
50 Examples Of Bad Bosses Who Probably Complain That “No One Wants To Work Anymore” (New Pics)
Interview With ExpertA boss can really make or break a workplace. A good boss can make a work environment fun, friendly, and positively challenging. A bad boss, however... they make going to work a nightmare every day.
The tide may be changing as more members of Generation Z are becoming managers. In 2024, Glassdoor predicted that Gen Z will make up 10% of managers in 2025.
Does that mean there won't be as many terrible bosses around? Perhaps, but work jerks are a breed that's difficult to get rid of. We've got a compilation of the most toxic and entitled bosses for you here, just so you remember the level of pettiness and absurdity some employees and managers can stoop to.
To learn more about how to spot horrible bosses and how to deal with them, Bored Panda reached out to organizational psychologist, speaker, author, adjunct professor, and podcast host Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett.
With 25 years of experience, she is a thought leader on workplace psychology, career development, and the future of work. Dr. Laura founded Canada Career Counselling and other consulting practices and is an Adjunct Professor of Psychology. A Canadian Women of Inspiration Award winner, she is dedicated to helping people and organizations thrive.
Dr. Laura kindly agreed to tell us more about how people can differentiate between difficult and toxic bosses, what steps to take if you're working under a toxic manager, and how Gen Z is growing less and less tolerant of entitled bosses. Read her expert insights below!
More info: Where Work Meets Life™ podcast | Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett
This post may include affiliate links.
My Boss Declined My Vacation (After Having 4 Months Notice) To Hawaii To Propose To My Girlfriend Because They (Needed Me Badly) In The Office… Obviously Work/Life Balance Didn’t Mean Anything To Them. Anyways… Here’s My View (She Said Yes)
The Audacity To Ask Something Like This
Wow. I just told my boss my aunt passed away the other day and I need to go to the other side of Australia for the funeral. My boss said "okay let me know as soon as you know and I'll sort it out" My boss is cool.
Calling Homeless People “Animals”
Hating your boss is not just material for stand-up or a topic for water cooler talk. For many workers, a stressful work environment perpetuated by their supervisors is a sad reality. The Toxic Workplace Trends Report 2025 by iHire revealed that 74.9% of American employees have experienced a toxic workplace.
They surveyed 1,781 workers and 504 employers across 57 industries in The U.S., and most respondents named "poor leadership/management" as the top characteristic of a toxic workplace. 71.9% of those respondents claimed that leaders are not accountable for their mistakes, and 65.5% believed they treat their employees with bias and favoritism.
Great Thank You I Will Put You Down
Boss Wrote “Thief” On My Check
Filed a wage theft report against my former employer, was told he only paid 80% of what was owned, but I sucked it up. When I picked up the check at the Department of Labor, it had "THIEF" boldly written on the subject line. Super awkward, unfair, and embarrassing, especially with others witnessing it. Is there anything that can be done?
Boss Needs A Bad Rule
Adjunct Assistant Professor for the Department of Psychology at the University of Calgary, Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett, tells Bored Panda that high turnover is a tell-tale sign of an organization with poor leadership. If employees don't stay with the company for a long time, there's probably a reason for that.
Another, perhaps less obvious, sign is the number of employees taking medical leave. She notes that some of them might come from overwork, as burnout can result from having a toxic boss. In her recent research, Dr. Laura has found a significant relationship between toxic leadership behaviors and burnout across industries in North America.
So, This Is Something That A Potential Employer Can Do? I Don't See How It's Relevant To My Job As A Network Administrator
Eat And Get Laid Off. Snitches Get $20
Boss Wasn’t Paying Attention And Sat On My Desk While Talking To A Coworker
UPDATE: So I approached him about it and he tried to convince me that they were already broken before he sat there, which I know is a lie. After talking for more than 20 minutes he then finally admitted to it, saying it was an accident and apologized. When I said he’d need to buy me a replacement pair he said “we can talk more about it tomorrow.” 🙄 Wish me luck I guess...
In her research with colleagues conducted through the University of Calgary, Dr. Laura has interviewed employees about toxic leadership behaviors. These interviews helped the researchers identify some new toxic behaviors in addition to the previously recognized narcissistic, authoritarian, self-promoting, abusive, and unpredictable behaviors. They now believe that dishonesty, gaslighting, extreme control and micromanagement, unethical behavior, and corruption harm employees' well-being just as much.
The Manager Would Throw Away Cookies Every Saturday Instead Of Giving Them To The Employees
We threw away 55 cookies. The managers didn't let us take any home because they thought it might "encourage us to purposely make extra."
Surely the managers have some idea how many are made vs how many are sold?
