While some people are blessed with thoughtful and down-to-earth bosses, others have to bear superiors boasting way less positive qualities. And unless you switch jobs until you find one of the former kind, the type of boss you get at aworkplaceis more or less a lottery.Today, we’re focusing on the people who, unfortunately, haven’t won in said lottery. Having to deal with higher-ups with all sorts of aggravating traits, these people have screenshots to show just how difficult working with them can be. If you’re curious to see what it entails, scroll down to find them on the list below and see how your boss looks compared to this “hall of fame”.Below you will also findBored Panda’sinterview with a Professor of Leadership and Organizational Psychology at Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, California,Dr. Ronald Riggio, who was kind enough to share his insight on how strong of an influence a bad—or good—boss can be on their employees.This post may includeaffiliate links.
While some people are blessed with thoughtful and down-to-earth bosses, others have to bear superiors boasting way less positive qualities. And unless you switch jobs until you find one of the former kind, the type of boss you get at aworkplaceis more or less a lottery.
Today, we’re focusing on the people who, unfortunately, haven’t won in said lottery. Having to deal with higher-ups with all sorts of aggravating traits, these people have screenshots to show just how difficult working with them can be. If you’re curious to see what it entails, scroll down to find them on the list below and see how your boss looks compared to this “hall of fame”.
Below you will also findBored Panda’sinterview with a Professor of Leadership and Organizational Psychology at Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, California,Dr. Ronald Riggio, who was kind enough to share his insight on how strong of an influence a bad—or good—boss can be on their employees.
This post may includeaffiliate links.
“ATTENTION! We do not get our tips! Our boss takes all of our tips! For more information, please talk to the cashier.”
Discussing the best and the worst approaches superiors can take, Dr. Ronald Riggio toldBored Pandathatexemplary leadersare relationship-oriented; they work hard to develop good relationships with their followers.“This serves three purposes,” he suggested. “Firstly, it increases the employee’s commitment to shared goals; for example, performing at a high level. Secondly, it allows the leader to help the follower learn and develop and build their capacity to grow and develop their own leadership capacity. Lastly, it increases employee satisfaction and reduces stress (the greatest source of employee stress comes from difficult relationships at work, particularly poor relationships with supervisors or bosses).”
Discussing the best and the worst approaches superiors can take, Dr. Ronald Riggio toldBored Pandathatexemplary leadersare relationship-oriented; they work hard to develop good relationships with their followers.
“This serves three purposes,” he suggested. “Firstly, it increases the employee’s commitment to shared goals; for example, performing at a high level. Secondly, it allows the leader to help the follower learn and develop and build their capacity to grow and develop their own leadership capacity. Lastly, it increases employee satisfaction and reduces stress (the greatest source of employee stress comes from difficult relationships at work, particularly poor relationships with supervisors or bosses).”
And he said it wasn’t his problem. He didn’t pay attention, so I hired anyone who was qualified and then quit.
“The very best relationships between bosses and employees are built on mutual trust. If there are high levels of trust, the boss doesn’t have to micromanage, because the boss knows the worker will perform,” Dr. Ronald Riggio continued.“On the employee side, it can allow the employee some freedom and autonomy to get the job done in the right way. The very best bosses try to understand and empathize with their employees. This allows them to better understand what motivates each employee, what their strengths and weaknesses are, so that the boss can better leverage those. The happiest and most productive employees tend to have bosses who support them, make them feel secure and appreciated, but a boss who can also challenge them to have them be motivated and perform at their best.”
“The very best relationships between bosses and employees are built on mutual trust. If there are high levels of trust, the boss doesn’t have to micromanage, because the boss knows the worker will perform,” Dr. Ronald Riggio continued.
“On the employee side, it can allow the employee some freedom and autonomy to get the job done in the right way. The very best bosses try to understand and empathize with their employees. This allows them to better understand what motivates each employee, what their strengths and weaknesses are, so that the boss can better leverage those. The happiest and most productive employees tend to have bosses who support them, make them feel secure and appreciated, but a boss who can also challenge them to have them be motivated and perform at their best.”
The office manager is your typical social butterfly who loves to gossip and suck up to the boss at any opportunity she gets. I’m paid so poorly, but I have a job to make ends meet for my family. I don’t have anything extra in my budget for myself or my kids, let alone to put towards a gift for my already rich boss. I hate this toxic workplace.
