Unfortunately, many of us will encounter a really bad boss in the workplace at least once in our careers, and they can really make going to work a chore. They can cause you to get stressed, depressed, and even fearful of going to work. The good news is, if you have a bad boss, it is possible to deal with them so that you can actually enjoy your time at work. Here’s how:
Don’t Avoid Them
If you avoid the boss, then they might feel like they’ve ‘won’ by making you feel uncomfortable at work. Not only that, but you could end up making it seem worse in your head, which will just put more stress on you. It’s better to take the bull by the horns and engage with your bad boss.
Get to Know the Boss’ Assistant
A neat trick to help you diffuse the effects of a bad boss on you is getting to know their PA or assistant. They are the person who knows your boss better than anyone else, so they can give you good tips on how to handle them and give you a heads up when the boss is on the warpath so that you can prepare yourself.
Do Your Job Well
Okay, so this doesn’t always work, and there are plenty of bosses who pick on even their best employees, but if you show willing, you work hard, and you do a really good job for your company, the bad boss is less likely to make your working life miserable.
Take Legal Action
You can’t exactly sue your boss for being a jerk, but if he’s forcing you to work in unsafe conditions and you have an accident as a result, lawyers like Sevey, Donahue & Talcott can help you to sue him and hopefully put a stop to his actions, there are also various employment lawyers like Justia who will be able to help you tackle a bully boss if you need to. You need to be brave to do this, but if you’re being treated badly and it’s against the law, it might be your best option.
Be One Step Ahead
If you’ve worked for the same boss for a while, chances are you’ll have a good idea what sets them off and what kind of things they’re likely to say and do. By tracking these trends and being ready for them, you can get ahead of the game and take action to prevent them from getting mad at you.
Stand Up for Yourself
I know it’s difficult when you’re worried about keeping your job, but you should never let a bad boss walk all over you. Obviously, you shouldn’t sink to their level and start shouting or bullying, but you should speak up for yourself in the calmest, most reasonable way possible, to show your boss that you won’t be beaten and that you know what they’re doing and you won’t stand for it.
Bad bosses shouldn’t exist, but they do and taking the above steps to diffuse their influence on you is a very good idea if you want to enjoy your work.