On average, we spend about 1/3 of our lives working (based on a 5-day a week, 40 hour work week). How depressing is that? (not very, if you love your job and the people you work with.)
But what happens when you’re trapped at a job you hate, with co-workers that are less than pleasant? Even worse, what happens when you’re forced to spend that much time at work, and you really, REALLY don’t like your boss?
Having to work with someone who belittles you, doesn’t listen to your grievances, has no respect for your work, and doesn’t bring a positive vibe to the office can really do some emotional, and possibly mental, damage to a person.
Don’t believe me? You don’t have to. The science speaks for itself. Research from a 2009 study found that out of 3,122 men, those who had a positive view of their boss had a 20 percent lower risk of developing heart disease over a 10-year period than those who view their managers in a negative way.
It sucks to have to work with a boss who doesn’t let you be you, but all hope isn’t lost! There are actually quite a few things that you can do to make your interactions with your horrible boss better than you thought possible.
The first step in combatting the negative energy that a bad boss dishes at you during your 8-hour workday is to identify the signs of a bad boss.
Here are a few things to look out for:
- Are they micromanagers?
- Do they fail to give you positive reinforcement when you complete an assignment?
- Do they ignore your concerns?
- Do they have a condescending attitude?
- Are their constant – I REALLY THINK YOU NEED TO BE WORKING ON THIS BECAUSE – interruptions a problem?
- Do you feel like they don’t care about your wellbeing as an employee?
- Are they stingy with giving out raises and bonuses?
- If you were stranded on the side of the road, would they be the first person to give you a ride in their car, or “accidentally” run you over?
There are many ways a boss can be bad, and the reasons vary from person to person, but there’s one major factor that all bad bosses have in common: they don’t care about you as a person, they only care about themselves.
So, here are a few things that you can do to turn a bad boss situation, into a better boss situation.
Communicate
Whenever you fail at communicating with another person, you’ll pretty much fail at everything else. Communication is a key component in understanding each other. Even if your boss hasn’t put forth the effort to communicate, the blame partly falls on you as well. Make sure that you try to communicate with your boss to remove any confusion that might exist between you. It’ll also potentially keep them from micromanaging you as much. You can communicate more through email, phone, messaging software, and even in person (although, if the sight of their face produces a gag reflex in you, then it’s probably safer to seek out other means of communication).
Prove To Everyone Else You’re Worth It
If your boss doesn’t show you that he or she thinks your worth listening to, then show everyone else at work that you are. That means doing the best job you can do every day, listening to your co-workers and bouncing ideas back and forth to each other, being a nice person to everyone, and just being an all-around good employee. If you’re crappy to everyone else, then no one will be upset when your boss treats you unfairly. But if you’re an astounding coworker, then you’ll have people to back you up when you get treated like a second-rate employee.
Stand Up For What You Think Is Right
“When we speak we are afraid our words will not be heard or welcomed. But when we are silent, we are still afraid. So it is better to speak.” Audre Lorde penned these words in her poem A Litany For Survival, and it’s something to consider whenever you feel like your voice isn’t being heard. Not only will you be directly letting your boss know you are upset, but studies show that employees who stand up for themselves feel better about their jobs!
Set Your Own Goals
If your boss is setting goals up for you that are destined to make you feel like you’re not working to your full potential, then set your own goals! Maybe that goal is to be the top salesperson in a certain month, or to improve your writing skills. Or maybe it’s just to be a nicer person to your coworkers. Any goal is better than no goal, and you need to set your own personal goal if your manager isn’t pushing you to be a better worker.
Remember, a bad boss doesn’t have to ruin your work experience. Make the best of the situation, and follow our tips to create a better work environment for everyone!
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