The type of boss a person has can significantly influence their well-being, especially if the two have to communicate on a daily basis. Bearing in mind that many people work roughly 260 days out of the 365 comprising a year, daily communication with someone aggravating could be compared to a form of torture.Unfortunately, quite a significant number of people reportedly suffer such a form of torture at work. According toPew Research Center, 55% of employed individuals say their boss is excellent, or very good, at least; however, one-in-five would strongly disagree, as being only fair or poor, their bosses line up on the other end of the spectrum.
The type of boss a person has can significantly influence their well-being, especially if the two have to communicate on a daily basis. Bearing in mind that many people work roughly 260 days out of the 365 comprising a year, daily communication with someone aggravating could be compared to a form of torture.
Unfortunately, quite a significant number of people reportedly suffer such a form of torture at work. According toPew Research Center, 55% of employed individuals say their boss is excellent, or very good, at least; however, one-in-five would strongly disagree, as being only fair or poor, their bosses line up on the other end of the spectrum.
I was a great waitress. I had worked there for over a year, made a slightly higher tip percentage than the other girls, was always on time, and showed up. To give “proof” that I was a great waitress, I had just been given a raise and been promoted to a shift lead position.The restaurant had planned a Halloween party. We were all supposed to dress up, and we had a special menu planned. My grandpa was in hospice during this time and unfortunately passed away. As soon as I knew when his funeral was, I asked if I could have the day off. They said no because “all waitresses needed to work on the Halloween party”. However, they let a girl take the night off because she’d been there a month and she “wasn’t comfortable working at a party yet”. Well, fast-forward to the day of the funeral, and I just could not bring myself to rush home, put makeup and costume on, and be energetic with strangers, a mere three hours after burying my grandpa. I texted this at 1 PM, and the shift starts at 5 PM. It was really unfortunate because I considered my manager a true friend, but this really showed their true colors.
I just got laid off without even being given 2 weeks' notice and then I got this sent to me accidentally from one of my bosses.
Update and context: This line cook had already previously put in his two-week notice due to moving out of state to take care of sick family and was days away from leaving anyway. Yes, he hit send and actually quit. Yes, he is leaving the industry. This isn’t our chef he is texting. It’s the owner.
For context, my company is pretty small, and my boss and her boss are both aware that this was the death of my mother. I work in mental health, specifically crisis aversion, and my company talks a lot about self-care and taking care of your mental health. It’s just so absurd that it’s funny.
“If there is a bad boss-employee relationship it can disrupt performance at work,” Dr. Riggio pointed out. “At a basic level, employees may avoid going to the boss to get proper instruction or information about how to do their jobs and about goals.“As mentioned, a poor relationship with one’s superior can lead to employee stress. Stressed employees may then call in sick—either because they are suffering from stress-related illnesses, or they simply want to avoid the bad situation at work—which leads to increased absenteeism. In extremes, a bad boss-worker relationship can cause an employee to leave altogether, looking for a better situation.”Roughly 75% of workers in the US say that their boss is the worst and most stress-inducing part of their jobs, theWorld Economic Forumreports. For some employees, the situation is so dire, as much as 60% of them would rather choose a new boss than a pay rise.
“If there is a bad boss-employee relationship it can disrupt performance at work,” Dr. Riggio pointed out. “At a basic level, employees may avoid going to the boss to get proper instruction or information about how to do their jobs and about goals.
“As mentioned, a poor relationship with one’s superior can lead to employee stress. Stressed employees may then call in sick—either because they are suffering from stress-related illnesses, or they simply want to avoid the bad situation at work—which leads to increased absenteeism. In extremes, a bad boss-worker relationship can cause an employee to leave altogether, looking for a better situation.”
Roughly 75% of workers in the US say that their boss is the worst and most stress-inducing part of their jobs, theWorld Economic Forumreports. For some employees, the situation is so dire, as much as 60% of them would rather choose a new boss than a pay rise.
According to the World Economic Forum, more than a quarter of individuals working for an awful boss quit as soon as they find a new job; roughly one-in-ten do even without having a new job lined up. (For those willing to keep changing workplaces until they find one with a tolerable boss, the possibility of remaining perpetually jobless is better than working for someone unbearable.)Unfortunately, nearly one-in-six employed adults continue working for the person they likely find aggravating at best, which ought to have an effect on their performance, as well as their personal well-being.
According to the World Economic Forum, more than a quarter of individuals working for an awful boss quit as soon as they find a new job; roughly one-in-ten do even without having a new job lined up. (For those willing to keep changing workplaces until they find one with a tolerable boss, the possibility of remaining perpetually jobless is better than working for someone unbearable.)
Unfortunately, nearly one-in-six employed adults continue working for the person they likely find aggravating at best, which ought to have an effect on their performance, as well as their personal well-being.
