You would think (and hope) that in the professional world, the people you work with would be, well… professional. Unfortunately, the tyrannical bullies that occupy elementary school playgrounds also run amok in the workplace. What makes them worse in the workplace is that some title, sense of entitlement, or big paycheck gives them even more power to be jerks. If this “person” (and I use the term lightly here) doesn’t like you, your work life can quickly become a living hell where you constantly feel like you’re walking on eggshells. The truth is, working for a miserable boss can make life miserable.
The Impact of a Bad Boss on Your Mental and Physical Health
With the recent release of the movie Horrible Bosses, many news outlets took notice and started running surveys on how people really feel about their bosses. One survey by OfficeTeam, a major staffing service company, found that nearly half of all employees today can empathize with just how bad it is when your boss is terrible.
Even more telling is that most employees who admitted to having a bully (or jerk) for a boss spent a lot of time looking for another job to escape upper management. In fact, around 37% of the population leaves positions—sometimes ones they love—because of problems with upper management. According to Robert Sutton, author of Good Boss, Bad Boss, 75% of the workforce labels their boss or immediate supervisor as the number one stressor in their job. While it may be natural to feel apprehensive or even pressured by your superiors, it’s important to remember that everyone in the workplace is an adult and should be treated as such.
A 2010 survey by Landy & Conte even linked the predisposition to heart attacks in middle-aged adults to working for a miserable boss. Given that you spend a large portion of your time at work, it’s been proven that unhealthy and unhappy relationships with co-workers or bosses can cause huge spikes in cortisol, the stress hormone. The longer cortisol levels stay elevated, the more prone you are to heart-related issues. So, your 8-hour workday under an unreasonable boss could eventually lead to health problems.
A miserable boss can also cause you to suffer from depression, mood issues, fatigue, and a whole range of other negative health problems that make your daily life feel like you’re constantly gasping for breath underwater.
You might not expect it, but working for a miserable boss could even predispose you to criminal activity. In 2010, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released a report stating that “murder is officially among the top five causes of work-related deaths in the United States.” While this sounds extreme, the numbers don’t lie. Apparently, working for a bad boss—and the long-term stress it causes—can lead people to act irrationally.
A 2007 Gallup poll showed that more than half of all employed individuals are at odds with their supervisors, making bad bosses the number one factor in workplace dissatisfaction. They are also the number one reason that many companies struggle to retain employees. The poll revealed that family-run companies, where many people in charge are there because they were born into the role rather than earned it, often have the worst bosses. The end result of the poll was clear: “Employees leave supervisors, not companies.”
A leading psychologist in workplace relationships wrote in the Journal of Work and Stress that “a worker’s relationship with his or her boss is nearly equal in importance to his or her relationship with their spouse when it comes to overall well-being.” The report further stated, “Even friendly co-workers and a rewarding occupation cannot make up for a negative relationship with the boss.”
Okay, so you get it! Working for a miserable boss is tough. But in today’s cutthroat economy, is it best to just quit because your boss is a jerk? Obviously, you need to enlist some form of self-preservation. As the saying goes, it’s much easier to find a job when you already have one, right?
Forbes magazine suggests a formula for managing a difficult boss while you search for a new job. In fact, this process can work so well that you may find it helps you transition into a new position within your current company. The key is to find your boss’s weakness, which should be easy to pinpoint since you work for them. Approach your boss as you would a client and try to understand their communication style. Even if you don’t agree with how they manage things, your job is to figure out what irritates them and how to navigate it. For instance, if your boss is a perfectionist, always try to have all your answers ready before you approach them. If they struggle with communication, try emailing them questions instead of asking in person. By identifying their weaknesses and filling in those gaps with your own strengths, you begin to develop a more harmonious working relationship. While it may not be filled with the respect and integrity you expect from a professional relationship, it will reduce stress.
You can also try going to higher-ups, keeping track of everything that’s happening, and making sure you’re dotting your i’s and crossing your t’s so that you cannot be fired unjustly. In the meantime, envision a happier, less stressful future and keep things in perspective with your boss so that you don’t carry stress home. When you feel in control of your environment and future, you’re better able to let go of stress. And, of course, find the humor in the situation. Vent with co-workers and friends, knowing that you’re not alone in your feelings of misery. Remember, there’s more to life than just work. You need to balance your stress and happiness.
