What to Do When You Have a Bad Boss

Despite the $15 billion companies spend annually on managerial and leadership development, bad bosses are common in the American workforce.  So why do employees end up working longer (two years, on average) for toxic bosses than nontoxic bosses? Quitting can be hard for a number of psychological reasons. But it’s not the only option for employees struggling with bad bosses. Before deciding to quit, employees should try a number of strategies to ameliorate their tough situations. Having direct conversations with their bosses, engaging with their support networks, making lifestyle changes outside of work, and exploring other opportunities within their current organizations are good places to start. It is, however, possible that quitting is the best option — and that’s okay. Doing so gracefully and strategically will help employees transition from bad situations to better ones.