25 Sep 2019

Bad bosses plague the working world and come in all shapes and sizes, all crafted by the devil himself in his fiery sauna. Maybe they patronise you, ask too much of you, use and abuse you, underpay you, overwork you or they just treat you like the 'you know what' they stepped in. Unfortunately, they're something that has to be dealt with (unless you send it and quit lmao). Nevertheless, here is how to deal with the abundance of crappy bosses out there and make your work life a tad more tolerable.

1. What do they want?

This seems stupidly obvious but if you break it down, it might help you out. Bosses can be anal about particular things. You'll probably find this out by what they yell at you about, what they ask you to do and how they treat other employees. Some bosses are obsessive about keeping everything spotless, some appreciate when their employees are available and flexible with hours, some expect employees to arrive at work early. Try to be three steps ahead and show initiative. They have to at least recognise that.

2. It's time for some small talk

I'm not saying you have to have a few cold ones after work and share classic anecdotes but at least try to be friendly when you can. Look, people love talking about themselves and as intimidating as your boss may seem, if you attempt some small talk with them, their respect for you may just grow. This can be as simple as asking them, 'how are you?', 'how was your weekend?' or 'how are the kids'. Try to get to know little things about their lives that you can ask about and pretend to have an interest in. I had a particularly horrible boss back in the day, but I overheard him talking about his dogs and then, every shift, I'd just ask him how his huskies were and his frown lines would fade away. He genuinely started to back off a little and treat me less like a slave but as a human! Result! 

3. You are not a doormat (so don't let them walk over you)

If you try to take initiative, make them happy with your work ethic and attempt small talk with them and they still are an asshole, this may be a losing battle. You may have to start meditating after work to let go of all those bad vibes. But for real, if your boss criticises you, condescends you and yells at you for no justified reason, don't quiver under their command and be intimidated. Stand your ground. Maybe don't talk back to them like you would in a fighting match with your parents, but explain what is going on and ask them what they really want. Communication is the key people. Some bosses are drunk with power and will be taken aback if you don't cower to their rule and who knows, they may respect you a little more. 

Bad bosses are almost a rite of passage in the work world and something that you just have to deal with. I mean, if you didn't have any bad bosses, you wouldn't appreciate the good bosses as much! If anything, you can gain a stronger relationship with your employees as you all share a common interest - you all hate your boss. That's wholesome.