ALT-1 Pitfalls of not having a Good Relationship with your Boss
The modern workplace has become a hellish experience for some, made even worse by the current economic climate. Whether you like it or not, the boss has an enormous impact on your life at work, and to a certain extent, outside of work too. It is quite clear that those who find themselves in a position of authority do so in part because of their own dislike of criticism towards themselves. Sadly, this often fails to develop into a sincere, respectful attitude towards those below them in the hierarchical structure.
Complicated dynamics are often at play and it's not uncommon for workers to feel as though they are pieces on a chess board, being manipulated to gain maximum advantage for the boss who has already decided what is and what is not going to happen. There has been a trend over recent years towards "workplace democracy". This is where the ideas and opinions of workers are listened to and carefully considered. Virtually every business conducts staff surveys and staff engagement initiatives. There is a sad reality to all of this. Often the boss does not and will not concede anything because the whole process is merely a pretense. It's time for a reality check. Workplace democracy rarely exists.
If someone wants to have keep their job, and limit the harsh attacks, they need to remember a crucial rule of the workplace. Keep your mouth shut. This is what a boss really wants. From the perspective of the boss, there is nothing worse than people complaining, it is what they dread, what they detest. Of course, this is rarely stated, but if a worker is always complaining, bosses will often take a dislike to the person. This may result in far more awkwardness in dealing with your problems.
Taking everything into consideration, it is desirable to have a good relationship with your boss, or at least have one which has the least amount of friction.
Having to increase productivity
If you have a poor relationship with your boss, the bar of expectation might be raised to a height which is impossible to achieve. This of course will lead to the worker failing to achieve and therefore being dismissed.
False accusations
It is possible to be accused of anything. If the boss wants to cause trouble for a worker, it is not terribly difficult for a situation to be "manufactured", resulting in a judgement of misconduct.
Working longer hours
Those with the worse relationships with their bosses, tend to have to work for longer. It is rare for all staff to be treated equally in a workplace, and those who are unable to achieve good relations with their boss will have a problem.
Unlikely to achieve promotion
Moving up the hierarchy will of course be made more difficult, because your boss will have a less favourable view of you as a person.
Not receiving entitlements
A worker could easily miss out on receiving their full holiday entitlement and bonuses. There can be many reasons which could be given and the worker would rarely be able to prove their case legally, and might even be too intimidated to do so.
Conclusion
It is certainly advisable to at least try to achieve a relationship with your boss which is as least imperfect as it can be. It is probably quite unrealistic to think that the relationship can be "good", however, with experience and patience it is possible to survive at work as most manage to do.
