Is Lying Part of Office Life?

The relationship between boss and subordinate is often littered with distrust, game-playing and even dislike. For example, according to a study by Florida State University, 39 percent of workers said their supervisor didn’t keep a promise, 37 percent said the boss withheld credit, and 23 percent said their supervisor blamed others to cover up mistakes or to minimize embarrassment.

But bosses aren’t the only ones who lie. Subordinates also do things to erode the trust so essential to good working relationships. This survey reveals most workers have lied to their bosses about something, like the reason for a day off, why they’re late or why they’re missing a deadline.

So a lot of lying is going on in the office. That’s life, right? While some lying is essential to making the (polite) world go round (“Great haircut, Martha!”), I think an atmosphere of trust between worker and boss helps build good working relationships. That’s good for your career -- think how much easier your working life would be if you got along with your boss -- and for the company. Infighting and strained relationships ultimately cause productivity losses and ultimately, turnover

So next time you’re tempted to tell the boss you’re late because wild turkeys attacked your car (wait, that really happened around here) or not tell your employee he’s doing a great job, try stepping outside the norm with some good old-fashioned honesty. Like the spring breezes that are starting to blow through here, you may find it refreshing.

For more on this topic, check out these resources from the Monster Blog:

• "Building Trust in the Office”


• “Trust in Management Is More Important than Money”


• “Lessons from Enron: Who Do You Trust?”

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