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What is the worst thing a boss or superior has said to you?
There are things we all agree are inappropriate for a boss to say to an employee, from gossip to insults. Yet I feel that people in positions of power in the workplace make these statements all the time. Recently, my partner was told personal information (including financial information) about coworkers by the HR manager! What is the worst thing you have been told or overheard?
Anonymous
08/24/19 at 7:01PM UTC
My boss shared with me while we were speaking about business via phone “well we now have an HR incident -we just went to the bathroom together... then he flushed. Eeeew!!
AlexandriaAlexandra
670
12/01/19 at 3:45AM UTC
Ughhh. Awkward.
User deleted comment on 08/24/19 at 6:59PM UTC
Kimberly SullivanFormer stock trader now Realtor
188
08/24/19 at 2:03PM UTC (Edited)
Years ago I was having my review. Got a good review but not as good as it should have been. When $ was discussed, I got a raise and a bonus (neither of which was enough) and was told that was a good salary for a “single woman”. I was speechless... I did respond “excuse me” and he did back pedal a bit but I should have been much more forceful and should have taken action. If that were now, I would not have accepted it and would have fought for more and made sure someone was made aware of that comment!!!! My younger self wasn’t as strong as I am now!
Anonymous
08/17/19 at 12:04AM UTC
I posted a photo on my Facebook page of my these killer heels I was wearing at work that day. The caption read, “I can be as high maintenance as I want. I’m the one paying the bills. ??#bossbabe #businessladylife #werk #hustle #highheels #shoelover #bebold #sorrynotsorry”. The next day, my female General Manager pulled me into her office and told me that I needed to watch what I wear and post on social media because I called myself a ‘boss babe’. She pressed further saying that since we work in a male dominated industry and are surrounded by the ‘good ole’ boys club’ that I need to do more to protect my reputation so my clients would take me seriously.
Madam anon663Learner, skeptic, direct.
1.5k
08/23/19 at 6:28AM UTC
I think I would be more aware of posting things like that, saying you are high maintenance gives the connotation that you are difficult, imo.
Anonymous
08/16/19 at 9:40PM UTC
I have a few:
1. I am a single mom. My boss used to ask me about my weekend and I would mention what the kids and I did, etc. He would follow that up with, "My wife and I have 3 kids and just two of us. It's just like being a single mom so I know how you feel." [insert confused look]
2. I was passed up for a promotion and had a meeting with my boss and he included HR. He told me I was not groomed for management as the reason why. I had been in a management position at this particular company for 2 years and had the highest employee engagement score from my team.
3. Same guy as #2 above, same meeting. He proceeded to tell me I had to work on my branding as I had a bad reputation as being difficult to manage. I looked at HR and asked if there was anything in my record from the past 6 years of employee evaluations that were all "Exceeds Expectations". She said no. He told me I was never evaluated correctly. I replied "I have had 5 different managers over the past six years and you are telling me they all got it wrong?" His answer? "Yes, they did."
CourtieQ
15
08/16/19 at 4:07PM UTC (Edited)
Next time you have your hair down I'll take you to meet the President and his assistant.
Anonymous
08/16/19 at 3:39PM UTC
During the first 5-6 months of my first job, I felt really engaged by the company and I made all my best to get projects well (so, working from home at night or during weekends).
Once I made some changes but other colleagues didn't check with me and took other decisions that led to doing once again all my work.
The senior colleague (for age but not for position) in my team then argue in front of other members that I have no experience despite all others and I would have to follow all their decisions, discussing my professional attitude.
After a few months I reported this fact to my bosses... And they said what?, maybe she didn't want to be rude with me but it was my fault to be too proactive, yes, for my (ex) bosses proactivity is a fault!!!!
They found all excuses to defend the other colleague.
From that moment I understood I was an undesired employee there and I had to leave asap (and I left)... With their attitude my engagement decreased because I didn't feel well working there.
Pumpkincoupon
16
08/16/19 at 6:44AM UTC
I finally got a promotion because my supervisor moved on, but not a raise, just a new title. The raise went to the man who they created a new title for... General Manager. A 30 % raise. I couldn't even get 5% of that? This man went on to "accidentally" text me a pic of his new engine he bought for his hot rod. You know, paid for by the raise. Since the company was too cheap to hire cleaners, the GM finally bought a vacuum that the staff would take turns using. I was all for it until the day it arrived it was out of the box, next to my desk with a sign on it that said "Women's work"
WTF!?
Focused928781
14
08/16/19 at 1:07AM UTC
At my first big girl job, I was a college advisor and had just earned my masters degree. I was already looking for a new position. I worked for a male dean at my college. One day, he walks down to my office with an empty coffee pot and stands at my door. I look up from my paperwork on a student and he states “coffee is gone” and I replied “I guess you will need to make more.”
His response: “who do I look like, a woman? That’s your job”
it shocked me as well as made me look harder for another position.
Andrea Brush
17
08/15/19 at 10:27PM UTC
You dress like a farmer. Just because you want a farm doesn’t mean you have to look it. Farms are so disgusting. And they smell. And your hair. Ugh! Just so messy (in reference to my curly hair). You should do what the African Americans do. At least they care about what they look like. I can’t stand it when people wear tennis shoes. So unprofessional.
FYI: I was wearing dark crisp jeans, an attractive blouse, and cute shoes. I don’t even own tennis shoes except for the pair I wear at the track. My hair, though curly, was clean and neatly styled. People on the street stop me to compliment my hair.
AlexandriaAlexandra
670
12/01/19 at 3:44AM UTC
Wow. That's a bold thing to say!
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