To get a promotion at work, you should be excelling in your current position. It should go without saying that you should be kind and courteous to your colleagues, understanding, and great at your job. But unfortunately, that’s not how it works in many companies. For some reason, there are plenty of bosses out there who shouldn’t be managing anything, let alone anyone.
One person decided that their boss shouldn’t get off scot-free for his terrible behavior. Below, you’ll find the full story of how they got petty revenge after a colleague passed away from cancer, as well as some of the replies invested readers left them.
This person watched for months as their boss targeted one manager for no reason
Image credits: Drazen Zigic / Magnific (not the actual photo)
And after that manager passed away, the employee made it their mission to get back at the toxic boss
Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image credits: pressfoto / magnific (not the actual photo)
Image credits: natabuena / magnific (not the actual photo)
Image credits: emogamerbfxxx
The majority of workers have experienced a toxic boss at some point in their careers
Going to work can be a drag. You might not be passionate about your position or the field you’re in; it’s perfectly normal to be there purely for a paycheck. But something that can make it even more difficult to get through the day is having a nightmare of a boss. And unfortunately, that’s more common than you might realize.
According to research from Stagwell, one in three workers say that they currently have a toxic boss, and 71% say that they’ve had at least one toxic boss at some point in their career.
Over 70% of workers also say that they have anxiety over the weekends about returning to the office on Monday, and over half of employees admit that they’ve even had nightmares about their terrible bosses.
41% of workers reported that they’ve even started going to therapy to help manage the stress of having a toxic boss. Meanwhile, over two-thirds of workers have a boss who says something along the lines of “What I say is final because I am the boss.”
Two-thirds of workers admit that they are actively on the hunt for a new job, but the majority cannot just up and quit due to financial reasons or because they would lose their benefits.
As far as why there are so many awful bosses out there, professor of leadership and organizational psychology Ronald Riggio told CNBC that many of us are unintentionally keeping them in power. First, Riggio noted that people tend to confuse arrogance and narcissism for strength.
Someone might come off as a competent leader because of their confidence, but that doesn’t mean that they’re actually effective at all. In fact, it can mean the exact opposite.
Don't be afraid to push back against a terrible manager
Riggio also says that many people fall into “cognitive laziness,” where we just accept things the way that they are. “Sure, my boss is terrible, but what can I do about it?” This is a dangerous approach.
Now, sometimes these toxic bosses do yield impressive results on paper, but that doesn’t mean that they’re actually great leaders. Their KPIs might be incredible, but if employee morale is the lowest it’s ever been, there’s a huge problem.
Finally, Riggio pointed out that some people love the power of association. A bad boss will surround him or herself with a team of toxic individuals who will do everything that they can to keep them in power. Unfortunately, taking them down won’t be easy.
But that doesn’t mean you should lose hope. If you feel trapped in a workplace with a cruel boss, the BBC recommends informing someone who is outside your reporting line about the situation. At the same time, don’t be scared to challenge your boss’s behavior. Stay calm and collected, but feel free to push back.
Meanwhile, protect yourself by prioritizing your wellbeing and by detaching yourself from the situation at work. Try to only think about it during working hours, and find ways to shut it off during your free time. And finally, know when to escalate the situation. If your boss is breaking the law or making you extremely uncomfortable, it’s time to say something.
We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. Do you think the employee made the right call by getting petty revenge on their boss? Then, if you’re interested in checking out another article from Bored Panda featuring similar workplace drama, look no further than right here.
Later, the author replied to several amused readers and shared more background information
Many readers applauded the employee for their brilliant petty revenge
