50 Delusional Notes That Bosses Actually Had The Nerve To Display At Work (New Pics)
The difference between a wholesomely supportive and genuinely toxic job environment is the people you work with. Your coworkers, managers, and bosses from all the way up the corporate ladder have the power to either inspire you to aim for new heights or to regret every moment you spend with them.
A major thing that gets employees’ blood boiling is seeing passive-aggressive signs put up all over the office, full of worker-unfriendly regulations, practically dripping with managerial arrogance and disdain for ‘regular’ workers. (A close second, if you’re curious, is people who microwave fish at work. Don’t do that.)
Our team here at Bored Panda dove deep into the r/antiwork archives to collect the very worst office and work signs that people have ever spotted. Including some really weird looking-for-work ads. Seriously, these are all an affront to dignity and perfectly illustrate what some higher-ups think of the people they pay.
Like, who reminds you that your dog is missing you because you can't work remotely and have to go into the office?! That's just inhumane (incanine?).
Scroll down for some horrendous pics that you’ll probably want to share with your coworkers at the water cooler. Have you seen any similar signs at work? Have you personally read anything worse? Do you want to vent about your manager for no reason? Drop by the comment section and share your thoughts with us and all the other Pandas.
This post may include affiliate links.
The Trashy Manager
Bored Panda had a chat about managerial 'tyrants,' nonsensical rules, and passive-aggressive communication with employees with workplace expert Lynn Taylor, who was kind enough to share her perspective and answer our questions. Lynn is the author of the bestseller 'Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job,' the head of the fashion brand 'Behind the Buckle,' and also runs a popular blog on Psychology Today.
"The proverbial power play at work can be maddening, especially when Draconian managers are in their element. These tyrant bosses can be downright insulting in their regular communications. And expert bullies can create rules and regulations that make you feel like you’re in 3rd grade; the recipient of a final parental warning; or reside in a bizarre prison. Heavy-handed signage, notes, and email reminders can run amok, making an otherwise decent job quite demoralizing," she told Bored Panda.
My Job Threatened To Withhold My Paycheck To Ensure No One Left Early; I Responded Accordingly
Pay Our Teachers More!
Bright And Bold In Midtown Manhattan
There should be a law stating you must clearly reveal rate of pay from the very beginning.
Remember We Are In It Together
Why Do Not We Have Freedom?
Workplace expert Lynn shared the steps that you can take as an employee in these situations with Bored Panda:
- "First, make sure you’re seeing a pattern before taking action. Typically, the real offenders have bad office habits that are hard to break. The techniques worked in the past, so they continue, and you’ll see more than one instance. If the signage becomes repeated and overbearing, it’s not your imagination.
- Depending on the relationship you have with your boss, and if the behavior is more episodic, you may be able to approach them, using reason. For example, you might suggest an internal memo that addresses the issue and explains the importance of doing X, with a team-oriented approach. It might read something like, 'I know we’re all working hard to meet our 4th Quarter project deadlines; thank you for the extra effort,' versus signage that, in effect, says, 'Get here on time, or else!'
- If the one-on-one approach won’t work or fails, there’s always power in numbers. Discreetly speak to your fellow beleaguered office mates, and see if the demoralizing signage is making everyone want to crawl under their desks in exasperation. If so, your group can propose a civil productive discussion, starting with the manager. If that doesn’t work, there’s the boss’s boss, and after that, Human Resources.
- Remember the end goal; to change the dialogue and make it more positive. Remind your boss of the end goal, too. Subtly let it be known that the oppressive approach may backfire, the stakes, and what will have the best outcome. If the notes are redundant, petty, or nonsensical, use your best emotional intelligence and be the voice of reason.
- Don’t fight fire with fire. If you’re the lucky recipient of an insulting email or note, don’t play the game. If you witness a passive-aggressive piece of communication, don’t try and think of a super clever retort. Just ask for clarification, e.g., 'Just so I understand, are you saying you want a more detailed report?' You want this to be a win-win (and keep your job, if it’s worth keeping!).
- If the language in company signs and communications is intimidating as opposed to merely disheartening, and the situation is untenable, it is likely time to visit your favorite job board."
