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Company and office politics can get very nasty, very quickly. And employees are usually at a disadvantage when negotiating for a livable wage, better working conditions, and the bare amount of basic respect from their superiors.

While many workers tend to quietly accept whatever their entitled bosses tell them, everyone has a breaking point. And all it takes is one last act of rudeness to spur even the shyest employees to finally stand up for themselves.

We’ve collected some of the most powerful conversations showing employees putting their bad bosses in place from the r/antiwork subreddit, and they show just how bad things can get at work. However, there’s a flip side: some people are willing to fight for justice and their own dignity. Scroll down, upvote the pics that impressed you the most, and let us know in the comments if you’ve ever confronted your manager, dear Pandas.

Bored Panda got in touch with workplace expert Lynn Taylor who answered our questions about diplomacy and communication in the workplace, as well as what everyone should keep in mind when quitting. When you decide to quit, you should consider how you want to be remembered. Lynn is the author of ‘Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant’ and the CEO of the fashion brand ‘Behind the Buckle.’ Read on for our full interview with her.

#1

When You’re So Antiwork You End Up Working

When You’re So Antiwork You End Up Working

billydevil666 Report

Workplace expert Lynn stressed that any employee thinking of quitting should think about their future prospects. Sometimes, it's best to hide your anger and put all of your energy into finding a new, better job. However, bullying should never be tolerated and, in cases where the boss is very much acting like a bully, it's best to consult with a lawyer.

"The best way to quit is to think about how you want to be remembered. Every industry in a given city has a relatively small network of good people. We have all heard 'it’s a small world' and the '6 degrees of separation.' As satisfying as it feels to 'put a bad boss in their place' upon departure, leave those fantasies in your mind. You never want to burn your bridges or get a reputation for being a troublemaker. It will get around and hurt your career," she stressed that the worker should think about what is best for them in the long run.

"Your best bet is to thank your boss for the opportunity at the company and limit the number of negative comments you offer. It is unlikely to change behavior in a significant way. Be glad that you’ve decided to take the difficult step of moving on," Lynn said that the reward is moving on with your career.

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"Very few people want to engage in lawsuits against a bully boss, for example, unless they feel they it will most certainly be a win. When in doubt, of course, you should always consult an employment attorney. And while the idea can be tempting, you may want to place more of your energy in your next, better job—or career pursuit."

#2

Employer Gave Me A 4$ Raise Today

Employer Gave Me A 4$ Raise Today

That’s what I’m talking about.

I work as a welder and today my employer individuallly talked to all the welders and offered us a raise because they want to keep employees and they also want to attract new people, when he told me my hourly pay rate when up by 4$ hour l almost couldnt believe it. I work a lot of OT and I work the Night shift. I was feeling burned out from the hours but once I got the raise I was so happy I went right back to work and now I’m working all the OT I can get. I’ve been with this company three months they have bought me a pair of boots, uniforms, prescription safety glasses, and give me a lot of free equipment for protection, and my morale just keeps getting higher while I work till 3 am with a smile on my face.

Invest in your employees, when you treat them like an asset and not a cost, you get better as a business.

Temple_Jones , Danial Abdullah Report

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#3

Between A Friend And His Manager At A Small Packing Plant

Between A Friend And His Manager At A Small Packing Plant

somenerdnamedtom Report

Lynn was kind enough to give us some pointers about how employees should approach communicating with their bosses. "Know your objective. If you’re acting defensively, that won’t move the needle on enhancing your relationship. Think about how you would react as the recipient," she said.

The expert suggested using 'positive bookends' when tackling sensitive conversations. Here's one example of how to approach this: "'I really enjoy my job, but there’s something that set me back a bit recently.' Enter: your beef. Wrap with: 'Thank you so much for taking the time to listen to me… I very much appreciate your efforts in trying to work better together.'"

The author and workplace expert also believes that employees should consider using positive and negative reinforcement, as they would when disciplining a small child. She also suggested using the 'CALM' (communicate, anticipate, levity, manage up) technique which works with difficult bosses and coworkers.

"C—Communicate—often, clearly, concisely… and know how your boss prefers to communicate. A—Anticipate—Anticipate problems before they worsen and try to nip them in the bud. Know your timing when you need to have difficult conversations. L—Levity—A little well-placed humor can tamp down tensions. It can give your boss a better, lighter perspective on the issue at hand. M—Manage up—Be the voice of reason with your boss and be a problem solver. But also, set boundaries. You must be able to speak up for yourself if your work product or mental state is suffering," Lynn explained to Bored Panda.

