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.
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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.
Why are people always so proud to have been born in the USA where if you get ill you get in debt...if you go to school you risk being shot and if you save someone through cpr you get taken to court....
Living in America reminds me of the Leonard Cohen song "Everybody Knows".
Load More Replies...This pathetic excuse for garbage should be fed to a paper shredder and one should hope the shredder won't vomit it out as well.
what a bunch of toxic posistivity, where you are generally signing that you will take all the responsibility and all blame while giving your manager a card blanche to not do his job. I suggest that you leave it unsigned and does as point 7 suggests. Leave it unsigned and find a different job. Alternatively add a lot of changes with a red pen, whereby you edit it so heavely that you completely alter the content, sign it, and hand it in with a comment that you helped them fix it.
14. I agree that it is totally OK for top management to be paid at least 100 to 1000 times my salary, AND get massive bonuses each year, while I am lucky to get even a modest pay raise for working really hard, even though it is MY work which earns the company profits. Can you spell 'inequality'?
Right.... so she tore it up into little confetti pieces, tossed it in the face of the a*s who handed it to her, turned on her heel and left, right?
Number 2. I'm entitle to life. With that comes all the requirements to live, which means a livable income is a right not an expectation
"Requirements to Live" should include Health Care.
Load More Replies...You know you have a shitty job, when they force you to sign a document beforehand that says you can't complain and you can't think of it as a bad job.
Creepy. Right up there with the "Walmart Chant". Yeah that's a real thing.
Lowe's has the same chant. Different letters :)
Load More Replies...Translated: 1.) This is a jingoistic company and we only want to hire conservative Christians. 2.) This company is not interested in following labor laws because we are libertarians. 3.) People keep quitting. 4.) It’s because this job sucks. 5.) Since we are libertarians we don’t have worker’s compensation insurance and hate OSHA. 6.) We expect you to have no life other than this job that we know is terrible. 7.) Shut up and do what you’re told. 8.) We are not going to train you. 9.) If you somehow manage to train yourself, your superiors will absolutely take credit for everything you do. 10.) The only way to get promoted is to either accept or be the output from the boss’s balls. 11.) We expect you to work weekends, holidays, etc while we go on vacation. 12.) You are not allowed to acknowledge that you have any responsibilities outside of this office. This job takes precedence over literally everything. 13.) Shut up and do as you’re told.
Ironically, this list is definitely the outcome of a lot of whining and complaining.
Lol I would laugh at them and tell them to put that back in their purse they need that note more than I need this job.
#6, How many in a management position or higher will actually follow that one? #8, While it is ones responsibility to take in education it is the responsibility of the employer to provide reasonable educational material to properly explain what that employee is supposed to do. #11, Tell that to all people with mental disorders and their "choices".
"A Good Worker is Live Worker - free to live, and work! A Bad Worker is a Dead Worker. Don't be a Bad Worker!" - American McGee's Alice.
Yeah, not a chance. I've worked jobs where I went above and beyond and received no recognition or appreciation for it, but the moment I made a mistake, boss was all over me like white on rice. I've since learned not to give any more of my time and effort than is absolutely necessary to an employer who couldn't care less if I died tomorrow.
All of those things are excellent advise - TO YOURSELF! Not from some nutcase in an office who is telling you straight out they will over work you with "c**p"
This would be something that you would have on your view board to yourself, not something to sign for a job! SOME of the statements are good practice for life and knowing how to get thru your day.
I sure hope the wife refused to sign it and found a different job.
Couldn't finish reading this due to the bile coming up into the back of my throat.
Oh F.F.S! Run do not walk to the nearest exit. Happy I don’t live in the “land of the free “
This doesn't sound like it was seriously meant. What employer would describe the job you are about to take as crappy as it says in paragraph 6.
This is taken (and modified) from Mike Rowe Works Foundation. In its original form, it is a statement of a work attitude that every student and worker can benefit from, by embracing this pledge, regardless of their job or skillset. A company asking this is wrong. As a worker, I am proud to have this work ethic (taught to me by my family).
This is disgusting and makes me want to vomit. Using the f*****g constitution to do this bullshït? (It's not a perfect document and our country is not perfect in any way shape or form at all and we're built on a history of stealing, blood, and tears and I plan to move to Canada or Germany someday because America is s**t, but It's horrible to bend the words of such a significant document to the history of this acceptable-at-times-nation!)
Totally finding a new job without complaining to you about it. "Where's that pledge I wanted you to sigh?" "Oh I forgot it on the kitchen table." Everyday until I find the new job.
This sounds borderline illegal. Can we know what company this is so we can avoid giving them our business? Gross.
Do note that this document has been smoothed after being seriously crumpled and punctured. I'm certain this delusional and highly illegal document was made here in America, but if I got it, my lawyer would gleefully reeducate this "employer" and I'd be the one getting the money and the employer would be the one getting the shaft.
Ok. Odd man out here. As a whole, it would be impossible to adhere to all this and actually get yourself out of bed in the morning to go to work. Unbelievably toxic situation. Having said that, there are a few good points listed. It's a shame they have been buried in the garbage.
I got a job for whoever wrote this. It pays in experience. All you have to is scrub all the public bathrooms by hand, with a toothbrush. It's not a bad job apparently....
I just love that this intrusive and authoritative garbage ends with "stay in your own lane."
This is taken (in part) from Mike Rowe's Work Ethics pledge for people that get his scholarships for training in the skilled trades. Looks like they altered it a bit. Wonder what Mike would think...
Are we sure that this is in the right place? It looks like it might belong into that other thread about cults.
Even though its proper horse manure, I will happily signed it if asked, even without reading it. It's not legally binding document, so they can shove it up the hole. And labour court will throw it out the window.
The most sinister but is the last one: “stay in your lane”. Everything else is motivational claptrap (and I do agree with the kids calling the workplace & asking for people by name). But the last one … that’s “and nothing we said before counts. Stay in your lane.”
Nah. Employees should be able to have the phones handy in case kids call. I'm not going to leave it up to the company to get the call directed properly if my kid is having an emergency.
Load More Replies...People like to say America is the land of the free, we have so much freedom....but we actually don't, that is delusion in of itself. There are so many more countries that have more freedom than we do. And lately our politicians have been taking away more freedoms
It’s from the Mike Rowe Foundation. The dirty jobs guy. It started to promote skilled labor and he has a Work Ethic Scholarship Program. You have to sign this to apply. The premise of the program is good and helpful, but it’s dumb you have to sign this thing to get in.
Ew. What a-hole employer would even THINK about making someone sign this
I cannot believe that the USA, home of the free is trying to introduce slavery by stealth.
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
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...