Employees can report bad bosses to higher authorities or HR departments, but definitions of bad bosses vary. Companies may have mechanisms for reporting issues, but senior managers may not be receptive. Laws prevent workplace bullying, and employees can file complaints with local employment offices or courts. Employees should attempt to resolve issues with bad bosses directly, but may need to look for work elsewhere if there is no protection from laws or regulations.
Unhappy employees sometimes attempt to improve their work experience by reporting their boss to higher authorities or supervisors within the company. Definitions of bad bosses vary based on cultural norms, workplace laws, and employee perceptions. Many people think that a bad boss is someone who mistreats employees or acts aggressively or unprofessionally. Other people think of a bad boss as a manager who lacks the skills to take on a managerial role. Many companies have some kind of mechanism in place that allows employees to make senior management aware of issues related to unprofessional or incompetent managers, but senior managers are not always receptive to such reports.
Large companies often have an internal HR (HR) department, and HR personnel are usually tasked with resolving interpersonal conflicts between managers and employees. Some companies have employee hotlines through which staff can report bad bosses who act unethically or violate company policies. Large companies often make employee grievance forms available to workers, and staff can use these forms to detail their grievances against their bosses. Human Resources personnel review grievance forms to determine if grievances have merit. Complaints from underperforming employees who have faced justified criticism from their bosses are typically dismissed by HR personnel.
In the absence of an HR department, employees can file complaints with senior management. This often involves contacting the bad boss’ direct manager. Reporting bosses at some companies can prove difficult because many large companies have a chain-of-command philosophy, meaning employees can only raise issues with executives after addressing the issue with the immediate boss.
There are laws in many countries that are intended to prevent workplace bullying that takes the form of discrimination. A bad boss who discriminates against employees based on factors such as race, gender or religion can face fines or penalties. Employees typically have to file complaints with their local employment office or in court with the help of an employment lawyer. The company can also face legal issues and fines for failing to take action against managers who discriminate against employees. As a result, HR personnel usually take employee complaints seriously because unresolved bullying complaints often end up in lawsuits.
Employees should attempt to resolve workplace issues directly with the bad boss who is at the root of the problem. Some managers don’t consider how their words and actions are interpreted by their employees. Sometimes such individuals will voluntarily change their behavior if and when concerns are raised by unhappy employees. In other cases, managers react with hostility to employee criticism, and fear of retaliation can silence some workers who are abused or concerned about the shortcomings of a bad boss. In the absence of protection from laws or company regulations, employees are often advised to look for work elsewhere.
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