Dear Jane,
I trust this letter reaches you in good health. Recently, I’ve encountered a persistently distressing situation at my workplace. My boss has been consistently raising their voice at me in the presence of my colleagues, creating an uncomfortable and demoralizing work environment. The impact on my confidence and morale has become increasingly challenging to manage.
I find myself at a loss on how best to address and navigate through this difficult situation. The continuous verbal aggression is affecting not only my professional well-being but also my overall job satisfaction. Your expertise and guidance would be invaluable in helping me understand the best approach to handle such a delicate workplace scenario.
I appreciate your time and thoughtful consideration of my predicament. Any insights or advice you can provide would be immensely beneficial as I strive to find a constructive resolution.
Thank you for your understanding.
Image credit – Pexels
No matter how big the error, a boss yelling at an employee is never acceptable behavior. A one-off situation might be easier to work through once the heat of the moment dies down, but if a boss shouts at employees regularly, then it requires immediate action. Is your boss allowed to yell at you? Well, legally, there’s nothing to restrict your boss from making a spectacle out of an issue. However, your workplace and HR team should have checks in place to limit such outbursts.
It’s very reasonable to feel like it’s been affecting your morale and job satisfaction, and you might find that it’s affecting the morale of those around you too. A boss yelling at employees frequently can end up putting everyone on edge, anxious for when it might be their turn to be on the receiving end of the verbal aggression. If you need a sign that something needs to change soon, consider this to be it.
What to Do If Your Boss Yells at You at Work?
It’s not easy to settle on what to do if your boss yells at you at work, especially if it’s in front of an audience. It can be very nerve-wracking to try and stand up for yourself just then, so maybe you can leave the confrontational approach for a little later and start with something easier.
Know Your Worth
It becomes difficult to speak up when you lose your voice and start to doubt your own performance following these yelling matches. Take some time for yourself every day to evaluate your work and see how you feel about it before taking criticism from outside. Understand that your boss and his perspective do not define what you can do.
Seek Assistance from Your Support Systems
Do not settle for gossip but if your support system, especially your coworkers who might have had the same experience with the boss, have advice for you, consider taking it into account for how to reduce friction at work. Whether it’s changing a reporting format or approaching a task differently, it might make your boss less reactive to you.
Own Your Mistakes
If you’ve made an error, is your boss allowed to yell at you now? The answer is still a no, but you need to be able to acknowledge it and commit to doing better. Taking corrective measures can build up your defenses against a repeat of such treatment as they no longer have the option of picking at the same point again.
Request a One-on-One Conversation with Your Boss First
It might be easier to have a conversation between these episodes to ensure you catch them at a good time. Try and convey how you might prefer to receive feedback. “I” statements such as “I perform better when…” are often recommended for conflict management. Try to get your boss to identify why your work is distressing them so much and what they want to be done about it. Clarity is key, and their lack of it is just as important a tool as any.
Use the Feedback Tools Available to You
Whether it’s through annual feedback cycles or any grievance systems available at work, make it known that you have an issue, and don’t wait too long for things to escalate. Instead, bring it to someone’s notice, the Human Resources department for example, and clarify how you’ve tried to address the problem already. Be polite and professional while you get the team involved but show them those receipts.
Set Some Boundaries
If things remain largely unchanged, you might have to walk down the assertive route and take a stand for yourself. When your boss shouts at an employee or at you next time, speak up and state that you would like to be spoken to respectfully. Do not get into being argumentative but clarify that you will consider their opinion once they bring their voice down. It’s not easy but it might be necessary.
Update Your Resume
If your boss’ behavior is reflective of your company’s work culture and change does not seem imminent, it might be time to consider moving on from the workplace. Don’t make any big decisions in a rush but start updating your resume, getting your portfolio and work samples in order, sending feelers out to get a sense of the job market, talking to contacts in the field for similar positions, and comfort yourself with the thought that you will move on soon.
While you’re right about it being a delicate workplace scenario, it might require some firm action to see it fully resolved. Rather than suffering in silence, get your HR team involved and make it clear that your boss yelling at employees regularly is a serious lapse in the workplace culture. Remember that you are not alone in this battle.