This Perverse Obsession With Keeping Employees At Work For The Maximum Number Of Hours Per Day Is Sick. This CEO Doesn't So Much Need Advice As They Need Therapy
Got Fired From My Job Because I Couldn't Come To A Cleaning Party On 2 Hour Notice
Employee engagement scores are a great way to measure how good a company's leadership is. HR experts claim that the average score for an engagement survey should be above 70. Anything below that may signal poor management. Yet Dr. Laura notes that she's more of a fan of climate surveys. "[They] dig deeper into the organizational conditions at play, including bad leadership."
My Boss Thinks It's A Great Idea To Randomly Pull The Turn The Fridge Off To Save The Energy
I can't even tell you how much this enrages me. First it was only for the weekends, now it's just randomly. How effed up is that? Firstly, you don't save any energy by turning the fridge on and off, secondly, it's a really s***ty thing to do, thirdly, this way bacteria and mold can grow in there happily. But this woman is so stupid, any of these arguments will just bounce right off her head... tell me about your s***ty bosses, please.
We had a small store in our neighborhood. As my husband and I were there and talking to the owner, he slowly walks to the fridge an turns it on while talking. Like we won't notice. Then another customer comes in, buys something quickly and leaves. He then turned the fridge of again, still talking to us. Maybe he forgot we're still there... Anyway, we threw the sour cream away, it was already green...
Was Sent Home And Recorded As “Refusing To Work” Because I Told My Boss This Seatbelt Was Unsafe And Illegal. Would You Have Refused To Drive?
My class A rig is down for service so I was thrown into the class B backup truck.
No only unsafe, also illegal. In many countries, the driver is held responsible, and is the one who gets the demerits and the fine.
Literally Can't Believe He Said That
Are there any ways to deal with insufferable superiors? Of course, and, just like when dealing with narcissists and entitled people in general, setting boundaries is crucial. "Although if your boss is truly toxic or narcissistic, this will not be a long-term solution," Dr. Laura cautions. "Your best solution is to begin crafting your 'exit plan,' which could mean moving within your organization to report to a better boss or leaving the organization altogether."
Wtf Is This Job Man
Boss Didn't Like The Color Of The Chairs In The Break Room. So Now We Just Don't Have Chairs
Boss Telling Me To Close In -40f
What Dr. Laura and colleagues have found in their research makes them urge people to have as low a tolerance for toxic bosses as possible. "The longer you report to a toxic leader, the more you lose your energy and confidence, making it more challenging to actively pursue a new role," she tells Bored Panda. "The earlier you can begin crafting and implementing your exit plan, the better!"
Boss Says The Office Has No Roaches
So, here's the deal. I found a roach a few times inside my work laptop when I got home..it couldn't come from my house and a few other colleagues complained of the same issue. I decided to prove him wrong, bought a cheap 50c chinese sticky roach trap and left my laptop at work with this trap directly next to my laptop....this is the results after a weekend in the office. Not just roaches but the roach egg sack thingy hatched and those are the babies...
Devin Should Be Versed In Feminine Hygiene As He Sounds Like A Jerk
"Hey Devin sorry but I thought I'd rather practice good hygiene but if you want me to spring a leak and bleed everywhere I can do that. Just let me know which option you would prefer"
2 Weeks Of Telling My Boss The Produce In The Warehouse Is Going Bad - Him: Don't Worry About It
There is an important distinction to make before taking any kind of action. According to Dr. Laura, understanding if your boss is truly toxic or just difficult is a must. "Knowing if you're dealing with a difficult or a toxic boss is an important piece of this puzzle."
"I differentiate between the two, as difficult bosses can be navigated and tolerated, whereas toxic bosses will harm and deplete your energy and success over time." Dr. Laura has explored this topic in more depth in one of her podcast episodes, too!
Been Struggling At Work Since January 3rd When They Laid Off The One Person There To Help Me. This Week I Was Told I'd Be Getting Something That I Would Love And Would Definitely Make Me Happy. That Something
AIO To This Text My Boss Sent Me?
And should I send this response, if any? I have rewritten it so many times; this is what I was able to cut it down to.
In NZ, and I suspect many other places, that text could be grounds for a complaint of Constructive Dismissal, against the boss.
Corporate Life - Micromanaging
I do my job well enough that I now have to be scrutinized for tiny things in order for my supervisors to look like they have an important role of “managing” people. I almost got fired last year because I racked up a total of 6 minutes of tardies over the course of 2 months because I came back from lunch 1-3 mins late a few times.
I hope I don’t get a write up and sent to the principal’s office!
The new generation, however, is less tolerant of toxic behaviors from their supervisors. Just a couple of months ago, Forbes published an article about how Gen Z employees are revenge-quitting because they believe that respect, flexibility, and well-being at the workplace are non-negotiable. Dr. Laura tells Bored Panda that she observes a similar trend. "On average, Gen Z has less tolerance for toxic leadership and abusive behaviors at work."
