There’s no doubt that abusing power, especially in a work environment, is a toxic behavior. It’s even worse when that power is abused seemingly for no reason.

For example, in this Reddit story, a person shares how their boss told them that wearing a sweater over their uniform while in the work facilities is against the policy, ignoring the fact that the person was already off the clock and going to their car with a below freezing temperature outside. Scroll down to read the full story!

More info: Reddit

There are good bosses, and then there are bosses who threaten to write you up for wearing a sweater over your uniform despite being clocked out

Image credits: Ono Kosuki (not the actual photo)

A maintenance worker finished their shift, clocked out, and put on a sweater to go to their car as the temperature outside was below freezing

Image credits: ShellSwitch

Their boss stopped them and told them that as long as they were in the facilities, they couldn’t wear anything but the uniform, which left the person enraged

The person begins their story by stating that on that day, the weather outside was 30F (or roughly -1C). Naturally, as the OP had to go outside to get to their car, they clocked out and put on a sweater over their maintenance worker uniform for the walk.

As they were about to leave the building, they were stopped by their boss, who told them that their hoodie wasn’t part of their uniform and that they would be written up if they continued to break the policy.

The person was confused and asked the boss why it would matter if they were off the clock, to which the boss replied that it didn’t matter since they were still on site.

The OP was outraged by the idea that they’re supposed to freeze until they get to their car. They further explained that the place they work at is not any kind of a secure facility and that there’s absolutely no logic in what their boss asks of his employees.

People in the comments unanimously agreed that the boss’ words were senseless and only made him seem like a power-tripping jerk. Some Redditors even suggested the whole action plan of how the OP could deal with this kind of behavior, explaining that it is well within their rights to wear whatever they want once they’re off the clock.

Image credits: Spencer Davis (not the actual photo)

Working for an abusive boss can be a true nightmare, yet it’s not always apparent at first glance. To better understand how this type of behavior shows and how to deal with it, Forbes provides a list of signs and potential strategies that a person could go for.

According to the article, toxic bosses are notorious for intimidating and undermining their subordinates to defend their insecurities and reinforce their more powerful position. Here are the main ways in which this usually shows:

• Micromanagement and constant monitoring of your work with no letting up.
• Pressure on their employees to the point where they feel overstressed and burnt out.
• Unreasonable demands, especially regarding deadlines, workload, and work hours.
• Unpredictability and erratic moods.
• Inefficient time management, constantly over-scheduling and over-committing their employees.
• Intimidating behavior and badmouthing others.
• Use of criticism in humiliating and bullying ways with no tolerance for even the smallest mistakes.
• Insensitivity to employees’ personal issues and mental challenges, even if their performance is high.
• Creating a work environment filled with fear, urgency, and tension.
• Taking credit for others’ ideas.

Image credits: Christopher Burns (not the actual photo)

While you can’t get your boss fired, at least not directly, there are things you can do to better your situation in the long run, and the article also has propositions on how you can do that.

First, try to avoid anger, frustration, and impatience. Even under these conditions, it’s wise to remain professional, tactful, and diplomatic. You could begin by talking to your boss and looking for common ground by understanding their human side, as the problem might be bigger than just the two of you.

The next step is to schedule a meeting with your boss and find out what expectations they and their boss have for you. A clear definition of what type of performance is expected to have an impeccable rating can help you know what to do and your boss figure out what they want. It’s also essential to talk about your own point of view, the importance of your personal life, and expectations regarding the job so that the priorities and goals can be set and scheduled accordingly.

Furthermore, you should reach out to your colleagues who are likely dealing with similar things at work. This way, you can start a support group where you can talk about the problems and find fitting solutions constructively. If they’re open-minded enough, you could even include your boss every once in a while and give as well as receive feedback.

However, suppose everything fails, and your effort seems to be fruitless. In that case, there’s always a last resort option of gathering proof and going to HR representatives or even people above your boss and calmly explaining the situation.

Ultimately, we’re all human, and many things can influence how we act at work. We all make mistakes, but as long as we’re willing to open our minds and solve problems, everything can be worked out. But if wearing a sweater while clocked out really is such a deal breaker that not even people responsible for an acceptable work environment can do anything about it, perhaps it’s not a place you should be working in.

The commenters supported the poster and agreed that the boss was simply abusing his power with no logical motives behind his actions

Image credits: Jonathan Petersson (not the actual photo)

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