How to Deal with a Nightmare Boss (and Other Workplace Horror Stories)

It’s Spooky Season and while the kids are all out trick or treating, every parent knows that the real terror comes in the form of the 9-5. Whether it’s toxic bosses, invisible employees, or instructions so precise they’ll make your head spin, workplace horror stories are all too common, especially among younger, less experienced professionals.

This Halloween, we want to take some of these scary stories head on, sharing our top tips for dealing with difficult situations in the workplace so that you can pursue your career in peace.

How To Deal With a Nightmare Boss

Now we’ve all got our fair share of bad boss stories. From workplace bullying to over-demanding targets, a bad boss can make every moment of your workday feel stressful and exhausting.

When dealing with a bad boss, the first thing you have to do is assess the scale of the problem. Usually this comes down to one simple question: does your boss care about how you feel?

This might not seem like a big deal. After all, technically their job is to get results, not to monitor your emotions. Should your boss really be worried about whether you’re happy in the workplace?

The answer is yes, yes, and yes. Your boss should absolutely care about whether you’re happy at work. On the one hand, it’s basic decency to care about the people around you. If you’re miserable in your job, then it’s a bit callous for your boss to treat this like a non-issue.

That said, this goes beyond common courtesy. If you’re clearly having a terrible time at work, then it’s a part of your bosses job to find out why. Of course, sometimes there’s not much they can do about it. If you just don’t like the job, then that’s not on them. On the other hand, if it’s a direct result of one of their policies, let alone their behaviour, then that’s a serious matter.

Even setting aside ethical concerns, employees simply don’t work as well when they’re not happy. Good bosses know this, so they do what they can to keep spirits up.

Of course, there’s a difference between being a bad boss and being a truly toxic one. A bad boss might not care that much about your happiness and wellbeing, but a truly toxic one is one who doesn’t even care about their own behaviour.

If your boss is behaving in a toxic manner then that’s something that needs to be communicated one way or another. If they don’t listen, then you’ll need to take matters further up the chain.

The most important thing to remember is that, one way or another, you should never settle for a nightmare boss. In the long run, working for a boss that doesn’t treat you well is never good for your mental health.

What To Do When a Coworker Ghosts Their Shifts

Now, it’s not always the boss causing the problems. Sometimes even if you have the nicest manager in the world, your coworkers can create issues for you. Sometimes it’s a clash of personalities or a bad work ethic. This is frustrating but often manageable. What’s harder to handle is a coworker who simply won’t show up at all.

If your coworker is ghosting their shifts then the first thing you need to do is bring the problem up with them directly. This can often solve the problem, giving them a chance to acknowledge that they’ve made a mistake and to rectify the issue. It’s best not to escalate the issue unless they disregard you and continue to create a problem.

Your next course of action should be your direct manager. They will often have training on what to do in these kinds of situations. If your coworkers are struggling with a personal issue then a good manager will know when to be understanding and when to lay down the law.

That said, not every manager is perfect and there are always those who’d rather not confront their own staff. It can be uncomfortable, but in these situations you have to learn to assert the issue more strongly. Make it clear to your manager that you’re being forced to cover extra work because your coworker can’t show up.

If that doesn’t work, then it’s time to stop covering for your coworker. Only do the work you’re obligated to do, and let your manager see the consequences first hand. If they don’t like it, then they’ll be more incentivised to take action themselves.