There are some managers who believe that the best way to get more out of your employees is by keeping them unhappy. They feel that smiles in the office translate into complacency and, therefore, laziness. The best way to operate is to pit one employee against the other. Competition extracts from them the maximum possible, though it is never a long-term solution.

Such martinet managers do have a use. CEOs send them from division to division to buck things up. They are never allowed to stay in one place for too long because that would be counterproductive. People would leave and it would be very difficult to find replacements, given the fact that the grapevine works overtime in such situations. The boss from hell often knows what’s good for him. So he campaigns to move on to a new responsibility when he thinks matters are reaching a head.

If you’ve been wondering why multinational companies in India have been facing so many labour problems in recent times, here’s one more reason. Headquarters —whether in the US, the UK or Japan — often promote people with the best record. Martinet managers — if they can keep up their short-stint style of functioning — often have very good records measured by numbers. It is only when you do a 360 degree appraisal that the truth becomes evident. MNCs go by the rulebook, which means numbers. So the worst sort of man manager gets promoted. Disaster strikes if they ever make it to the CEOs position.

In today’s environment, these martinet managers are having a very good time. The worldwide economic crisis has made people scared about their jobs. They may be unhappy. But they are sticking with the devil they know.

According to a recent survey by Accenture (see box), corporate loyalty has become a big thing today. The survey was conducted across 3,400 business executives from medium to large organisations in 29 countries, including India. The survey also shows that there is little difference in the perception of men and women excepting in two areas. First, more women than men report that their careers are not fast tracked. Second, fewer women say they aim to reach C-level or equivalent positions.

Are the overall findings applicable to India, which is going through a comparative economic boom? Other surveys seem to indicate the answer is in the negative. According to the fourth annual American Express/CFO Research Global Business & Spending Monitor, Indian finance heads are far more optimistic than their counterparts across the world. The survey polled 665 financial executives from Australia, the US, Asia, Europe, Canada, and Latin America. Another sector analyst, Ma Foi Randstad, a global recruiting firm, expects to see a lot of job hopping and fresh recruitment in India.

Anecdotal evidence points to increased attrition levels. At Wipro, for instance, the voluntary attrition level has risen to 22.7 per cent in 2010-2011 from 12.1 per cent in 2009-2010.

This is actually good news for martinet managers. With so much chopping and changing in the workforce, their own contribution to this churn goes unnoticed.

But their time may be running out. Another survey by Elance, a Mountain View (US)-based resource for freelance professionals, says that an overwhelming majority of Millennials (those born after 1981) want to freelance instead of having regular careers. What this means in essence is that they don’t want a boss. They are confident that there will always be demand for their services. And they won’t need a Boss Button – an icon on your screen that replaces the Free Cell you were playing with an esoteric spreadsheet when the boss comes sniffing around.

The days of the martinet manager are numbered, at least in India. But that’s for the wrong sort of reason; the days of any sort of boss are numbered. A couple of decades down the line, the office as a place and the boss as a person may cease to exist in many industries.

UNHAPPILY TOGETHER

Employees are loyal despite being dissatisfied (figures in %)

Fewer than half the respondents are satisfied with their current jobs. Men 42. Women 43,

The top reasons for respondents’ dissatisfaction are:

Being underpaid. Men 44. Women 47.

Lack of opportunity for growth. Men 32. Women 36.

No opportunity for career advancement. Men 34. Women 33.

Feeling trapped. Men 32. Women 29.

Nearly three-quarters plan to stay with their companies. Men 69. Women 70.

Source: Accenture report Reinvent Opportunity: Looking Through a New Lens