As if having to deal with an annoying superior is not bad enough at a given moment, the negative effects of such encounters might last for as much as a decade to come.A meta-analysis of 57 different studies found that the negative impact of dealing with a bad boss can linger for up to ten years. To make matters worse, such an impact outweighs the positive influence of a good boss,Inc reports.
As if having to deal with an annoying superior is not bad enough at a given moment, the negative effects of such encounters might last for as much as a decade to come.
A meta-analysis of 57 different studies found that the negative impact of dealing with a bad boss can linger for up to ten years. To make matters worse, such an impact outweighs the positive influence of a good boss,Inc reports.
This is hypocritical because her daughter works with me and calls out all the time over being hungover. But no, me bleeding myself damn near unconscious last night doesn’t warrant me taking a day off.
If you’re looking for more motivation to leave an aggravating boss, feel free to browse our older editions on horrible bosseshereandherenext.
I had told her the day before that I was attempting to look, but of course, nobody wanted to cover. She didn’t respond, so I sent a follow-up text, and that was the reply I got. What is this joke about making employees find their own coverage while sick? I was literally passed out on the floor, being told I needed to find coverage.
To be fair, it was a to-go order that I just blanked on and forgot to make sure it was paid before I handed it out. Regardless, it’s illegal to try and make me pay for it in my state. I tried to give him the opportunity to correct his reaction, and he doubled down. He even said that breaking the law is a common practice.
I work in a very small bakery, getting paid under the table. My boss, the owner of the bakery, and I work together a lot of the time, and we’ve opened up to each other about lots of things. I trusted her when I confided in her about my family’s financial situation. I was not looking for pity, and I did not expect her to use it against me. It’s been 2 days since she was supposed to have paid me, and if she’s late, I usually ask if she’s done or is planning on doing payroll. I have no idea what to do or say. I get paid below the minimum wage, which certainly isn’t enough to deal with all of this.
I was feeling fine at work today, but as I drove home, I rapidly started sweating and having a throbbing headache, so I took a test. I sent this picture, letting him know I could not make it tomorrow. For context, the reason for the “bad timing” statement is the fact that he texted me off work hours just before I took this test and when I was already feeling unwell. Is it unreasonable of me to excuse myself so I can care for my health? I don’t feel he respects my personal needs or simply does not have the awareness, but I also honestly don’t want to let the team down if possible. I did inform both a general manager and a second-hand manager, who were both understanding.
I filed a wage theft report against my former employer and was told he only paid 80% of what was owed, but I sucked it up. When I picked up the check at the Department of Labor, it had “THIEF” boldly written on the subject line. It was super awkward, unfair, and embarrassing, especially with others witnessing it. Is there anything that can be done?
At the time, I had secured another job and had training scheduled. I got the few shifts I had covered and was ready to go. Just days before I’m supposed to leave for training, the schedule is changed, and all of a sudden I’m at 30 hours and can’t get anyone to cover my shifts at the last minute. This was the response I got.
Over two months ago, I requested time off for Halloween, and it was approved the next day. Then earlier today, next week’s schedule came out, and I’m scheduled to work on Halloween. I wouldn’t be as mad if I didn’t make plans for Halloween, but I did. Should I be as frustrated as I am, and how should I approach this?
This is a new job, and I’ve only invoiced them for work so far and haven’t gotten officially on the payroll. I just moved to a new town for this job and would hate to have to find a new job, but I don’t know if I want to work for a place that has these policies.
It’s been a grueling year at work, and over the last few months, our boss has been heavily hinting that we’ll finally be getting some raises, so when I had my performance review and HR was smiling as they slid me a piece of paper that said my raise was just 3 cents, I literally couldn’t hold it in. I was so upset, I literally had to leave because I was starting to tear up, and I cried when I left. I thought my hard work was finally going to pay off. I’m tired of being broke all the time. I thought I was going to get a good raise or a bonus so I could finally treat myself for once and go out to dinner or the movies or something, but nope, I can’t have anything good in life.
Then they fired me for talking about it.
I’m a waitress at a restaurant in a country club. We had a change of management, and I got into a heated argument with my supervisor when he went off at me for loosening my corset while I was on my break. I just got sent this and found that my hours have been cut in half. Is there anything I can do?
Enjoy the text between me and my (ex) coworker. I was in the hospital for 7 days while they figured out why it happened since I was “younger”. I’m wondering if I stroked out because I worked for such a heartless woman.
