When making your way up the corporate ladder, you are bound to have an encounter with a difficult employer. A stressful and complicated situation to navigate, are there simple steps employees can take to deal with this?
Godfrey Madanhire, a professional motivational speaker and the owner of Dreamworld Promotions, shares 5 tips on how to deal with a horrible boss.
Keep calm
The pressure will be on. Having an unpleasant employer will make you feel uncertain and in this environment, you will be prone to making mistakes. Keeping calm will help. Remember to have an outlet where you can unwind at the end of day, such as a walk or a hobby.
Make sure you ask the right questions
If your employer is unreasonable, chances are they will be an intimidating character to approach. When confronting them, you need to make sure the questions you’ve lined up are direct, concise and to the point.
Keep notes
When confronting your employer on issues, remember to keep a record of your interactions. If your boss is acting unfairly towards you, a record is necessary or “it never happened”. Write all statements down or record them on your phone to keep track.
Never go above if you can help it
Going to your employer’s boss will cause more tension in an already stressful situation. It may work, but remember changes will not happen instantly. If you’re willing to wait it out to see these problems addressed, this route might be the direction to go.
If nothing can be done, plan your exit
Sometimes there is nothing to be done. Life isn’t fair, so rather than being completely stressed out, start making plans to jump ship. Don’t tell anyone at work, and start sending out your CV two months in advance if possible. Before telling your boss anything, make sure to get written confirmation from your new employer. Take all your paid leave in your last month if possible and hand in your letter of resignation on the first day of the month.
