review for their boss, whereas only 74 percent of Generation Z, (aged 18-24) agreed.

Generation Z was also one of the age categories that disagreed with the idea the most, with 16 percent saying no. Equally, 16 percent of those aged 65 and over said no to the idea.

Jessica Kriegel, a scientist of workplace culture, told Newsweek she encourages the idea of bosses being critiqued by their employees.

"I love the idea, some bosses would recoil from it, but others would appreciate the feedback they get," Kriegel said. "All of this should be happening organically.

"I have been given the opportunity to critique a boss before, and most of the time they take it well and use it as a chance to grow. They might not listen to everything you say, and it might take a while for the boss to implement what you're saying, but most people do want to grow in their role."

However, the 40-year-old, who is categorized as a millennial, has also experienced some bosses becoming defensive when given any critique or feedback.

The opportunity may be welcome, but Kriegel feels that reviewing a boss won't matter if there's no incentive to improve.

She continued: "I have thought that 25 percent of a manager's ability to get a bonus for the year should be tied to how their employees perceive them. It would put a financial incentive on making sure they are an effective manager.

"If managers got feedback and it was thought of more as two-way accountability, that would benefit rapport and the experience of working there. Everything starts from the experience of working somewhere, that's the bedrock of culture."

The results of the survey also found that the notion was more favorable in the West and North East, with 82 percent of both regions agreeing that employees should be given the opportunity. However, only 68 percent of the Mid West approved of bosses being reviewed.

Kylie Luff, 38, a senior human resources consultant, agreed with the millennial consensus that bosses should be subject to performance reviews, just like their staff. As a millennial worker herself, she feels that reviews and critiques should work both ways.

Luff suggests that performance reviews should be more of an "open discussion" where the employee and employer can air their thoughts, whether that be praise or criticism.

She told Newsweek: "Performance reviews provide great insight into what both employers and employees are doing right and what they can improve upon, whether that's pay, benefits, flexible work schedules, or career development.

"They are traditionally viewed as a one-sided review of employee productivity, when in reality they should provide an opportunity for an open-ended conversation surrounding the employee experience, which will be mutually beneficial."

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