It’s not uncommon to feel like you have a terrible boss, but do you really? How do you know? Data published by Inc. reports that 3 out of 4 employees feel that their boss is the worst part of their job, with 65% saying they’d take a new boss over a pay raise…a pay raise! The fact of the matter is employees quit bosses, not jobs. Here are a few indicators that you may be dealing with a horrible boss.
They don’t inspire you
There are no pep talks, no words of encouragement, and no communication. There is no direction or clear conveyance of company goals. Whether you are being micromanaged or barely seen by your slacker of a boss, you are losing. A boss is meant to be a motivator and it makes it increasingly difficult to get out of bed each morning when you feel like what you do doesn’t matter. In the words of Stanford professor Kathryn Shaw, “Good bosses are teachers. In fact, their teaching accounts for 67% of a boss’s effect on employees’ productivity.” Point being, when leaders are encouraging, employees are more productive.
They play the blame game
An ideal relationship with your boss is fueled by transparency and trust yet time and time again, your boss has failed to hold themselves accountable for mistakes made. Or worse, they place blame elsewhere. Accountability is an important element in the workplace because it shows honesty and respect. It organically creates a safe environment that promotes innovation and growth. So when your boss fails to admit their wrongdoing, it unwittingly sets a dangerous precedent of secrecy and deceit in the office.
They pass the buck
Are you often asked to handle tasks your boss is unwilling or ill-equipped to do him/herself? Maddening right?! Barking orders such as, “Take this angry client call” just so they don’t have to look like the bad guy in the situation. What makes this exponentially worse is if your boss steals the credit after you’ve singlehandedly diffused the situation, quelled client tensions, and saved the relationship. Being lazy and trivializing employee contributions are unacceptable boss moves. No one wants to work for someone who is that selfish. Moreover, no one wants to work somewhere that they aren’t recognized or appreciated. People stop learning and start resenting selfish bosses.
They blatantly ignore you
Being ignored is infuriating. Sometimes bosses can feel like they are too busy to pay attention to “menial tasks or requests” but let’s be real, we’re all busy. And what employees are often busy with are things to improve the business – things that require answers in order for them to do their jobs efficiently. Ignoring your staff is not only rude and inconsiderate, but it poisons the business and destroys company morale. In fact according to data published by Inc., 50% of employees who don’t feel valued plan to look for another job next year. Two-way communication is essential.
They are unreasonable
Have you ever been asked to work weekends, holidays, or denied a vacation? Have you been asked to complete a job in 1 hour that typically takes a full day, then scolded for failing? If the reasoning for this is not an urgent time-sensitive matter, then you may have the king of horrible bosses on your hands. These impractical expectations are self-esteem killers and set you up for failure in the worst way.
Horrible bosses affect your entire life with many workers bringing that anxiety and dread from the office into their homes. Refrain from festering in the negativity and identify the signs of a bad boss early on. Your job is stressful enough, if you see your boss in any of the above situations, it may be time to take action and remove yourself from a toxic situation.