Study Shows That A Bad Boss Can Make Employees Sick

Some employees say that when they resign from a job, they leave managers and not the company. This might ring true, as data from the American Psychology Association reveals that approximately 75% of American employees consider their bosses and managers as their primary stressors at work. However, only 59% of them refuse to leave their jobs.

But why do employees refuse to leave their jobs if they are not happy? The thing is, employees get used to their stressful and unsatisfactory environment. This leads to a state where a worker loses the motivation to search for another employment opportunity with a better and healthier culture and atmosphere.

Researchers from the Harvard Business School and Stanford University, based on data from more than 200 studies, drew the conclusion that having a bad boss is tantamount to being exposed to second-hand smoke. In addition, staying longer at a job that causes an employee excessive stress also poses a risk to their physical and mental health.

A bad boss is comparable to the deadly second-hand smoke.

You see, the primary reason why employees are stressed at work is the looming possibility that they can lose their job at any moment. As a result, these employees tend to work more so they can deliver better output, a practice that consequently places them 50% more at risk to health problems as compared to other employees. Moreover, workers who have more demanding responsibilities increases such risk by 35%.

However, in some cases, the bosses just suck big time, much like Miranda from “The Devil Wears Prada.” Narcissistic and annoying bosses like this are easy to spot – they can be sniffed from about 10 miles back. They say stuff like, “You’re lucky I gave you a job,” or “You’ve got me to thank for that new iPhone you bought,” or the more hurtful, “You just never learn.”

Stressed employees may be more predisposed to physical and mental health problems.

If you’re on the receiving end of such bad treatment from a boss or a manager, you have to learn how to deal with it. And since we can’t control how they act, we just have to do something about how we respond.

To help address these issues, an article published in APost suggests that you try to create a checklist of the things that you need to accomplish for the day and then tick each item off as you complete them. This strategy may give you the feeling that you’re being productive and may spark positive feelings. Turning your work phone off and not checking work emails over the weekend can also give you the space that you need and help you recharge.

How do you manage stress from your boss? Share your tips in the comments section below. Who knows, you might just help someone who’s dealing with a nightmare personified aka “boss.”