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#4

So This Just Happened And I’m Almost Numb ATM. I Hope I Don’t Regret This Tomorrow As I Do Enjoy My Job, But Management Is Rough

So This Just Happened And I’m Almost Numb ATM. I Hope I Don’t Regret This Tomorrow As I Do Enjoy My Job, But Management Is Rough

Feggy_JVS Report

#5

Just Rotten To The Core

Just Rotten To The Core

Negotiation-Hot Report

#6

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

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

hestolemysmile Report

We were curious about how best to react if a difficult boss demands too much and unloads lots of additional work on employees. The expert stressed that it's important to help the boss see priorities.

"For example, if your supervisor says you need to do A, B, and C by tomorrow, diplomatically explain that it will hurt all projects to get them done the next day because (then explain very briefly what’s involved or the potential negative outcomes). Then explain the positives of an alternative approach, such as, 'If I focus on 'project A' today, we will likely land the Smith account.'"

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"As I describe in my book, 'Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant,' this is similar to telling 'Johnny' he can’t go to the zoo, a play date and for pizza all in the same day, e.g., he will be sad, because he won’t have fun at any of them. 'Which one do you really want to have fun doing, Johnny?'

Lynn explained to us why she thinks it's useful to create analogies between bosses and toddlers, like in her book. "It makes you realize that badly behaving bosses are very much like angry toddlers, especially when are either stressed or frustrated. All mortal beings can act out when we are pushed to the limit. When you know where the boss is coming from, such as the stock plummeting 5% that day, your approach will be more effective," she said.

#7

My Boss Said To Me "You're So Skinny!"

My Boss Said To Me "You're So Skinny!"

I replied, "Yeah I don't really eat a lot."

She asked Why??

So I looked her dead in the eye and said "I can't afford a lot of food."

The resulting 5 minute awkward silence was the best five minutes of my life.

Unusual-Risk , jamie he Report

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#8

Finally Decided I’d Had Enough Of My P.o.s. Boss On Monday, & Damn Did It Feel Good

Finally Decided I’d Had Enough Of My P.o.s. Boss On Monday, & Damn Did It Feel Good

binthinkin77 Report

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#9

Who’s The Boss Now?

Who’s The Boss Now?

tylerro2 Report

"You can’t be oblivious to what someone else is going through and behave correctly. You also can’t assume that an angry boss is angry at you, per se. Chances are other people are getting the same treatment. Don’t take it all personally, but never allow anyone to be abusive, ever, to you in the workplace. No bullying should ever be tolerated."

However, Lynn believes that this approach doesn't mean that employees should try to be patronizing. She thinks that this would actually be a career-limiting move. "Just know that human nature is, at its core, no different at five or 55," she told Bored Panda. "Looking at a difficult boss through the lens of a parent can be useful in another way. Humor is a good way to view tough situations more objectively: 'Johnny is having a bad day. And it’s 11:30 AM, so I should not go in there, as he is hungry.' This assumes that the bad behavior is episodic and not a pattern. Nobody should ever tolerate toxic behavior."

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She added: "Most bad bosses can be charmers a lot of the time, but then act out unexpectedly, occasionally and seemingly for no reason."

#10

Proved My Boss Wrong (By Getting A 40k Raise)

Proved My Boss Wrong (By Getting A 40k Raise)

For almost a year, my boss has been constantly letting me know how lucky I am that I have a job at this company. He would have me do tasks way outside of my job description (and comfort zone), tell me to work overtime off the clock, ignore every suggestion I've made, micromanage everything I do, and undermine me at every step. I currently get anxiety attacks every time I see his name on my phone because there's a good chance he's about to yell at me about something that's his fault.

I asked them to change the work environment and treat me with respect. He told me "no". He reemphasized that I should be grateful for this role, I need to try harder, and I won't find a job elsewhere.

I just proved him wrong. I've been secretely applying and interviewing for the past 5 weeks and have received about 10 offers at this time. I'm about to sign the paperwork to officially accept one for a much better job that pays 40k more. The interviewer will be my future boss, and he actually treated me with respect and as if I was a person *gasp*!

Drafting up my resignation letter now and I can't stop smiling.

AnonEngineer2676 , AnonEngineer2676 Report

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#11

Boss Told Me After Massively Overworking Me That If I Want To Play In His Sandpit I Need To Toughen Up. Told Him I Don’t Want To Play In The Sandpit, I Want Time To Lay On The Lawn With My Cats. He Told Me To Take My Cats And F**k Off. He Was Bluffing. I Wasn’t. I Quit! Coming At Ya From My Lawn!

