Study: Bosses get nicer with exercise DEKALB, Ill., Jan. 24 (UPI) -- A Northern Illinois University researcher says regular exercise can help grouchy bosses be nicer to their employees. James Burton and his team said their study, published online in Springer's Journal of Business and Psychology, involved studying questionnaires filled out by 98 MBA students and their 98 supervisors from two universities, which were not identified. The students were asked about the behavior of their supervisors and their answers were compared with the supervisors' answers about their exercise habits. The authors said they noticed a connection between negative behavior in bosses and lack of exercise. It appears that the simple act of exercising minimizes the negative effects of supervisor workplace stress on subordinates. Wellness programs, often inclusive of exercise components, have been advocated to control workplace stress for years. This study adds support to their specific relevancy in smoothing supervisor-subordinate relationships," the study said.