Those whose boss is – say “trying” – know that morning commuting to the workplace can be sheer torture. A Gallup study revealed that an aggressive manager accounts for about half of all employees quitting; then, more than 40% of Americans claim to be victims of psychological harassment. Without a doubt, a toxic boss can produce a lot of stress and – consequently – cause various health concerns. What are the signs of a toxic boss and workplace?
Toxic bosses are unquestionably right
Such bosses are dead sure they can find solutions to every issue while other ideas are just worthless. For promotion, you have to acquiesce with them all the way, and the dissentient ones can find themselves dismissed.
They never think your ideas are worth anything
No matter how loudly the CEO claims they want you to come up with new ideas, they will never accept one. When you approach them with the idea that hits you, you observe at once that they are not interested. They don’t even think about it – actually, they are concerned only with their own position in the company.
Bosses single out favorites
You begin to notice that excellent performance has nothing to do with promotion. Bosses have favorites who help make key decisions and enjoy access to information before others get to hear it.
They don’t think twice about putting people under flak
You feel your superior underrates you and doesn’t hesitate to show it before others? And you are not the only one treated in this fashion? What if your boss relied on fear for the company to function smoothly?
When the boss is invariably hostile, and capable of aggressive outbursts aimed at employees, you should understand this is an unhealthy place to work in, and it will stay so for who knows how long.
They ascribe your success to themselves
Whenever you acquitted yourself exceptionally well over a project, the boss takes it upon themselves to make a presentation and grab the credits. You may not be aware that it has happened – you haven’t even been invited.
They are known for unrealistic demands and expectations
So the superior assumes that things have been done perfectly, and there is no talking about improvements. Also, they seem to believe you are always free and ready to discuss work issues at weekends and late in the evening. It all looks definitely toxic, especially if there is no feedback coming from the boss.
They are supervising ceaselessly
When you receive a project, you find you have to report too often for your comfort. Then you realize you are not meant to make any decisions or take any decisive steps.
The only thing that matters to them is their own promotion
Coming down to it, if they don’t do any mentoring but are busy securing their own position, they are also toxic. Your own promotion is but rarely discussed. You don’t feel they are interested.
You know that no helpful feedback is forthcoming
As you are busy working, you don’t expect any comment, tip, or advice, or, when you are through, you are not going to get your success praised all over the company. You get the boss’s attention only when you have blundered.
They play one member of the team against others
They always do something to create tension within the company and enjoy it when team members engage in tough competition.
They are not above judging others in their absence
In a close-knit company, gossip may prove to be very damaging. Then again, if they feed you gossip about your coworkers, they are sure to do the same about you to others.
Others can be berated in front of people
Nothing can be as humiliating as when your boss puts you down with all your coworkers listening in. The point is, was it a chance occurrence, or does it happen on a regular basis?
Others get blamed for mistakes made on top
Toxic bosses don’t even dream of being answerable for what they have done wrong – they pick on somebody to carry the blame. Neither will they take steps to rectify their blunders. Instead, an innocent employee will be declared guilty.
In a quandary, they will get emotional instead of tackling the matter at issue
There is sure to come a time when trouble is brewing and all the team are on edge. While they are in need of support, the boss gets irate and tends to yell at everybody at the slightest provocation. Thus, the general atmosphere grows counter-productive, and the team synergy begins to crack.
Bosses who prefer well-rounded numbers to their employees’ working conditions
So your immediate superior taps you for progress reports as often as they can, but never inquire about how the team are getting on with it. With time it really begins to seem as if the environment in the department is of no concern to them. If someone needs some time off it grows to become an inseparable problem. It is as though none of the employees has anything like a personal life.
They can easily request you to do something beyond the pale
One day your boss asks you to perform something that is clearly unethical, or maybe even illegal – like promoting your products/services with exaggerated and untrue claims. Such practices could entail your discharge and probably end up in court when everything comes out into the open. You wonder how they had the nerve to approach you with this sort of prepositions!
They failed to build teamwork properly
Toxicity and teamwork don’t go together well, either. The team tends to break up into factions that fall out, foster misunderstandings and misinterpretations and undertake offensives.
Eventually, people stop thinking about their tasks, thinking instead of what the other faction can cook up next and what their faction’s reaction should be. Headway and success are replaced by survival considerations. The environment grows tense, hostile, fraught with graver dangers.
Boss cannot get by without customary harassment
Harassment exists in multiple forms – commonly known are sexual, physical, verbal, and psychological types of harassment. While the latter two are the most common at workplaces, the former two can also be present and ruin the department’s performance beyond repair.
Employees are encouraged – or induced – to work at all hours
When a boss demands that their employees must work for as long as they tell them, they are undoubtedly toxic: overwork doesn’t help with productivity, but it can lead to burnout, breakdown and multiple diseases.
Bosses generate gaslighting
After a discussion with the boss, people may step out feeling good-for-nothing, unworthy, and utterly brainless. You forgot what they had said, misinterpreted it or maybe had gotten it totally wrong in the first place. If you are made to believe it in spite of your remembrances, you are subjected to gaslighting. This is severe toxicity, which can be especially bad for your physical and mental health.
Each morning the thought of having to commute to work urks
Does it relate to you? If going to work proves so vexatious, your workplace is sure to run a high level of toxicity. Are you expecting dressing down for mistakes, a hostile atmosphere, gossip, and counter-productive working conditions?
Toxic bosses display mood shifts
The CEO was amicable and smiling a few minutes ago, but now he looks as if he blew up the next instant. This may spell emotional issues and uncertainty. Not only employees but everybody expects a good leader to maintain stable, healthy and supportive relationships in the company.