I’m Probably Going To Be Fired For This… But I Don’t Care
This Is Up Front And Center And My Local Ice Cream Place. Thoughts?
Subway Near Me
According to workplace expert Lynn, rather than always relying on signage or written communications to deal with sensitive topics, managers ought to have a regular forum where they can raise important issues.
"The item can be on the agenda, whether it pertains to new employee manual practices, office rules, personal time, etc. It might be a monthly staff meeting in person or Zoom call. The topics can be discussed at a regular meeting, but there’s nothing wrong with having a meeting to discuss administrative issues; get employee feedback; answer questions; and provide leave-behind materials," she told Bored Panda.
"One of the best things you can do is take excerpts from the company manual and ask the team to comply. That way, no one feels personally attacked. Consider the operative word, 'ask' for compliance; never threaten," the author of 'Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant' explained how managers might want to maintain discipline among their staff.
Rude Office Signs
Found In A Mall In My City This Weekend. Guess The Staff Finally Had Enough
Starting To See The Signs Of People Being Fed Up
"The emphasis is on 'team' because you’re only as good as your staff. Condescending notifications often backfire, but finding the positive angle that will appeal to the team is far more productive. Give your staff the benefit of the doubt; be encouraging; use emotional intelligence; and treat your staff like the adults they are. Remember the value of positive reinforcement; when employees get what you’re asking for and deliver, let them know you’re appreciative. Just be careful you don’t patronize when employees perform the task at hand privately or publicly," she said.
Meanwhile, if there are only a few employees who are consistently breaking the rules or not complying with business practices, it's best for managers not to make the entire team feel responsible. "It’s better to have private conversations with the individual employee(s) than to bring the whole team down," Lynn said.
"Finally, your employees are the best source of information that will support productivity. Consider soliciting ideas from your team on how to boost morale. If you must post signage, consider a contest on the most creative way to communicate the request. When your team is invested in an outcome, the results are almost always more favorable. The labor market is still strong, so it behooves managers to humanize their work environment, committing to motivational and retention practices."
Shout Out The Worst Place I Ever Worked (Minimum Wage, Of Course)
Show up at 9:54, leave an hour early. Because this is how it works, right?
Hot Topic Appears To Be In Hot Water
I don't think that that sign was written by a rude boss. I think it was a note that his employees left to the customers to help them understand why the shop was closed, and that it also served as a passive agressive message to a delutional manager, who had little clue on how vulnarable his business was and therefore how much he should do to satisfy his employees basic needs.
They Are Literally Admitting Jobs Don't Allow Us To Take Care Of Ourselves
There’s a delicate balance that needs to be maintained at work. On one side of the scale, you’ve got things like company morale, how inspired, creative, and motivated your employees feel, how much they trust their bosses, and how satisfied they are with their jobs and the opportunities that they’re offered. You want to know that your hard work pays off... though sometimes it totally doesn't.
On the other side of the scale are things like company profits, maintaining protocols and regulations, having a general sense of order and discipline, and keeping potentially reckless or unmotivated workers’ actions in line with the overall interests of each department.
In short, there’s no excuse for being toxic or rude as a boss; however, it doesn’t mean that every single employee is somehow above criticism. It’s human to err. And last we checked, our AI Overlords haven’t replaced any of the staff with androids (...yet).
There's This Local Café And The Last Few Times I've Walked Past I've Noticed It Has A Chalkboard Outside With Different Messages Mocking S**tty Employers On It - This Was Today's
85 Degree Bakery Enabled Tips On Their Point Of Sale Devices. Tips Don’t Go To Workers; You’re Just Giving The Company More Money
I Bet It’s Posted Right Next To A Sign Complaining That No One Wants To Work Anymore
There’s usually a deeper story behind each passive-aggressive office sign. Perhaps a manager feels underappreciated or believes that their workers are slacking off. Maybe they have a very different work ethic that’s completely at odds with the values held by younger generations. Or they had a really bad day and lashed out in an emotionally immature way.
Remember, just because someone has a fancy job title doesn't mean that they're actually a better person and more capable leader than you. You can be a leader no matter where in the corporate chain you fall.