Boss Told Me After Massively Overworking Me That If I Want To Play In His Sandpit I Need To Toughen Up. Told Him I Don’t Want To Play In The Sandpit, I Want Time To Lay On The Lawn With My Cats. He Told Me To Take My Cats And F**k Off. He Was Bluffing. I Wasn’t. I Quit! Coming At Ya From My Lawn!

WhlteMlrror Report

#12

Never Told A Boss Off Like This. And It Felt Amazing

Never Told A Boss Off Like This. And It Felt Amazing

frenzzzykid Report

The r/antiwork subreddit is home to nearly 2 million members and focuses on helping people with work-related struggles, as well as sharing advice on life without work.

The sub has been going strong since 2013 but has been incredibly popular during the coronavirus pandemic, as the lockdowns and economic shakeups left lots of people without jobs and inspired others to quit as part of the Great Resignation.

Financial expert Sam Dogen stressed that an important part of office politics entails maintaining good, constant communication with your superiors and managing them. That is, if you want to climb the corporate ladder and get a raise

“Managing your manager entails keeping him or her abreast of what you are up to. It means highlighting your key wins and reminding them at the end of the year about what you did in the first half of the year,” the expert told Bored Panda that we have to constantly remind our managers of ourselves and what we’ve done without overwhelming them with information.

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#13

This Sub Gave Me The Motivation To Finally Quit My Abusive Job. I May Not Have Health Insurance, But I Feel So Free!

This Sub Gave Me The Motivation To Finally Quit My Abusive Job. I May Not Have Health Insurance, But I Feel So Free!

bluepiehax Report

#14

Please Note The Timestamps. Any Suggestions On How To Deal With This Outrageous Unfairness?

Please Note The Timestamps. Any Suggestions On How To Deal With This Outrageous Unfairness?

KaiaKween Report

#15

Manager Steals Tips; One Upvote And He Gets My 2 Weeks Today

Manager Steals Tips; One Upvote And He Gets My 2 Weeks Today

Edit: I am going to quit tonight. Not even finish my shift. He’s getting my keys and uniform and im gone. Thank you guys for the words and the help! I’ve been working since I was 14 under incredibly [lousy] bosses so I never realized how illegal his actions were. I’m going to call him out tonight and leave during my shift. I truly do appreciate you guys. Ill update it when i do quit :)! Sorry for the format, I am on a phone. Your guys’ favorite thing to hear. I recently started work at a pizza place in Washington state. I should’ve known my interview was a red flag when the entire time my manager talked about his medical issues. A delivery driver ended up quitting a few weeks after I started because of the verbal degradation our manager was giving him. ‘This boy went to college but is too dumb to remember what’s garlic butter’ type stuff. he verbally insults everyone that walks into the shop to or behind there face. I should’ve left then but I stayed. I made 30 cents more than Min wage for being a TL. (which he took away january first) and I thought everything was okay. until it was me and him working one night and we made over 1k in food. I received $105 worth of tips that night and my manager gave me 45$ which really made me mad since he was told not to take tips by his boss. My final straw was last night. from 11am to 9 pm we made 34$ in tips total. At 7pm when my manager left we had made 24$ in tips and he decided to take 30$ out of the till leaving me with a 2$ tip at 9 pm. He stole money from the store. He continued to take tips when he didn’t do any work. The entire crew is quitting because of how [lousy] he treats us.

[deleted] , Eneida Nieves Report

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“It is very important to keep everything in writing. Over time, we tend to forget our interactions. By keeping things in writing, we can better remember situations and better argue for ourselves when it comes to asking for a raise and a promotion,” Sam stressed that leaving a paper trail is very important and can help avoid a lot of potential headaches.

According to Eddy Ng, the Smith Professor of Equity and Inclusion at Queen’s University, there are certain traits that can help workers distinguish between a good leader and a bad boss. Strong leaders are humble and always try to do the right thing. Weak leaders are insecure, ego-driven, and change their minds. In short, what can set apart a good, capable boss is that they focus on supporting their employees.

#16

I Quit My Job 2 Weeks Ago And They Reversed My Final Direct Deposit Without Notifying Me In Retaliation

I Quit My Job 2 Weeks Ago And They Reversed My Final Direct Deposit Without Notifying Me In Retaliation

OneSpookyPotato Report

#17

Boss Wouldn't Accept My Resignation Letter

Boss Wouldn't Accept My Resignation Letter

After several months of having my vacation time off requests denied, my staff being fired and not replaced and my work hours increased without my consent, I walked into my boss' office and handed her my resignation letter. I was giving 4 weeks notice, which I thought was nice. She looks at me, says "No. I can't deal with this today.", packed her stuff and left for a day of shopping on company time.

