Bad Management? What You Need to Address It

Bad Boss

In your day-to-day life, your colleagues are the people who spend the most time with you. That includes your boss, specifically your manager or supervisor.

However, if your boss – the person who is supposed to be keeping the peace and troubleshooting issues in the workplace wherever possible – is the one causing difficulties, it can create an uncomfortable, unproductive and stressful atmosphere not just for you, but for your colleagues as well.

Recognise The Signs

There are a number of ways that your boss can overstep their boundaries to the point of unprofessional conduct.

These can include exhibiting discriminatory behaviour based on your age, appearance, background, etc; displaying toxic behaviour(s) such as verbal abuse, blaming you for their own mistakes and micro-management; or breaking the law in the form of fraud, embezzlement or sexual harassment/assault.

What You Can Do

If you or your colleague are experiencing difficulties at the hand of your boss, follow these three steps:

1. Document These Incidents

You are encouraged to gather as much evidence as possible, especially if you plan to file a complaint to your human resources representative or if the matter is taken to court (more on these later!).

Do this by taking pictures of emails, phone messages, notes and other documents that clearly show your boss perpetrating troubling behaviour, eg. if they wrote you a scathing email criticising your personality or if they sent you a lewd photo.

It’s advisable to write down details regarding who was present during any and all incidents of concern, when it occurred and where, eg. your colleague witnessed your boss verbally abusing you during a business meeting.

If you plan on using information from your colleagues as evidence, ask for permission first. Honour their requests if they grant or deny permission. If they oblige, ask them if they wish for their names to be used or if they want to remain anonymous

2. Speak To Your Boss

Speak to your boss confidentially. Talking directly to them, being clear and specific about their behaviour, and figuring out a solution together is one way to take action, especially if your boss is unaware that they form part of the problem.

Remember to maintain a polite and professional tone when speaking to your boss; also be brief and/or specific about incidents of concern where possible (refer back to the evidence you collected to justify yourself where needs be).

3. Get Assistance

If your boss refuses to listen to you, fails to take any action to address the problems and/or these problems continue, speak to your workplace’s human resources (HR) department, a trade union representative, a labour court official or your lawyer.

Schedule a face-to-face meeting or video call with your HR representative or the appropriate authorities, where you can lodge a formal complaint about your boss and present your evidence at your own pace in a less stressful environment.

Be calm, clear and patient where possible as you explain your situation, unpack your frustrations and answer any questions the other person may have. This will better help them understand and come up with potential solutions.

After filing the complaint, monitor the situation by following up for updates. Be aware that if any steps are taken – namely, a disciplinary hearing – you may be called upon to give evidence so as to lend credibility to the process.

The Legalities

Each country has its own laws, regulations and policies regarding employer/employee rights, so familiarise yourself with these as much as possible. Before taking any action against your boss, acquaint yourself with the company’s policies, which should be made available (and emphasised) in your job contract, training videos, employee handbooks, etc.

Protect Yourself And Others

It can be disconcerting to speak to your boss or report them to the relevant authorities, especially if you fear losing your job or the workplace dynamics potentially worsening (particularly if you experience backlash at the hands of your boss or colleagues). As such, it’s important to know your rights and exercise them where necessary, especially if it means approaching an outside party.

Nevertheless, taking immediate action against your boss is commendable, and it will ensure not only a comfortable, toxic-free working environment, but also ensure a sense of safety, engagement and productivity for you and your colleagues.