That’s what happens when you have extremely poor communication within an organization. Managers and ‘regular’ employees need to know each others’ expectations and to enforce healthy boundaries. It all comes down to showing respect for everyone’s time, energy, and dignity, as well as looking for compromises. If either side is brow-beating the other, odds are that it’s a toxic place to work and not many people will stick around for long.
Sign On The Way Into A Local Restaurant
Came Into Work This Morning To Find This Taped To The Wall. Boss Went On Tirade Against Me And Co-Worker Yesterday For Taking To Each Other With No Customers In The Store
Just Saw This In A Mcdonald’s…
Look, at the end of the day, we’re all responsible for our own happiness, work/life balance, priorities, and what kind of behavior we’re willing to tolerate. Now, that’s no excuse for others acting like jerks and bullying you day-in, day-out. However, it does mean that we have to be proactive in sorting out the problems that drag us down at work.
That might mean different things for different people. Does your coworker keep microwaving fish and stinking up your office 24/7? Sit them down for a quick friendly chat and ask them to stop instead of putting up passive-aggressive sticky notes all over the kitchen.
Does your boss give you more and more work because you finish your tasks quicker than others? Have a discussion about a possible promotion because of your excellent results. Explain to them that there should be incentives in place to work faster instead of hard work being punished. Remind them how much you bring to the company at least a couple of times a year.
Is your boss 'quiet firing' you by subtly letting you know that you have absolutely no future career path at the company? You need to diplomatically confront them about being sidelined, hopefully, with HR acting as a witness. Odds are that your boss is extremely frightened of any and all confrontation and is taking the easiest way out by forcing you to leave on your own.
A Competing Company Is Offering Us 20 Percent More To Work For Them. Management's Response:
Recent “Sweat Pledge” My Wife Was Asked To Sign Before Employment
This can't be serious, can it? Only in America, Russia, China, North Korea et al. I'm betting the land of the free because rule #1 says so.
Update: They Changed The Sign, But It’s Not Any Better
Is your manager all grumpy that you’re not a brainwashed cultist showing absolute loyalty to the company and living every day in anticipation of going to work? Are they making you sing and dance in mandatory corporate TikToks? You might want to get HR or some other more-or-less-neutral party involved and set clear boundaries. If they keep harassing you to work unpaid overtime or guilt-tripping you to work on your days off, it’s time to have a very diplomatic-yet-honest chat about what the company is willing to offer you moving forward.
Found This Sign At A Local Dinner. Decided To Eat Somewhere Else. Sounds Like A Horrible Place To Work
Pay increase upto $0.50 per year guaranteed. Wow. I’ll be in a queue to apply here.
So, guaranteed NEVER to increase by more than $0.50 a year, no matter how hard you work? Got it!
Load More Replies...So many people think the president has more power than he does, which leads to the president having more power than he should
Load More Replies...I would certainly leave it up so that the whole community can know what a venomous moron he is. "When your enemy is in the process of detroying himself, never interrupt." - Napoleon
Load More Replies...Free sick time with a doc's note. I wager that you will have to pay for said note. Who the heck needs that if you have a cold or a flu. Just a way to punish low income workers.
Isn't there a saying that staff leave not because it's a bad company to work for but bad management ?
$13/hour+benefits=$16/ hour, oh h€|| no you can eFF right off a bridge with that bs
A doctor's note requirement is just RIDICULOUS. You can be sick enough not to work and not go to the doctor, plus paying to go to the doctor. all it is is trying to bully people not to call out.
they increased their prices by 50% due to inflation, why did they not do the same for the worker's wages for the same reason?
Advertising 16/hr but actually paying "13 and benefits = 16" must be illegal. Also sue me over less than 0.01 in damages. Why hide this employer? There is no grounds for libel when you are showing what the posted themselves. Give us the name. I actively want to contribute to employers like this failing
911 Dispatcher: This is 911, what is your emergency? manager: They took my paper again!!! 911 Dispatcher: -sigh- Sir...we told you to stop calling.
