They say that a manager can have a greater impact on a person’s mental health than a therapist. A good leader can boost one’s morale and productivity, while a horrible boss not only causes stress at work but may also affect one’s personal life.
This list is about the latter. It exposes some of the worst managers any employee can have, from denying paid time off to firing someone because they had to attend to a sick loved one’s needs.
If you’ve been in the unfortunate situation of having a deplorable employer, this may hit right in the feels in the most infuriating way.
#1 Quit My Job Last Night, It Was Nice To Be Home To Make The Kids Breakfast And Take Them To School Today. Off To Hunt For A New Opportunity, Wish Me Luck
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#2 This Is Disgusting
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#3 Boss Wouldn't Accept My Resignation Letter
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With younger people comprising a significant portion of the workforce, values and approaches to work have also undergone considerable changes. Loyalty to a job, for one, is no longer the same.
A report by SHRM featured a survey by business consulting firm West Monroe that revealed 45 percent of employees who have been with their current employer for less than a year had already begun applying to new jobs.
#4 What Kind Of Psycho Asks That, Expecting The Answer To Be Anything Other Than Family?
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#5 Never Told A Boss Off Like This. And It Felt Amazing
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#6 Just "Turn It Off"
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HR technologist Ken Ohler notes that “the compact between employer and employee is fragile” and “loyalty has its limits.” As he told SHRM, one point of vulnerability is when a boss frustrates and disengages their staff to the point where a competitor could lure them by offering something better, either through salary or benefits.
“Even if pay is in the right place, lack of strategic direction from leaders, frustration with work processes or technology, or lack of development could create the opening for another employer to steal top talent,” Ohler said.
#7 "You Are Replaceable" "Okay, Then I Quit" "No, Not Like That"
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#8 I’m Still In Shock
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#9 Proved My Boss Wrong (By Getting A 40k Raise)
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In our intro, we mentioned that managers have a significant impact on employees’ mental health. Psychologist Dr. Jeffrey Bernstein gave some specific examples in an article for Psychology Today.
Micromanagers are a classic example of a toxic boss. Apart from causing severe anxiety, Dr. Bernstein says these types of managers can also destroy an employee’s confidence and even cause depression.
#10 Just Found I'm The Single Lowest Paid Paramedic At My Ambulance Company, Despite Having The Most Experience By Several Years
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#11 Old Manager Texting Me
Old manager keeps texting me, blocked him by phone number the first time but just checked again months later and he found me on facebook. I worked with this man when I was 16 years old. Pretty gross if you ask me.
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#12 Boss Ate Half Of My Lunch While I Was In The Bathroom
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“When employees feel they have no control over their work, it can create a sense of helplessness and erode their self-worth,” Dr. Bernstein wrote, noting that micromanagement can make an employee second-guess every decision, which may make them detest a job, even the ones they used to love.
#13 What If I Get Fired Because I Take The Bus To Work?
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#14 At My Significant Other’s Workplace (Which Is Also My Old Workplace), Absolutely Terrifying
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#15 I'm Quite Annoyed And Want To Reply Accordingly, But I'm Unsure If My Words Hold Any Truth
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There’s also the boss with unrealistic expectations. They’re the ones who assign unreasonable deadlines while also expecting flawless output and on-time delivery. They may also reject an employee’s request for a timeline adjustment.
Dr. Bernstein says managers with unfeasible demands not only lead to burnout, but also to chronic stress and physical health issues.
“When employees are constantly pushed beyond their limits, they can experience emotional exhaustion and a diminished sense of accomplishment,” he added.
#16 My Boss Knew I Was Moving Into A New Apartment The Day Before My Summer Holidays. She Fired Me And Didn’t Let My Coworkers Know
I was meant to start the shift in August, nobody knew I wasn’t coming.
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#17 Call The Health Department And Tell Them What That Restaurant Is Doing
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#18 Between A Friend And His Manager At A Small Packing Plant
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We got in touch with a few experts who shared their insights about horrible bosses and what may embolden them to act in such a manner. According to Linx Legal CEO Russ Johnson, it typically occurs when managers prioritize short-term wins over long-term risks.
“They assume that as long as they hit revenue targets or keep costs down, the company will protect them,” Johnson told Bored Panda. “Others rely on employees not knowing their rights, which unfortunately happens more often than people realize.”
#19 Got Fired For “Telling The Boss How To Do His Job” When All I Did Was Say “We Can’t Obstruct A Fire Escape”
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#20 My Boss Fired Everyone And Didn’t Even Tell Us
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#21 Why Is Working While You’re Sick A Badge Of Honor? It’s Dumb
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In some cases, bosses may not realize the damaging impact of their behavior. According to Loio HR director Nataliia Zhurba, it’s either because no one had given them direct feedback or because upper management never modeled healthier leadership. Peter Barnett, VP of Product Strategy at Action1, shared a similar sentiment.
“If leadership doesn’t have clear systems for measuring how managers treat their teams, bad behavior can slip under the radar,” Barnett said.
