Want to Tell Your Boss: You're Fired?

BAD BOSSES: Ever wish you could sack your boss? Of course you have.

Two companies, a human resource consulting company, and a Web site asked Web surfers why they would do so. Nearly a third, 32 percent, said a lack of trust and/or integrity. More than a fifth, 24 percent, cited micromanagement. Twelve percent said the boss did not offer open feedback and the same amount cited "lack of opportunities to grow."

Another 10 percent answered "taking credit for the ideas and work of others" and 8 percent said a lack of coaching support.

The February query attracted 1,062 responses at the Web site, which offers advice on dealing with poor manager relations and other workplace issues. It was devised by Pittsburgh based Development Dimensions International and the CRM Group, which runs the site.

"Firing these bosses may be a drastic action — instead workers need to provide their bosses with feedback about what will make them better leaders," said Rich Wellins, a DDI senior vice president. "Poor people skills may not cost the boss their job, but it is costing them the confidence of their teams."

JOB ANGST: People often joke that work is killing them, but an intriguing University of Michigan study suggests a connection between job insecurity and poor health.

And whether you even lose your job isn't all that relevant to your overall health — the stress of that prospect is sufficient to affect physical and mental health, according to a study of more than 1,000 people under age 60.

The group was interviewed twice, over three years and involved people who were employed both times, without an extended unemployment.

Self-rated health was significantly lower for respondents who reported feeling insecure about their jobs, said Sarah Burgard, a sociologist and lead author of the study.

Compared to workers who felt secure at both interviews, those who were chronically insecure were about twice as likely to report physical health that was less than very good or excellent. Burgard also found that private-sector employees were more vulnerable to the negative health effects of job insecurity than were public-sector employees.

The institute controlled for major health shocks over the study, and measured respondents' level of neurosis, to control for the tendency of highly neurotic people to give low ratings of their mental and physical health.

The data, collected by the school's Institute for Social Research, was presented last weekend at the Population Association of America's annual meeting.

CFOs ON PAY: In recent years, America's CEOs have drawn wrath and raised eyebrows over their massive pay packages. But there's many among the critics who might surprise you: chief financial officers.

A third of finance chiefs in a March survey said they support a bill pending in Congress that would mandate shareholder approval for executive compensation packages. (Granted, 64 percent opposed the bill.)

Additionally, 71 percent of the CFOs said they generally support a Securities and Exchange Commission proposal to expand disclosure of executive compensation. A third said the measure would make companies more cautious about doling out excessive remuneration.

The survey last month involved 201 CFOs from a range of industries. It was conducted by the Financial Executives International, an association for financial managers, and the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College in New York City.