I went to my office, cleaned it out, finished off a day's work and put my keys in her mailbox.

The next day I got a call from HR saying they were giving me the day off without pay to think about what I did and that I was expected to be at work the next day.

No thanks.

2 years later i'm living my dream life.

HistoricalReception7 , RODNAE Productions Report

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#18

Found This Posted At My Job After A Mandatory Meeting

Found This Posted At My Job After A Mandatory Meeting

SendWiFi Report

“The notion of servant leadership is gaining attention in the workplace. Although it is associated with many of the strong leadership traits such as empathy, selflessness, and humility, the focus is on the leader’s propensity to serve (or support) their followers. Servant leaders empower and lift up followers (employees) to motivate and fuel their passion,” Professor Ng told Bored Panda.

#19

Boss Wanted Me To Come In On Days That I Requested Off. Then Threatened Me When I Said No

Boss Wanted Me To Come In On Days That I Requested Off. Then Threatened Me When I Said No

Decanno1 Report

#20

She Said F**k You I Quit!

She Said F**k You I Quit!

Bizarre-Lazar Report

#21

Is It Normal To Not Want To Discuss The Base Pay?

Is It Normal To Not Want To Discuss The Base Pay?

ceanothourus Report

According to the professor, communication between followers and leaders is key. Employees need to manage their relationships with their bosses to have better work satisfaction.

“Employees need to communicate what they need (tools) or work conditions (autonomy) in order for them to perform optimally when working with a controlling boss. Employees need to convey what they can and are able to perform,” he said.

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#22

I Have Finally Put My Foot Down

I Have Finally Put My Foot Down

willcalliv Report

#23

I Quit My Job!!

I Quit My Job!!

OnlyFansMod Report

#24

Boss Ate Half Of My Lunch While I Was In The Bathroom

Boss Ate Half Of My Lunch While I Was In The Bathroom

I went to the bathroom and came back to find my lunch box open and half of my meal missing. Confused, I asked about what happened from an older lady who sits next to me. She responded that our boss came in, noticed the food on the table, took half of it on a plate, and left for a meeting. I got angry and complained about how unacceptable that was, but she told me to just shrug it off and that it’s “to be expected”. I mean..???

bunnybunbun777 , Keegan Evans Report

Unfortunately, just because someone is incredibly skilled and talented at work doesn’t automatically make them a good leader. Managing people well is another ball game entirely. Alas, not all bosses are true leaders, even if they have all the power. Similarly, you might find leaders lower down in the company’s hierarchy who inspire their coworkers but don’t have much official authority.

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#25

Amazon Tornado Text Exchange. Your Life Is Just Numbers In A Machine, Make The Correct Call

Amazon Tornado Text Exchange. Your Life Is Just Numbers In A Machine, Make The Correct Call

NecraRequiem79 Report

#26

Im Not Allowed To Quit

Im Not Allowed To Quit

hi everyone! basically what the title says. im 17 years old, still in high school, and working 40+ hours a week. i just put in my letter of resignation (NOT my two weeks) and my boss spammed called me saying that i wasn’t allowed to quit and if i do i’ll never be allowed to work at another insert fast food place here again. im so pissed

daintynamu , Andrea Piacquadio Report

#27

I Quit This Morning. I Sent This Email To Everyone In The Company

I Quit This Morning. I Sent This Email To Everyone In The Company

SnapDragonBlues Report

See Also on Bored Panda

The Harvard Business Review explains that the best workplace leaders have very high moral standards, strong ethics, good self-organizational skills, and are efficient learners. They also help their employees grow and focus on creating an atmosphere of belonging.

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#28

I Put In My Two Weeks And My Manager Said I Have To Tell Her Where I'm Going

I Put In My Two Weeks And My Manager Said I Have To Tell Her Where I'm Going

So I told her no I don't and she insisted by law that I do. So I told her no I don't and she can ask all she wants to but that's not going to change it. I said if it's company policy that they'll just have to discipline me for it. She dropped it afterwards.

SoMuchEdgeImOnACliff , Sora Shimazaki Report

#29

So My Best Friend Just Got This Email… What The Actual [hell]!?

So My Best Friend Just Got This Email… What The Actual [hell]!?

comrade-linux Report

#30

This Motivational Quote When I Walked In This Morning

This Motivational Quote When I Walked In This Morning

MisterCallegari Report

Note: this post originally had 52 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.

Something that good managers do is create a safe, trusting, fair environment that allows workers to thrive. A part of this means communicating expectations very clearly so that everyone’s on the same page and knows what to expect. The safer and more stable your employees feel, the more they can focus on being creative, innovative, and ambitious.

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