PRESS RELEASE
For
Immediate Release
6 Lines Your Boss Should Never Cross
Unacceptable
Employment Scenarios and What To Do If They Occur
DETROIT (April
10, 2012) - Most working adults have experienced an uncomfortable
situation at work; that's the reality of interpersonal
relationships in a professional setting. However, while no work
situation is perfect in every respect, your workplace should be more
positive than negative, and never a place where you feel distressed
or ill at ease the majority of the time.
This can be
difficult if you have a boss who frequently crosses the line of
professional behavior, according to the employment experts at Allison
& Taylor Reference Checking.
Your boss is
crossing the line if he/she:
1. Makes
references to your salary in front of other staff. This is
private and confidential information, not public. Other employees
don't need to know what you're being paid, and it's true
regardless of the type of comment that's made. Whether the boss is
saying, “I don't pay you enough,” or “I pay you too much,”
this type of comment will lead to resentment among staff members.
Broadcasting your earnings undermines your position with the rest of
the staff. They'll either think you're willing to work for
peanuts, ruining their chances of earning more, or that you're
overpaid.
2. Reprimands you
in front of other employees. This
is a form of bullying, and it's never acceptable.
While you may have made a mistake or error that deserves discussion,
a good employer will handle this professionally - and in private. A
good boss should never denigrate your skills, either, with comments
like, “This job is so easy, anyone could do it.”
3. Has
unreasonable expectations. Managers need to communicate their
expectations for work performance clearly, assist employees when
needed, and set reasonable deadlines for projects. This one can be
tricky... at times every employee has probably felt that he or she
been dealt an impossible task. But if you're consistently receiving
unreasonable demands, you need to speak up. It could be a
communication issue; perhaps something as simple as unclear
directions are bogging you down. Or it could be a case of
micromanagement (in which case, you were hired because the boss felt
you were qualified to do your job, and it's fine to remind him/her
to let you do it). Just be sure you address it in a courteous and
non-confrontational manner.
4. Shares too
many personal details. This is a work situation, not the
therapist's couch. A good boss shouldn't share problems or
inappropriate personal details. If you find the conversation often
veers in this direction, lead the way by being very brief in your
responses and then change the subject back to business. And don't
bring your own problems to the office.
5. Makes
inappropriate references. Any comment that makes you squirm is
one that shouldn't have been made in the office. This includes
water cooler jokes, emails, or comments about your physical
appearance. Include in this category any type of implication that the
boss is interested in a relationship of a personal nature, even if
it's not something you're entirely opposed to. Workplace romances
are NEVER a good idea, and it's beyond unprofessional to even make
the suggestion. All of these things are a sexual
harassment lawsuit waiting to happen.
6. Implies that
sex, race, age or religion is a factor in work performance. None
of these things have anything to do with your ability to do the job
you were hired for. The suggestion that it might is not only unfair,
it's discriminatory.
Address any such implication immediately.
If you find that
you're experiencing one or more of these problems with regularity,
you need to speak to your boss about your discomfort. This isn't
always an easy thing to do, but it's necessary to maintain a
professional working relationship. Keep in mind that he/she may not
even be aware that it is bothering you. The key is to open up a
dialogue that can deal with the issues. Approach your boss in a free,
calm moment, and let him or her know that you feel there are some
issues that need to be addressed. Then calmly discuss the issues;
discuss the problem in an open and honest manner. And always keep in
mind, that having respect for yourself and your needs will allow the
boss to see you're there to do your best work. If discussing with
your boss does not change things for the better, then consider going
up the chain of command or to HR for help.
# # #
About Allison &
Taylor:
Allison
& Taylor and its principals have been in the
business of checking references for corporations and individuals
since 1984. Allison
& Taylor is headquartered in Rochester, Mich. For
further details on services and procedures please visit
http://www.allisontaylor.com/.
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Taylor -- Find
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Media
Contact:
Jeff Shane
JeffShane@AllisonTaylor.com
800-
890-5645 toll-free USA/Canada
+1-248-672-4200 direct dial
Allison
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