Workers Who Can't Stand Their Bosses Usually Have These 11 Reasons
A toxic boss can make an employee's time at work truly miserable.
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A | Shutterstock A bad boss can truly make any employee want to pull their hair out from frustration. Considering having a job is something we all must to do survive, being able to have an empathetic, understanding, and caring boss is important to many people. The last thing anyone wants to do is give their energy to a boss that just doesn't reciprocate it or even appreciate the things they do. When your boss is a source of stress day in and day out, it just becomes harder to do the work that's expected of you.
It all boils down to basic respect and knowing how to be a true leader. When those things are missing, it's only a matter of time before the resentment starts to creep in. Most of the time, the reasons workers who can't stand their bosses usually have are kept quiet, whether it's because they're scared of the confrontation or because they don't want to lose their jobs. But the reality is, you should be able to speak to your boss and have a productive conversation without those fears being there.
Here are 11 reasons workers who can't stand their bosses usually have
1. They hover
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No one enjoys a micromanager, especially one that oversees your work. If you've been hired at a company, it's because you clearly possess the necessary skills and intelligence to get the job done without outside interference. It doesn't mean you're above asking for help or assistance on certain projects and tasks, but that unless you're outright asking, you don't need a hovering boss who can't take a hint.
According to a survey from Monster, nearly 3 out of 4 workers say micromanagement raises quite a large red flag about a workplace. Almost half, 46%, say they'd leave a job because of it. It shows there's a lack of respect for your ability to do the job.
Good bosses know that employees that are deep in their work just need space to get their tasks done without any interruptions. It can just feel a bit invasive when micromanagers are so in your space and not allowing you the time to do things on your own.
2. They have poor communication
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No employee enjoys having a boss that almost speaks in code when they're trying to communicate about work-related things. Their instructions are quite vague or even incomplete, they leave their employees guessing when it comes to what's expected of them, and they just don't provide a single detail about projects and tasks that need to be done.
"It doesn't matter whether you're a Ph.D. conducting experiments in a lab, a worker on a construction site, or a young man doing marketing in an office... similar interpersonal dynamics exist. If you have a seriously bad relationship with your boss, in all likelihood it will impact your experience of work negatively," pointed out management coach Victor Lipman.
It's downright exhausting when employees leave feeling even more confused about what's expected of them instead of being told outright. Communication isn't just about passing off orders to those that work for you but being clear about what you want from them. It's also about being able to accept feedback on things as well.
3. They play favorites
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Nothing chips away at the respect an employee has for their boss by noticing that they're clearly playing favorites, and it's one of the reasons workers who can't stand their bosses usually have. It can be frustrating when you notice your boss paying compliments to the same people and giving them better projects when you're right there asking for opportunities to show your growth.
A study from Central Michigan University revealed that 47% of American employees reported that their supervisor had favorites, and 21% admitted that their supervisor treated them better than their peers at work.
When employees start to feel that they're being overlooked for others, it can end up feeling a bit personal, even if it necessarily isn't. A lot of the time, favoritism often has zero to do with a person's actual talent or even their hard work. That kind of work environment means no matter how much an employee is dedicating their time and energy, they'll never live up to how favorites of their boss deliver.
4. They can never admit when they're wrong
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A boss who refuses to admit when they're wrong is incredibly frustrating and exhausting. It can make employees feel as if they need to walk around on eggshells around them because of how frequently they dodge just taking accountability.
"Whether a poor decision was made impulsively, because of an emotional outburst, or out of sheer incompetence, toxic managers take no responsibility. At best, they make excuses for themselves ('I didn't send out that announcement, because I was on vacation last week') or will justify and defend their poor decision any way they can to avoid admitting their mistake," explained psychologist Ronald E. Riggio.
It ends up creating a ripple effect in a work environment because if a boss refuses to own up to their mistakes, then it doesn't stop employees from deciding that they can do the same thing. What's even more damaging is that a boss who can never admit when they're wrong is also a boss that loves to shift the blame onto others just to avoid being in hot water. A boss is meant to be on your side, not throw you under the bus when they find it fit.
5. They have zero empathy for their employees' personal lives
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There's no such thing as abandoning your personal life for work. A job should never take precedence over what's happening at home, and a good, empathetic boss knows and understands that. In fact a survey from Ernst & Young LLP of more than 1,000 Americans who are employed revealed that many have left a previous job because their boss wasn't empathetic to their struggles at work (54%) or in their personal lives (49%).