Former Employer Wants My Password To The Computer I Used 6 Months After Terminating Me
For context:
This company sought me out to interview at their company for a management position. I ended up getting the job. Lasted 30 days until they terminated the position due to a “cart before the horse” situation. Basically what happened is I called out all the illegal marketing practices happening and offered solutions to fix them. They got rid of the problem, which was “me.” Now they want my password.
Report Or Regret
Skumbag of the first repugnitude. Bring out the cordless drill.
Am I Overreacting At My Bosses Response?
I feel like this is terrible management. I have never worked at a job where the priority is my time off and not my health????? Am I Overreacting?
Unless there's more to this, this manager is one of the shīttiest I've ever heard of.
She notes how the younger generation values mental health support and is more open to talking about how bullying is unacceptable. "They tend to value collaboration and authenticity, and as managers, will more likely espouse those values. That said, we can never generalize across a generation as that is stereotyping, and there is much diversity across each generation," Dr. Laura points out.
Put In My Notice Because My Boss Asked Me If I Could Change The Day I Put My Dog To Sleep
This was what I received from my boss after asking for help regarding having to put my dog to sleep and not being able to make my 5 AM shift because of it. I worked at Starbucks for over 2.5 years and called out/was out sick a total of three or four times.
Bosses Are Mad We Use Too Much Toilet Paper
AIO? Married Ex-Boss Reached Out With An ‘Offer’ So I Told His Wife And Reported Him To The Labor Department
I (25F) used to work briefly (remote) at a non-profit running out of NJ.
My ex-boss, who’s married and has a kid, reached out to me about a month ago (after 5+ months of me quitting) with the offer you see in his messages.
I read this, sent his wife the texts, and reported him to the labor department. Just got scheduled for an interview with the department to discuss next steps—AIO about all of this?
Additional context: He’s the founder, manages the HR himself, and was also my direct report. And no, I haven’t found a job yet after this!
Have you ever had any experience with a toxic, infuriating boss, Pandas? Let us know all about your bad experiences in the comments! And if you want to see more toxic bosses getting shamed, head over here and here to see similar articles compiled by us.
My Supervisor's Response To Me Asking For A Raise
For context, I was told three months ago that in two months I would be moved to a different area in the company to begin working at a much higher pay rate. New employees started being hired at almost 40% more than what I make. After I found out I requested a raise and I’ve been waiting ever since. I have worked here for two years and have never had any performance issues. I told her recently that I am looking for other jobs and I’m not going to wait much longer and she promised me a raise in two weeks. Those couple weeks have passed and this is what I get. I hate my workplace.
Got My Boss To Admit To Wage Theft
I work for a very well-known corporation as a server/bartender. My shift usually starts at 4:00 pm.
The time clock rounds my hours to 15-minute intervals. If I clock in at 4:01, I don't start getting paid until 4:15. If I clock in at 3:50 and start working immediately as expected, I don't get paid for those first 10 minutes. I know if I clock out at 10:40 it doesn't round to 10:45. It gets rounded down to 10:30. My general manager confirmed that over text. This means I lose up to 28 minutes in my wages every shift.
I know this is wage theft. They did not notify me that they changed the time clocks. When I was first employed, I was paid from when I clocked in to when I clocked out. I wasn’t aware that it was rounding down my hours for a few months. I believe that I'm owed a couple of hundreds of dollars in unpaid wages. I'm planning to send these screen shots to the labour board but I'm not very hopeful anything will happen.
TLDR: my employer is rounding down my hours so he can pay me less.
Boss Lied To Clients About My Mother Dying And Expected Me To Play Along
Job was two weeks late in starting, but he could have just told the clients he’d forgot how swamped our shop was and apologized. Or told a white lie that one or another of the machines at the shop had broken down and it took two weeks to get someone in to fix it. But no. And this is hardly the worst thing he’s done. I don’t work for this a**hat any more.
Unprofessional Maybe?
I Wasn't Necessarily Against This Until He Made Two People Flip A Coin For Their Skin Tone
My Boss Only Replies 'Ok Thanks' To All Of My Texts. Even Questions
So Unprofessional
UPDATE: I just received an email from my boss but it’s worded weirdly: “Dear, I’m so sorry you didn’t receive the text message that was sent out to the team” She then goes on to say my shift time today has changed and asks if I can come in earlier, and that we’ll discuss what happened during the shift. Sounds like she’s blaming me? Sorry YOU didn’t receive the text. Excuse me? You didn’t add me to the list of recipients. How is it my fault.
I worked for a doctor who used to just pick up and go skiing randomly and we were charged with rescheduling. Needless to say, it was the main reason I quit. Other reasons? C**p pay, over scheduling, understaffing.