I love the way companies act like benefits somehow equal a higher pay. If the money you are spending on those benefits is different to how I would allocate it, you do not get to pretend I am being paid with it.
It kills me that some people blame the president for everything. Inflation is much worse in Europe than the US. Covid and supply chain breaks are causing inflation.
I wouldn't take the paper, but I'd put a big black marker to good use on it...
$0.50 a year increase, guaranteed by a piece of paper of which there is only one copy of in the entire world (otherwise why else would they press charges for knicking it?) Reckon if they really wanted employees they could, oh, photocopy the “help wanted” sign and leave a pile at the door? Or would that leave evidence of the pay offer?
We will press charges if you take this paper?!? I'd like to see the look on the officers face who takes this complaint.. I'm sorry, they stole what from you? A paper sign? 🤣🤣🤣
I would take the paper and let them try to press charges.... then sue them for a frivolous lawsuit.
I think it's supposed to mean 50 cents per hour which is pretty good (at least in my area). This sign reminds me of a certain auto parts chain. They talk about how they pay a $10 per thousand bonus and you can make all this extra $$. Yeah, right. At $20k in sales that bonus drops to $5 per thousand and they set personal sales goals which are never obtainable. If you get within $5k-6K of the goal they raise it $5- $10K. How do I know? Worked for them for 3 years and had my goal raised 4 times. When I started it was $35k and I walked through the door selling close to $30k/month, so they immediately raised it to $37. When I left I was over $50k/month and the goal was $60k. Got so fed up with the other bonus, I'd let a single mother that worked there get credit for my sales over $20k so she could get a better bonus. They also didn't give good raises either.
I'd like to see you press charges for a piece of paper being taken. It'll cost your company way more than the cost to reprint it and since it's a damn piece of paper the case will be thrown out.
Too stupid to know that Biden didn't create WORLD WIDE inflation then he's too stupid to work for.
I too would not eat there. And I'd buy a meal for a worker who quit
Just curious: What kind of charges can be pressed against someone for taking the paper? I will contend it's probably worth it!
Ooohhh, poor corporate employer! You need help? To bad. No really, I'm sorry I can't help you. I'm a hardcore capitalist and don't believe in freebies. My work is top notch, I'm clean, reliable and fast. You want that? Well then you'll pay for that or you won't get any. That's capitalism baby!
So you are a company that raises its prices by 50% but you are clueless why people are leaving when you offer them $13/h + "benefits" (is that the cup of hot coffee?) and a "raise" of "up to" $0.50/YEAR...?!?!
Businesses across the board are raising prices and making record profits. Greed is driving inflation, not expenses.
Sounds like a fantastic place to work! Wondering why "lazy workers" decided to quit 😐
What a joke... I would of applied than when they called for a interview I would of told them they are delusional!!!
16$hr jk 13$ but with snacks and benefits and a fart and a giggle it’s really 16$ an hr! Come apply. Lol sure, I’ll be right there. /s
Starting pay $16, well actually $13. No thanks I'd rather work just about anywhere else.
Last I checked, the US wasn’t the only country suffering very high inflation. And last I checked the US president wasn’t the president of any other countries. So I really don’t get the logic that inflation in the US was solely the cause of the president. Something is happening globally and while the US is a huge part of the global economy I don’t think that global inflation is solely attributed to one country and the actions of that countries president. Unfortunately a lot of the current inflation is or can be inertial inflation inflation (inflation feed back loop) where rising cost of goods and services cause demands for higher wages, higher wages and goods cause businesses to raise costs of their goods and services, and on and on. We handled similar (but not as bad) inflation in the ‘80s. 14.8 percent in March 1980) The Fed’s Paul Volcker’s strategy was painful but worked and got rampant inflation under control bringing under 3% by 1983. A lesson Jerome Powell seems to be heeding.
Sounds like a real fun place to work, and they wonder why they can't get employees?
I'm sure they'll blame Biden and not a 50% increase in prices when their business fails.
To be fair, $.50 is a just over 3% of $16. I know with current inflation, that isn't much, but 3% is more than I got for the last 2 years.
