35 Times Bosses Wrote Such Delusional Notes, These Employees Just Had To Shame Them Online (New Pics)

To gain more insight on why it's so common for bosses to leave these terrible messages, we reached out to London-based career coach and founder of CareerTree Coaching, Sarah Archer, who was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda.

"In my experience, these kind of messages are becoming less common as employers become more conscious about wellbeing," Sarah noted. "However, when they do happen it’s usually managers who essentially don’t know how to manage! Often employees can be promoted into managerial roles without the necessary skills and experience. And if they are then not trained or supported this kind of practice can emerge."

We also asked the career expert what kind of impact these messages can have on a workplace. "[They] often have the opposite effect to what the manager wants," Sarah says. "People generally are not motivated to perform well, adhere to rules, etc. by being humiliated or threatened. They tend to result in feelings of anger, resentment or fear, which will not increase productivity, result in higher levels of absence or higher turnover of staff."

Thankfully, however, Sarah says that there are plenty of fantastic ways to engage and communicate with employees that managers can use instead of these hostile messages. "Firstly, it would be about treating them as adults and showing respect! If as a manager you’ve got a difficult message to communicate, then it needs to be face-to-face and with compassion."

Sarah also shared some advice for anyone who finds themselves in a work environment where higher ups post messages such as this. "First, recognize that this is not acceptable behavior from the employer (who is vicariously liable for the actions of their manager), so feel empowered to call this out. No one should have to be subjected to insulting messages from their manager, and there are laws and policies in place to protect employees. They should seek advice from the HR department if there is one, or from a staff representative or trade union."

If you'd like to learn more about Sarah or gain some advice on your own career, be sure to visit CareerTree Coaching's website right here!

What is it about respecting employees that some bosses find so difficult to do? It feels like every day there’s another story going viral of a toxic employer who’s treating their workers horribly, and as the photos on this list go to show, there are plenty of bosses out there who continue to get away with it year after year. According to a survey from GoodHire of 3,000 Americans with full-time employment, managers as a whole are failing miserably. Only 39% of workers said that their managers are open and honest about promotion opportunities, and only 44% consider their supervisors to be transparent and honest during conversations about salary and compensation.

Less than a third of these workers say that their managers actually care about their employees’ career progression, and less than half believe that their superiors respect their personal time away from work. According to those surveyed, the most annoying things bosses do are micromanage workers and request that they work outside of their regular hours. But 82% of American workers say they would quit a job where they had a bad manager, so this treatment of workers clearly isn’t sustainable.  

Surveys such as this raise the question of whether or not employees actually quit or if their bosses drive them to it. How are they supposed to feel satisfied, appreciated and optimistic about their futures when they’re told they’re not allowed to have water or take any breaks during the day? Apparently, most employees find themselves annoyed by their managers at least one day per week, and 84% of American workers feel their managers are redundant, reporting that they believe they could fill the role themselves. In fact, 89% of hospitality workers say they’re even more qualified than their superiors to do their jobs.

Aside from all of the small annoyances and frustrations employees have about their bosses, the vast majority of workers actually consider their employers to be toxic. One survey from Monster found that 76% of American workers say they have a toxic boss, and many of them describe their employers as power-hungry, micromanagers, incompetent or simply never around. A very small minority, 5% of workers, report that they’re actually great friends with their bosses, but clearly, there’s a problem in the American workplace. And considering how much material we have for lists such as this, I would say that there are plenty of toxic bosses out there.

When defining what makes a toxic workplace, employees describe it as being disrespectful, abusive, non-inclusive, unethical or cutthroat. Women are more likely to report toxic experiences at work than men, and white workers report having an easier time moving on from toxic employment than employees of color. And if you’re a manager or boss who’s wondering if you fall under the umbrella of toxic leaders, Kathryn Minshew wrote a piece for Yahoo! Finance breaking down some of the signs you might want to look out for in yourself. First, consider whether or not you always speak first. Toxic managers tend to “stay within their own brain bubble” and fail to give others a chance to share their thoughts and ideas.      

Minshew goes on to note that you might be contributing to toxic leadership if you find yourself constantly checking in with your team. Micromanaging can make employees feel suffocated and assume that you don’t trust them. Communicate deadlines clearly and keep your employees accountable, but don’t breathe down their necks. It can also be frustrating for employees to be stuck doing the same very specific tasks day in and day out. This can stifle creativity and eliminate any chances to grow and improve. Great managers think of new ideas often and keep an open mind to how their teams can move forward. 

It’s also an incredibly toxic trait if you, as a manager, feel the need to put your employees in their place. You may be in a leadership position, but you’re all adults. Having a higher salary or being the one to delegate tasks does not make you any better than them. Never take out anger on employees, speak to them in a condescending manner or project your own insecurities onto them. If you want your team to respect you, it’s crucial that you treat them as equals and afford them the same respect.  

If you’re a worker who finds yourself in an environment with a passive aggressive boss who leaves lovely notes such as the ones featured on this list, it’s probably best to get out of there as soon as you can. But if you haven’t been able to find a new job yet or are just waiting for the right opportunity to jump ship, here are some tips on how to deal with your frustrating boss for the time being. Allaya Cooks-Campbell at BetterUp first recommends identifying your manager’s go-to behaviors. This can help you anticipate how they’ll respond to certain situations and be prepared or even avoid them altogether. It’s never fun to tiptoe around anyone, but sometimes, it might be easier than facing your manager’s wrath.

It’s always best to take the high road when your employer stoops down to the passive-aggressive route. Remember that their behavior doesn’t actually have anything to do with you, as it stems from stress, insecurities, their upbringing or something else out of your control, so try not to take it personally. It can also be helpful to over-communicate with a passive-aggressive boss to ensure that there are no misunderstandings. Put everything in writing, keep paper trails, and make sure that you’re always on the same page.

If a toxic or passive-aggressive boss is starting to really take a toll on you, don’t be afraid to speak up. Whether that means having a conversation with HR or expressing your concerns directly to your superior, it can be important for your own mental health to seek a solution to these problems. Going into work stressed and anxious every day, unsure of how your manager will treat you, is not healthy. Request a meeting with your boss or HR representative to share how you’re feeling, and work together to find a solution. And if common ground cannot be found, it may be time to move on. 

If any of these photos remind you of your own boss, pandas, I urge you to get out of that toxic workplace as soon as possible! Respect is the bare minimum of what employees should receive from their managers and employers, but unfortunately, many of them can’t even provide that. Keep upvoting the pics that you find particularly offensive, and feel free to share in the comments below if you’ve ever seen a similar message at work. Then, if you can handle even more anger, you can find Bored Panda’s last list on the same topic right here!