#22 I Have Been Wanting To Quit My Job Of 10 Years Took A Mental Health Day To Think About It This Is What I Wake Up To
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#23 There’s No Way This Is Legal Right?
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#24 Imagine Paying Poverty Wages And Then Demanding Loyalty
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There are cases when a boss’s insecurity may get the better of them. According to Younium founder and CEO Niclas Lilja, many leaders lash out because they don’t feel in control, or the pressure from above makes them push the stress onto their teams.
“In smaller companies, especially, bosses may think the lack of formal HR structures or legal resources makes them untouchable,” he explained.
#25 Boss Called Me In The Middle Of Fixing The Day Shifts Mistakes On Top Of Doing My Own Job To Chew Me Out For Refusing A Customer
Needless to say, she won’t have to worry about getting anymore complaints about me.
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#26 Convo Between My Coworker Who Quit And My Boss
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#27 Logical
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Unfortunately, there are mistreatments that many bosses may get away with, receiving only a mild reprimand. Zhurba says it’s the menial yet equally damaging behaviors, such as giving vague instructions and then blaming the employee for it, or routinely overlooking someone for recognition.
Brizy CEO Dimi Baitanciuc says a manager may only receive a slap on the wrist for favoritism, micromanagement, unfair workload distribution, or even verbal intimidation. The reason: they are all difficult to prove legally.
#28 My New Manager Wrote This Up Today. Non-Union Grocery Business In Ohio. What Are My Options? Is This Legal? I've Heard Of The Nlra; Is That What I Need To Combat This?
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#29 How Is This Even Legal
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#30 Today Is The First Official Day Of My Vacation. I Barely Made It 4 Hours Before Some Trouser Stain Texted Me For Help, And Wouldn't Take "No" For An Answer
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If bosses can get away with “minor” infractions, does that mean complaints filed against them won’t hold water? From an HR perspective, Zhurba says erring managers may not get off scot-free because they consider patterns when hiring, not isolated events.
“Once a manager has a track record of complaints, it limits their ability to lead larger teams or take on more responsibility. Their growth may stall, even if they technically keep their job,” she explained.
#31 My Boss Says “I Suck” For Being Sick And Then Uses His Own Record To Make Me Feel Bad
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#32 I Got Fired And They Still Expected Me To Come In For My Shift
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#33 My Boss Denied My Medical Request A Month In Advance, The First Time Ever, Even Requesting A Day Off
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Both Lilja and Johnson agree that one’s reputation matters in many of today’s industries. Complaints may be attached to a person’s name, making them less trustworthy.
“Over time, being known as a difficult leader can close off opportunities, no matter how strong their results look on paper,” Lilja says.
#34 Boss: "As Your Boss, I Don't Have To Answer Your Calls. But You Do Have To Answer Mine"
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#35 Got Fired After Having Allergic Reaction To Second Vaccine Dose
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#36 I Encouraged My Cousin To Quit Her Job And She Finally Stood Up For Herself
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It can be challenging for an aggrieved employee to stand up for themselves, especially when their job and salary are at risk. However, all our experts agree that documentation is everything and a valuable weapon when the time comes.
“Know your rights under labor law and don’t hesitate to go to HR or external labor boards if pay is withheld,” Baitaniuc added.
#37 Just Rotten To The Core
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#38 Shout Out The Worst Place I Ever Worked (Minimum Wage, Of Course)
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#39 Not The Manager Tryna Fake Being A Therapist
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#40 Walked Into Upper Management’s Office Today And Found This Gem
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#41 10 Days After We Had Our Baby. My Mind Was Genuinely Blown. What Would Your Response Have Been?
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#42 Toxic Workplace Boss Pays Ex-Employee In Motor-Oiled Covered Pennies
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#43 I’m Currently In New Zealand For A Week And The People Here Keep Saying “What A Short Holiday.” This Week Was Actually So Hard For Me To String Together
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#44 My GF Has Asked For Reduced Hours At Her Work For 2 Weeks, And They’ve Been Ignored... Today, She Asked To Come In Late, And This Was The Manager's Reply
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#45 Why Do Boomers Think This Is Funny?
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#46 The Joy Of Working In Retail
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#47 Got Fired, Asked When My Final Cheque Would Be Available. Didn’t Get Back To Me, Filed A Complaint Via My Local Labour Board. This Is The Text I Got Back From My Former Manager
I worked in car sales, and have a detailing business that I run on the side. Do keep in mind this is not the owner or general manager of this business but instead the sales manager which means my report doesn’t affect him whatsoever.
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#48 Is The Store Manager Allowed To Do This?
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#49 We Can’t Turn Off Harsh Lights Anymore
My coworker and I work in an office that has built in lights to our desks. They’re a lot less harsh on the eyes than the overhead light. Apparently our manager has a problem with this and I walk in this morning to find this…. Only on our office.
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#50 Manager Glued The Volume Button On The Phone So We Can’t Change It
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