There is absolutely no excuse for abuse in the workplace. None whatsoever! There are certain boundaries that must not be crossed. If someone does, however, it might be time to look for a lawyer, get in touch with law enforcement, and even consider making a human rights violation complaint against your company.

One redditor shared a horrifying story about how her boss assaulted her at work. She asked the r/antiwork subreddit for advice, and the online community rushed to show their support. Scroll down to find out what happened and how the internet reacted to the boss’ disgusting behavior. Have you ever been in a similar situation or seen something like this happen in the workplace, Pandas? Share your experiences dealing with abusive management in the comments.

Getting assaulted at work, by your very own boss, in the last thing that most employees would expect

Image credits: Kelly Sikkema (not the actual photo)

Unfortunately, that’s what happened to one worker, who turned to the r/antiwork community for support

Image credits: No More Plains (not the actual photo)

The employee shared an update about what she did next, having listened to the sound advice of various internet users

Image credits: sweetbabykafka

The redditor’s story touched a nerve with the r/antiwork community. With the economic situation getting tougher and tougher for employees everywhere, the last thing that they need to deal with are feelings of a physical lack of safety at work. It’s normal to be shocked if you’re suddenly attacked by your coworker, let alone your superior. It’s the kind of unprofessional behavior that you’d assume doesn’t happen anymore in the civilized world.

Unfortunately, life isn’t fair. Situations that are completely out of line are likely to happen at some point in life. Dealing with the sense of unfairness and anger is important, so you don’t get eaten up inside.

Recently, Bored Panda spoke about dealing with feelings of unfairness and anger with Psychologist and Wellbeing Specialist, Lee Chambers.”We are often brought up in a world that suggests fairness is a gold standard, and we should strive for fairness. But the reality is that life isn’t fair, and there is little we can do to make it fair, meaning fairness itself isn’t a great concept. Awareness of how we react to this unfairness is an important starting point, as we can often let these emotions such as anger, sadness, and disappointment cloud our judgment and make us suffer,” the expert told Bored Panda.

“Reflective exercises can help people see all the positive things that have happened, giving more agency to move beyond the unfair aspects that can’t be changed. In addition, it is important to harness and express the emotions generated by unfairness in a healthy way, rather than suppress them, as that is more damaging than the unfairness itself,” he said

“Unfairness can make us angry, frustrated and, at times, powerless. Relaxation exercises are great for creating space for us to challenge our initial reaction to unfairness, and allow us to reflect on choosing a more empowered response. Breathing exercises are great for this, slowing us down and bringing us to a stable place. Practicing mindfulness and gratitude can also be powerful ways to express and focus on what can be controlled and the difference that can be made,” Lee shared some thoughts on dealing with the feelings that arise.

“It also creates an opportunity to let things go that can be controlled, freeing up that energy to be used constructively. This stops the rumination that so often leaves us trapped, feeling like the world is unfair, and opens us up to see the good things that happen,” he said.

“Finally, we need to monitor our thoughts and feelings, analyze our self-talk and spot the patterns that are not serving us well. Just doing this allows us space to consider how we can turn our emotions into positive action, potentially making the world a fairer place for others through the things we can control, and find productive ways to express all the emotions that come from our own expectations.”

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Meanwhile, during a chat about the new ‘quiet quitting’ trend that’s been popping up everywhere recently, Bored Panda got workplace expert Lynn Taylor’s opinion on the topic of job satisfaction. She noted that it’s people that make employees quit, not the jobs themselves. In short, bad bosses and coworkers are bound to force some employees to leave.

“Not enough attention has been placed on the impact your boss and coworkers have on engagement. As I suggest in my book, ‘Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job,’ employees don’t leave jobs, they leave people. The people with whom you work must inspire you. But you are responsible to find the right opportunity… and to keep building on it,” she said, adding that more money doesn’t necessarily mean more satisfaction at work: a sense of purpose is vital.

“While the Great Resignation has been an opportunity for greener pastures and employee pushback, ironically more money has not always equated to more engagement or contentment at work. There has been significant evidence that among those who joined this contingent, there have been regrets. Hence the importance of focusing on the people factor when seeking happiness in your job,” the workplace expert told Bored Panda.

“When work lives are mundane, the primary person who can change that is the employee. If every day seems like the movie Groundhog Day, then clearly it’s time to do something different. That might mean deploying skill sets that can help the company but have not been tapped or even changing jobs. It’s helpful to volunteer for projects that you would enjoy and let your manager know of the range of skills you possess,” she said.

“Finally, people go to work for more than a paycheck. Ideally, you should feel like you’re learning from your boss and they’re helping you feel challenged. Employees can also learn from colleagues. A deeper connection than zoom calls and staff meetings is required. Work life will seem more satisfying when relationships with colleagues are productive and enjoyable.”

The employee shared some more details in the comments

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Meanwhile, here’s what some other r/antiwork members thought

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