.50 a year is just over $500 bucks, wow that will not even cover ur yearly rent increase or the rising cost of groceries. Every year u will fall further and further (or is it farther??) Behind and very quickly going without ur basic needs. Thanks but no thanks!!!
My BF's Snapchat Memory From 2017 - Posted At His Old Job At A Grocery Store
Workers Are Important, Value Us
Obviously, if you’re harassed and feel unsafe at work, you need to get in touch with union representatives or seek legal help.
Meanwhile, if you feel burned out, chronically anxious, and depressed, it might do you well to speak about your issues openly with a close relative or a trusted friend. Seeking psychological help from a counselor can help solve some of these issues. Seeking help isn’t weakness. Taking active steps to solve deep-rooted issues, even if it’s going slowly, shows strength.
I Mean… The Math Checks Out
This F**king Motivational Quote When I Walked In This Morning
At Work - Where Water Isn’t Free Yo
I Just Can't With This One 🤦♀️
Mom and Dad also taught me not to get exploited by miserable employers, so yeah, not interested in your "job"!
Sign Posted At Walmart
This Sign At My Work. They Will Charge Staff For Anything As Minimal As A Broken Ice Cream Cone
Not how that works bro. If my work can charge me for broken/damaged product, then I should be able to charge them for broken damaged me. I have so many work related scars I could retire if I got paid for them. The number of times my job tried to kill me is unbelievable.
Sign At A Local BBQ Joint. (Chattanooga, Tn)
"This company will not be told by employees when we can and cannot open". ....isn't that exactly what you are doing when you blame them for your inability to open indoor dining???
This Sign Has Been Up For Months
A Department Manager Did This To My Bike When I Had It In The Back For A Single Day
The Most Toxic S**t I've Ever Seen Hanging On An Office Wall
Asked To Sign This As Part Of A Job Application. Immediate Termination!
Guarantee They Don’t Pay Enough. Pay More!
In Case You Would Like To Know What It’s Like Working At Starbucks
Who's going to Starbucks to shoot the s**t with the employees? Gimme my damn coffee and stay out of my business
Child Labour, Fantastic
I Work In A Min Wage Grocery Store. The Fire Exit Has Been Blocked Like This For Months And My Boss Threatened To Fire Me After He Saw Me Taking This Photo. What Should I Do?
Sign Posted Above The Thermostat At Work
For reference, you start to see your breath at about 13°C. About 20°C is what's generally deemed "room temperature", and 18°C is the lowest one can reasonably go inside a building where people are working/studying- even that's not comfortable for most people. Below that, you risk respiratory disease or even hypothermia if exposure is prolonged, and you aren't doing vigorous physical exercise.
Eat And Get Laid Off. Snitches Get $20
Desperate Sign At Papa John’s
Papa John himself has proven to be a thoroughly despicable person. So go f**k yourself, Papa John.
My Availability Has Always Been Strictly Mon-Fri. I Spoke To A Manager When I Saw This Sign And Was Told I Will Be Working That Day, Regardless Of My Availability. The Schedule Is Now Up And I Have Been Assigned A Full Shift That Saturday
Ask Every Customer To Sign Up For A Credit Card Or You Are Fired!
Being forced to upsell c**p nobody wants or needs is cruel. Just advertise it. Have a sign at the counter for your f*****g ripoff credit card. Your employees shouldn’t be forced to be a party to your scams.
This Annoying Sign In Ireland
If The Rent Is Free Sign Me Tf Up
Found 2 Of These Signs In The Tim Hortons I Work At Today, Figure Even Though They Pay Me S**t Wages, I’ll At Least Offer My 2 Cents
Note: this post originally had 73 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
Years ago I worked for a small manufacturing company. They hired a team of consultants to see how to raise company morale. At one of the rah -rah meetings they asked for suggestions. Mine was to take the money paid the consultants and give the employees a raise/ bonus. Didn't go over well.
