Would You Work For A Tyrannical Boss?

You work for a big-name company that’s on the up and up. You love what you do, your wage is good and your office is swanky. There’s just one problem: your boss is the spiritual reincarnation of Kim Jong-il.

Angry boss picture from Shutterstock.

Japanese game developer Konami’s corporate culture recently came under scrutiny after a damning report from newspaper Nikkei. The paper alleged that the company treated its employees like prisoners. According to the report, management would monitor staff lunch breaks with time cards and those who stayed out too long would be humiliated though a company-wide announcement. In addition, security cameras allegedly keep watch on employees and staff aren’t even allowed permanent email addresses in a bid to ward off headhunting.

And those were just the tamer allegations! Konami reportedly demoted developers on underperforming projects to roles as security guards and cleaning staff. A former employee who suffered this fate was said to have experienced severe depression as a result. Brutal.

Most of us spend at least half our waking lives working and considering the number of hours we devote to our jobs is on the rise, the best we could hope for is to be able to find some pleasure in our workplace. But when you have a tyrannical boss that contributes to a toxic work environment, the negative effects could encroach onto your personal life.

Does your boss want to control every facet of your work life? Is your boss timing your lunch breaks? Is your boss reading your emails or listening in on your conversations at work? Whether or not there is a good reason for your business leader to use such draconian tactics, this kind of behaviour can add unnecessary stress to your job.

Some people may be inclined to throw in the towel, give the finger to their bosses and walk out like an action hero leaving behind a trail of flame and destruction. Easier said than done. For those who love what they do or have no other alternative, they stick around. Some people may even thrive under the pressure. Some may have had their self-esteem severely battered and cannot even fathom leaving their companies despite a hostile work culture. Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t right?

We’ve heard many workplace horror stories and we would like to hear more from readers who are currently stuck in a job with a horrible boss or have survived through a despotic work leader.

If you’re currently stuck in a toxic work environment and want to take step in making a change, we have a handy guide offering tips in how to handle the situation.

Either way, we would like to hear your stories. Tell us your tale in the comments.


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