Empathetic bosses don't throw a fit when you need to leave work a bit early to take your sick kid to the doctor or when you're asking for a time off to grieve a death in the family. Instead, they encourage you to take all the time you need to cope with your personal life. However, a toxic boss makes you feel bad for putting work on the back-burner to focus on yourself. They believe that work should come first, always.
At the end of the day, it just boils down to basic compassion for those that work for you, and when someone is working in a workplace that doesn't care about their personal life, it really does affect the way they show up every day.
6. They create drama when there isn't any
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Some bosses thrive when there's chaos. Even when their team has found their groove and are working seamlessly, a toxic boss will find any and every way to stir things up. They have no problem turning every little bump into a major issue that needs everyone's attention immediately.
"The world's best boss supports and respects employees. As a result, job satisfaction and company success skyrockets. But a difficult boss can undermine productivity and workplace morale — ultimately undermining the company's bottom line," insisted psychotherapist Bryan E. Robinson.
It's as if these bosses are obsessed with workplace drama, and anytime there's peace and serenity they simply cannot function. These types of bosses enjoy gossiping and stirring the pot amongst their employees, which makes working under them a nightmare for many employees. A good leader is someone that has no problem diffusing the drama and setting the peace, not the one who's the mastermind behind it.
7. They never show any gratitude
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There's nothing worse than a boss that can't acknowledge the good job that you've been doing at work. They never want to celebrate the wins, both big and small, and create an environment where most employees end up feeling invisible. This lack of gratitude is one of the reasons workers who can't stand their bosses usually have.
However, when your contributions end up going unnoticed, it's easy to start neglecting your work because it's not being appreciated despite the amount of dedication that you're putting into it. It's not that employees are expecting a constant round of applause or standing ovation, but a simple "thank you" can truly do wonders in boosting employee satisfaction and morale.
Gratitude really doesn't cost much, and is a great opportunity to really build a good bond between a boss and their workers.
8. They drop in last minute with a 'quick favor'
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It's the end of the day or you've just managed to finish a tight deadline, when your boss pops up to ask for you to do something "quickly," and it's only going to be a "quick favor." These last-minute requests can truly make any employee feel a type of way towards their boss, because it's really the timing of it all.
While there's nothing wrong with asking employees to take on extra projects or tasks, bosses should at least give them a bit of a heads-up instead of throwing it on their desk when they're getting ready to leave. Doing this all the time can create resentment, one of the major reasons workers who can't stand their bosses usually have.
Most of the time, these requests often come with zero context or direction, leaving employees scrambling to complete it without any guidance. It's mostly about the lack of awareness that bosses have for their employees, and a good leader is aware that time is the most important thing in any job.
9. They assume their stress is more important than their workers'
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There's no workplace that exists in the world that doesn't come with its own levels of stress. However, there are some bosses who truly think they're the only ones that are allowed to feel overwhelmed. They use it as an excuse to be short with others, ignore their employees' boundaries, and even dump tasks on them that they don't have time to do themselves.
However, they fail to realize that the majority of their employees are most likely stressed as well and don't need to be dealing with a boss that can't handle the stress of their work environment. In fact, many studies have found that a large majority of people experience stress at work, which ultimately affects their well-being and personal lives.
But a good boss should understand that stress isn't just for people who sit at the top of the ladder. It ends up trickling down and the best thing they can do is actually show up for their employees and listen to what they have to say.
10. They're emotionally unpredictable
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There's nothing worse than working under a boss who's emotionally unpredictable. It's as if you need to walk around on eggshells because one day, your boss could be approachable and kind, but then the next day they're moody and snapping at everyone and anything for the smallest of reasons.
There seems to be zero consistency in their moods, and it therefore makes it harder for you to do your work because you're just sitting there, on-edge, waiting for the bomb to explode. It's just draining because employees are unaware if they're going to be praised one second or reprimanded in the next. A great boss is stable and doesn't let their emotions run the show and how they speak to and interact with their employees.
11. They use fear to motivate
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Some bosses believe that the only way to manage their team is by using fear to motivate them to do their work. While fear can give the illusion of motivation, it only ends up further damaging their mental health, leading them to feeling more anxiety and bitterness.
A workplace culture that wants to be successful means that their employees should feel that they're being supported by their boss instead of fearing them. When fear is the main motivator, employees stop wanting to do things creatively. Great bosses understand that employees get their best work done when they feel secure and most importantly, trusted.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