It's not anti-work. It's anti-low-wage employers who treat their employees poorly. Enough places have raised wages and hours that people can work full time at a single employer instead of multiple part time jobs for minimum wage. These businesses need to raise prices and increase wages or close, their model is no longer sustainable. It's capitalism, except the item in short supply is labor. Pay more, treat people well or close.
few of those were examples of "Delusional Notes That Bosses Actually Had The Nerve To Display At Work"
it's like the Bored Panda headline writers don't even look at the posts before writing the headlines
Load More Replies...If you are in the USA, you need to make yourself aware of the NLRB, the EEOC, and OSHA. There are laws that protect you, AND protect you from your bosses retaliating against you. You don't have to pay for the lawyers, they will fight for your rights if they have been violated. And it is illegal for your employer to retaliate against you for taking that action, so if they do those entities will protect you from that too. Or get you rehired with back pay.
Can't upvote this enough. I used to work for a place like those shown above and started looking into the NLRB. I earned a LOT of c**p they were doing was bullsnot. Educate yourselves folks. There's a whole lot of information on the net. Learn and stand up for yourselves!
Load More Replies...Some of these sound like they were made by a mini-Ceaușescu. "Tell the manager if you see workers having a converstaion that's not about work", "Get a reward if you tell on someone who is eating".
All I saw, was poor management issues with each sign. There are so many people running businesses, that need to be trained in how to run a business, it isn't even funny anymore. Pay people a decent wage with benefits and adjust your prices accordingly and you may stay in business. Continue berating and threatening people and you can leave with a sad parting gift of, no company.
My first job was at Borders books. The management straight up told me, "You understand that we expect you to familiarize yourself with the store on your own time, right?" I was unfortunately new to the job force, and didn't know how illegal it was (not that I did it, but I could have reported it.) But yes, you were expected to walk around the store, learning where everything was off the clock, so they didn't have to pay you to be trained.
The issue is, bad bosses hold the power, and choose to use it to extort any employees under them. You can blame bad workers all you want, but when someone is deliberately keeping someone away from living conditions, you're really going to defend them?
Load More Replies...Years ago I worked for a small manufacturing company. They hired a team of consultants to see how to raise company morale. At one of the rah -rah meetings they asked for suggestions. Mine was to take the money paid the consultants and give the employees a raise/ bonus. Didn't go over well.
It's not anti-work. It's anti-low-wage employers who treat their employees poorly. Enough places have raised wages and hours that people can work full time at a single employer instead of multiple part time jobs for minimum wage. These businesses need to raise prices and increase wages or close, their model is no longer sustainable. It's capitalism, except the item in short supply is labor. Pay more, treat people well or close.
few of those were examples of "Delusional Notes That Bosses Actually Had The Nerve To Display At Work"
it's like the Bored Panda headline writers don't even look at the posts before writing the headlines
Load More Replies...If you are in the USA, you need to make yourself aware of the NLRB, the EEOC, and OSHA. There are laws that protect you, AND protect you from your bosses retaliating against you. You don't have to pay for the lawyers, they will fight for your rights if they have been violated. And it is illegal for your employer to retaliate against you for taking that action, so if they do those entities will protect you from that too. Or get you rehired with back pay.
Can't upvote this enough. I used to work for a place like those shown above and started looking into the NLRB. I earned a LOT of c**p they were doing was bullsnot. Educate yourselves folks. There's a whole lot of information on the net. Learn and stand up for yourselves!
Load More Replies...Some of these sound like they were made by a mini-Ceaușescu. "Tell the manager if you see workers having a converstaion that's not about work", "Get a reward if you tell on someone who is eating".
All I saw, was poor management issues with each sign. There are so many people running businesses, that need to be trained in how to run a business, it isn't even funny anymore. Pay people a decent wage with benefits and adjust your prices accordingly and you may stay in business. Continue berating and threatening people and you can leave with a sad parting gift of, no company.
My first job was at Borders books. The management straight up told me, "You understand that we expect you to familiarize yourself with the store on your own time, right?" I was unfortunately new to the job force, and didn't know how illegal it was (not that I did it, but I could have reported it.) But yes, you were expected to walk around the store, learning where everything was off the clock, so they didn't have to pay you to be trained.
The issue is, bad bosses hold the power, and choose to use it to extort any employees under them. You can blame bad workers all you want, but when someone is deliberately keeping someone away from living conditions, you're really going to defend them?
Load More Replies...