6 Signs You Hate Your Job Because Your Boss Is Doing The Bare Minimum
It's not you, really.
insta_photos / Shutterstock Work is hard enough without extra stressors, but it can be even harder if there’s interpersonal conflict.
If you’re putting in maximum effort but other employees aren’t, you might start feeling resentful, especially if your boss is doing less than they should.
Here are 6 signs you hate your job because your boss is doing the bare minimum:
1. They don’t acknowledge your work
For a workplace to run smoothly and efficiently, employees need to feel that they hold value; otherwise, they’ll sink into apathy or, worse, burnout.
If you find that your boss overlooks the work you do, it’s easy to feel discouraged or like your role doesn’t matter.
A boss who does the bare minimum is unable to express gratitude or even recognize all the contributions you make to the team.
2. They break promises
A trustworthy person only agrees to actions they can follow through on, but a bare minimum boss makes promises they can’t keep.
Whether it’s something small, such as streamlining your workflow or taking some tasks off your very full plate, a good boss does what they say they will do.
If your boss doesn’t keep their promises, you’re less likely to trust them with any issue, big or small. That erosion of trust can affect how you feel about work in a negative way, which means you’re less likely to give your job 100% of your energy.
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3. They don’t put in effort to connect with you
A boss who doesn’t care about their team ignores the fact that a workplace is made up of people first.
Instead of making you feel seen by learning about who you are, they treat you like you’re disposable, like a cog in the machine.
A sign of a strong manager is someone who tries to get to know the people they manage because personal connection affirms people’s inherent self-worth.
4. They don’t listen to your concerns
Another significant sign of a good manager is the ability to hear and respond to feedback, both positive and negative.
If your boss is only giving their role the bare minimum effort, they’re more likely to let whatever you say go in one ear and out the other.
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Effective bosses know that communication is a two-way street. They’re able to hear your constructive criticism and work to fix whatever the issue is.
If your boss overlooks your opinions or brushes you off when you speak up, it means they don’t care enough to foster a work culture based on mutual accountability.
5. They don’t remember personal details
Does your boss ask you the same questions about your spouse, kids, and pets, over and over, without seeming to retain the information?
If so, they’re unfortunately proving that they don’t care about your life outside of work.
While we spend most of our adult lives working, our jobs shouldn’t consume us, and they’re certainly not the most important parts of our personalities.
Yet a boss who does the bare minimum thinks otherwise, often because they base their own self-worth solely on their professional position, meaning they can’t see past the narrow lens of work.
6. They cross your boundaries
Having clear boundaries at work is never an easy thing to put into place, but it’s vitally important to your professional livelihood.
Learning how to set boundaries is a lifelong process, but it does become a little more accessible with practice.
If your boss ignores the boundaries you’re setting, it’s entirely normal for you to feel disregarded and devalued.
Maybe you’ve repeatedly said that you’re only available during work hours, only for your boss to send you work emails late at night.
Maybe they ask you to go above and beyond your pay grade.
No matter what the specifics of your situation are, remember that your boundaries are valid, even if your boss pushes back against the boundaries you set.
When a boss only gives the bare minimum to their team, it’s usually because they lack proper management skills.
Your boss’s inability to connect on a deeper level doesn’t actually have anything to do with you. Rather, it reflects their own low self-confidence.
People with high self-worth care about others and want to see them succeed. They’ll put in extra effort to make sure you feel comfortable and validated.
It might feel impossible to get ahead if you have this kind of boss, so just keep reminding yourself it’s them, not you.
Bring your best self to work and focus on establishing clear professional boundaries and long-term goals so that you can feel accomplished in your own right, even without your boss’s help.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers social issues, pop culture, and all things to do with the entertainment industry.