Got Work? Four Things Bosses Should Never Say to Employees

As we head into the thick of the holiday season, spirits may tend to be a little bit brighter and lighter at the office. That is, if you don't have a boss who's a Scrooge! Maybe your boss isn't exactly tactful? According to a piece in Forbes, there are several things a boss should never say to his or her staff. 1. Don’t Say,“I pay your salary. You have to do what I say." As pointed out in the piece, this one's a no brainer. It pretty much dictates to employees and has an overwhelming sense of threat. Power plays, anyone? On the contrary, successful bosses empower their employees by leading by example and even rolling up their own sleeves to jump in and get the job done. 2. Don’t Say, “You are very lucky to receive this bonus. Other companies are only giving their staff a frozen turkey." Ah, gotta love the boss who compares a menial raise or bonus with other companies who aren't providing anything. Again, the tone in this statement is condascending and somewhat threatening. Please don't be that guy or gal. In fact, when providing bonuses a good boss should always point out positive aspects as to why they employee is being rewarded! In other words, for a job well done. 3. Don’t Say, “I was here late last night, and on Saturday morning. Where were you?” We are definitely not fans of this statement! It implies the employee isn't working hard and um, we didn't get the memo it was mandatory to work on a Saturday morning. This only pushes morale even lower instead of boosting it up. And although a manager may indeed work on a weekend (we've all been there, done that), nothing good can come of putting it in someone's face they weren't being diligent. 4. Don’t Say, “We’ve got to cut costs” (at the same time the manager is buying a new desk). This one is bonus, too. As pointed out in the piece, employees respect supervisors who are empathetic and feel like they're on the same team. Alan Hall writes, "They resent any leader who lives a different standard. In challenging times, managers should lead by example."

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Got Work? Four Things Bosses Should Never Say to Employees

Vicki Salemi

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Vicki Salemi