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A little background. I work as maintenance at an extended-stay hotel and live there as well since I’m on call 24/7. My boss, at any given time, can fire me for any reason, and I can lose my home as well. And he’s not afraid to remind me of this power. But I think I’m about to draw the line. I just feel like this isn’t the way to talk to an employee on their day off.
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Not me, but on my way home, I saw this truck in the ditch. I pulled over to see if he needed help, but he was already gone. But there was another guy in the parking lot talking to his boss on the phone. He had sent him the same picture, telling his boss he didn’t feel safe. We talked a bit after he got off the phone. His boss was so angry that he asked to go back home. A young kid was probably 19-20. I told him that the minimum wage wasn’t worth it and to go home to look for something better. These supervisors, managers, and companies don’t understand or don’t care. Ridiculous.
What he’s referring to is that the other week I was venting to some coworkers since we live paycheck to paycheck and money is extremely tight. I was just so frustrated and hungry.
My boss added extra work to my schedule at 2 o’clock on Friday for this weekend because she decided that she didn’t want to work. She took on last-minute clients but took the day off because even when she doesn’t work she gets 50% of what I make. I was a good employee. I didn’t even miss when I had the flu. I took my kids when I didn’t have a sitter. The “few weekends” I had off was one weekend which was last weekend for my daughter’s birthday! I worked Thanksgiving, the day after, that Saturday, and my birthday. I’ve worked almost every weekend since September.
Dangerous snow squall, an extraordinary threat to life and property, and rapidly failing visibility. Guess I better turn on the fog lights…
She already works an average of 10 hours a day. Sometimes she’ll get a day where she only works 4 or 5 hours. However, many days run from 7 AM to 6:30 PM. The boss is forcing everyone to come in on a Sunday to “deep clean” the place. She won’t augment the work week to allow for the deep cleaning during the week. My girlfriend basically said that she won’t be coming on the weekend because it’s her only time off and is expected to always be off since that’s what the job description said. The boss replied that she was putting it off for a while but still wanted everyone to come in on a Sunday, regardless of what anyone says or suggests.
I left this job in 2021 because I was moving. I provided a resignation letter with two weeks' notice to my boss. He was a rather negligent boss because I was injured on the job once and it took months to get Workers' Compensation paperwork, but I assumed he would do what was necessary to terminate my employment. Well, apparently not, as just this week I received this correspondence from my former place of work. Mind you, I have not visited, signed in, or done anything at my prior place of employment in nearly two years.Does anyone know what the best course of action is in this scenario? I don’t want to owe my prior place of employment anything or have it on my record that I was fired for “job abandonment”.
My husband worked at this restaurant, and I’m writing this for him from his point of view. I used to work here, and I had the same experience. This restaurant is run extremely poorly and is absolutely disgusting.I started as a busser and, throughout the years, worked up the chain as a head cook. The head manager was an aggressive man who constantly spouted his opinions every single day. He constantly broke labor laws, lying about hiring wages, telling us not to talk about our wages to one another, allowing workers to work sick, and serving old food to save labor costs. He would lie and make fun of customers who had food allergies and would lie to them about accommodations. He would tell me I got a raise and would “forget” to put it in for many weeks at a time. Also, he said roaches weren’t a problem as long as we didn’t see them.
Last January, I was let go from a place I’d worked at since April 2013. Since then, I’ve taken a year off to get my mental health in check and figure out what I want out of life. I got 4 months of severance and then some unemployment. The department consisted of myself and one other coordinator, who today told them she was quitting. 2 hours and 3 minutes later, the boss messaged me. The thing is, the job hasn’t changed. The other coordinator and myself are dear friends, so we talk constantly. I’m just shocked that after they let me go, they immediately came back to me to fill the role. I’m not going back. I refuse. Part of my mental health situation was because of them.
I have been working at this place for 3 years, and they have continuously let their business run to the ground. Minimum staffing, 10-hour shifts every time, and overloading us with work in a busy food market in a Midwest city. To top it off, they told us just this past Thursday that the shop was closing at the end of the month with no prior notice, and now I’m struggling to find a new job and just did major maintenance on my car and paid off a large bill. The market even offered them a month of free rent for March to give everyone time to sort stuff out, but my bosses said no.So I show up on President’s Day to do my usual duties, and it’s busy. I’m staffed alone and have to run the shop while the other vendors have 4 or more people staffed all day. The person covering my break was late, and this is a 10-hour shift I’m working. The other day my boss was supposed to cover my lunch but never showed up. Then she sent me this text, and if it wasn’t for the fact that I needed to file for unemployment, I would have quit on the spot.
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Gabija Saveiskyte
Indrė Lukošiūtė
Work & Money