Boss Texts Like A Clingy Partner On My Days Off
Trying to tell myself her urgency isn’t my emergency. These notes aren’t even that important, and are actually ones SHE HERSELF is supposed to write.
This is so weird, I turn of the work line when I’m off and don’t answer work texts when off duty unless it is a true emergency.
Why Do I Have The Feeling This Boss Would Be An Absolute Tool To Work For?
Called In Sick 2 Days Before A Shift Due To Having The Flu/Covid. Boss Puts This On The Establishment’s Facebook Page
How My Boss Asks Me To Work 21 Days Straight
We have 7 routes and 11 drivers. These guys thought it was a good idea to let 3 drivers take a vacation spanning over 3 months. All 3 will be gone at the same time over the next month. So what's their plan? Try to make other drivers work for almost a month straight to pick up the slack. Needless to say, it hasn't gone over well. Now the boss and production manager get to drive a couple nights a week as well as work the day shift.
I Did Not Respond
My Mum Has Stage 4 Cancer In 5 Areas And Her Boss Has Been Pressuring Her To Come Back To Work
This email might lot look like much but every other week there’s something, and no emotional support or kindness offered at all.
Former Boss Ghosts Me After I Ask About Not Getting Paid
This is after I've been sending daily emails to finance and management since last Friday.
Demand. I was ghosted by a boss 18 months ago. He ghosted all of us (private teachers) at once. He owes me 370€, which is not really an important amount. Anyway, after filling a few forms and going to a few offices l'll see him in court next year and if he claims he can't pay the government will give me what l'm owed and will levy whatever he has or makes in the future until his debts are paid 🤗. Tbh, at this point the money is the least important bit. I want his scammy a*s roasted by the tax agency.
Fractured The End Of My Femur In A Bike Accident A Few Months Ago. This Was My Boss's Response
I sent him this picture of my knee. It’s like 3x the size that it normally is idk what he was on I worked at a restaurant too, I know that “the 18 year old” was just a blatant lie.
Ouch! Yeah definitely should not be working with an injury like that!
Old Boss Of Mine Wrote Loser On My Final Paycheck
My Boss Doesn’t Think This Needs To Be Changed And I’ve Only Swept Half The Store
Tried To Quit My Job And They Said No
Just Some Important Points Before Applying For This Job
My Boss “Cleaned My Desk” Aka Threw Everything Out. I Had To Go Digging In The Trash To Get My Personal Items, Along With Client Files, Receipt Records, Etc
I used to work for a company where the owner was married with four children. His mistress was the company accountant, and his wife didn't know about her. On the day his wife and children came for a tour, the mistress stayed home, and the owner had another employee sit in the accounting office. Eventually the mistress stopped showing up for work. A couple days later, the electricity went off. Someone called the power company and was told that the bills hadn't been paid. It turned out that the mistress/accountant had stolen ALL of the company's money and sold off most of the company's property (for a total of a couple million dollars) and then disappeared. That was the end of the company. Obviously I didn't get a final paycheck. But I did get a MUCH better job a short time later.
And an amazing story you could dine out on for years
Load More Replies...Not sure if other peoples' experiences align with this, but I've noticed that the lower-paid the job, the worse they are over leave/entitlements/etc. I'm in a job which (well, compared to retail pay, is heavenly, although crappy compared to a private law firm) pays well enough for me to be comfortable and my boss has been amazingly understanding with numerous health issues I have had over the last few years. If I had the same issues in retail they'd have fired my @ss within the week, even though when I was working retail I was doing full-time hours so worked with my boss a lot more than I do now.
I used to work for a company where the owner was married with four children. His mistress was the company accountant, and his wife didn't know about her. On the day his wife and children came for a tour, the mistress stayed home, and the owner had another employee sit in the accounting office. Eventually the mistress stopped showing up for work. A couple days later, the electricity went off. Someone called the power company and was told that the bills hadn't been paid. It turned out that the mistress/accountant had stolen ALL of the company's money and sold off most of the company's property (for a total of a couple million dollars) and then disappeared. That was the end of the company. Obviously I didn't get a final paycheck. But I did get a MUCH better job a short time later.
And an amazing story you could dine out on for years
Load More Replies...Not sure if other peoples' experiences align with this, but I've noticed that the lower-paid the job, the worse they are over leave/entitlements/etc. I'm in a job which (well, compared to retail pay, is heavenly, although crappy compared to a private law firm) pays well enough for me to be comfortable and my boss has been amazingly understanding with numerous health issues I have had over the last few years. If I had the same issues in retail they'd have fired my @ss within the week, even though when I was working retail I was doing full-time hours so worked with my boss a lot more than I do now.