Unfortunately, it’s not an uncommon occurrence that we are forced to work closely with coworkers we don’t like. Even worse is when it’s our bosses who are bad.
If your boss is one of the world’s many horrible bosses, you’re not alone—three out of every four employees interviewed by Swedish researchers stated that their boss was the single aspect of their job causing them the most turmoil. Here, we’ll discuss how you can tell if you are stuck in a hostile work environment and what to do in order to escape.
In some cases, you won’t need a list of signs to determine that your boss is one of the worst ones out there—your gut feeling can be powerful enough to give you this information. Other circumstances aren’t always so black and white.
If you’re not sure whether or not your boss is exhibiting abusive behaviors, keep an eye out for tell-tale signs like:
Your boss doesn’t trust you or other employees.
Your superior demeans you during one-on-one conversations or in front of your coworkers.
Expectations of your work performance are excessive, unreasonable, or unhealthy.
If you’re stuck in a work environment led by a toxic boss, we don’t need to tell you just how stressful it can be to deal day after day with a poor example of leadership. Still, we would like to reiterate the importance of learning to recognize these circumstances and challenge them as soon as possible.
Allowing yourself to remain in a situation where you are stuck working with a toxic boss can mean that your work performance is negatively affected. Even worse, coping daily with a horrible boss can yield emotional and mental exhaustion that leads to anxiety, depression, and even physical health problems caused by long-term stress.
“How can I ever hope to deal with my horrible boss?” you might have asked yourself on numerous occasions. While there is no single way to cope with an angry boss, there is one solution that can lead to valuable insight no matter the specifics of your situation—working with an Online Career Coach.
Online career coaching sessions provide an opportunity for you to reflect on your work environment and air your grievances about difficult coworkers or bad bosses. A Career Coach who is professionally trained in counseling can help you learn how to deal with a difficult boss, find hope in your situation, and get through it to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Browse through our list of Online Career Coaches now and message them for free.