There’s this trope that most people hate their boss. The Internet is ripe with pictures of bosses micromanaging, refusing to give raises, and just being plain jerks. Yet the reality might be different. According to a Pew survey, 55% of Americans have an excellent relationship with their boss, with 26% describing their relationship as “good.”
This list might just be the proof that there are funny and wholesome bosses around. We’ve gathered the best examples of bosses who aren’t afraid to be whimsical and nice to their employees and have earned the title of “Good Boss.” Want proof that not everyone’s boss is an insufferable jerk? Scroll away!
Bored Panda reached out to Robyn L Garrett, author of Happy At Work and CEO at Beamably, to chat about what it takes to be a great boss. She told us more about what the younger generation expects from their bosses and how important personal connections are for employer-employee relationships. Read her expert insights below!
#1 Yesterday The Owner Of My Company Noticed That The Shoes I Had On Were Worn Through And The Jeans I Had On Had Holes In Them
I was planning on getting a new pair of each on my next paycheck. Today he took me to Costco and bought me 2 new pairs of shoes, 4 new pairs of jeans, and some food.
I started in December of 2020 after being laid off/unemployed for a vast majority of the year. I’m still trying to get back on my feet financially and make ends meet. It was such an unbelievably nice gesture. I cried and gave him a hug. I can’t wait until I’m able to pay it forward.
Leadership author Robyn L Garrett says that one clear requirement many employees nowadays have for their bosses is emotional maturity. “We’re done with bosses that yell, whine, and play mind games. A good boss needs to be able to manage themselves and focus on true leadership,” she says.
Gen Z and Millennials also want to feel respected at work. “Younger generations expect a more respectful and responsible workplace. Norms have changed a lot in the last 20 years and they’ll continue to make the workplace more inclusive and less stressful. That’s something that benefits everyone, regardless of age,” Garrett notes.
Still, being a good boss doesn’t mean you’re everybody’s friend. “It’s more important that bosses are respectful of employee boundaries than it is for them to build personal connections,” Garrett believes. “If an employee prefers not to mix their work and home lives, that is a perfectly reasonable choice. The boss’s job is to build a healthy work environment so that people can do their best possible work,” she explains.
#2 My Boss Got A Puppy And Brought Her Into The Office. Productivity Went Waaay Down
#3 Semi Load Of Water I Just Got To Donate
I actually work for a company that cares. My boss gave me $10k to help wildfire victims, doesn’t care how it helps as long as it helps. Started with a semi load of bottled water. In 3 decades of work, I’ve never worked for good people until now. Been smiling for 2 days about this.
In that same Pew survey, people also revealed the traits that, according to them, their good bosses have. The employees said their bosses are very good at giving their employees flexibility on work-life balance, giving the employees credit when it’s due, and staying calm under pressure.
The gender of the boss doesn’t matter to employees. Most are likely to say that their boss is good regardless of whether they’re a man or a woman. They are, however, more likely to describe their boss as “caring” and more likely to give the employees credit.
#4 Beautiful To Be Supported By Such A Thoughtful Team
#5 The Boss Is Clearly A Micromanager
#6 Someone Asked The Boss If We Were Going To Have Cake For Halloween, He Disappeared And Came Back With This
When asked whether they would like to work more for a man or a woman, a bigger percentage (15% vs. 12%) veered towards having males as bosses. What’s also interesting is that men prefer that their boss be male, while females prefer their bosses to be women.
For women under 30 that seems to be particularly important, as one in ten of such respondents said they’d prefer if their boss was a woman. For other age groups of women and men, the percentages were much lower, under 20%.
#7 Alli Had A Very Rough Day At The Animal Hospital – My Employer Found Out And Sent Her A Care Package
#8 Bro Boss
#9 Started A New Job 3 Days Ago And I Just Lost A Family Member. This Is How My New Boss Responded. I Couldn’t Be Happier With My Decision To Work For Him. Take Notes, Employers – This Is How It’s Done
What makes a good boss? Why are some loved and others hated? The truth is that many people who become bosses don’t have the skills to be good leaders. As organizational development consultant and author of Work Jerks Louise Carnachan told us in a previous interview, most employees become bosses because they’ve worked at that place long enough or were very good at their jobs.
#10 I’m The Only Gothic Person In The Office. Halloween Is My Favourite Time Of The Year. Came To Work To My Desk Decorated For The Day By My Managers
#11 I Asked My Boss If We Could Pose With (Some) Of Our Prop Money At The End Of The Day; He Insisted We Use All Of It
#12 Boyfriend Lost His Serving Job Because Of Corona. Bosses Cleared Out The Kitchen To Provide Food For Employees And Intend On Making Them Weekly Care Packages
However, being good at your job doesn’t always translate into being a good boss. As Carnachan told us previously, leading others is a completely different job, and many people thrown into the position of a boss can lack that competence. “Unless you’ve had a role model to follow, you’re probably at sea about what to do,” Carnachan noted.
#13 Best Boss Ever
Last week my boss asked me to go over some paperwork for a project, to which I said, I will make it a fun weekend activity to read through it with my son. For context, my wife and I have set a goal to read him 1000 books in 2024. We joked that the paperwork should count as 10 books, we chuckled and moved on. Today, I came in to work to find a couple books and this note with a couple books sitting at my desk. The fact that she cared enough to not only buy the books but to write this adorable note genuinely made me smile. It’s these small details that make her the best boss I have ever had.
#14 The Manager At This Restaraunt Is Breaking Up The Lobster Shells For These Two Old Ladies Who Are Celebrating One Of Their Birthdays
#15 This Is My Home Office My Whole Team Works Remotely Now Since Covid. Here’s The Shelf Next To The Desk Set Up. Still Need To Get One More Shelf To Complete The Space But I Love It So Much Already!
“Leadership training and coaching can help immensely, but not every organization makes this available,” Carnachan explained. However, new bosses can become good leaders by educating themselves, too. “There are many good books and leadership classes you can take on your own or through your professional organization,” according to Carnachan.
#16 Been Battling Mental Health Struggles The Better Part Of My Life And Finally Had A Psychotic Break Last Night And Am Now Seeking Care. Was So Nervous To Text My Supervisor About It. This Was His Response :’)
#17 Gonna Need To See Those Welds So I Can Pretend I Know A Lot About Welding
#18 I Jokingly Told My Boss My Basement Level Office Needed A Sky Light. He Made It Happen
Back then, Carnachan also told us that most employees say they have a good boss when they have similar characteristics, even if their personalities are completely different. “The commonalities of great leaders are that they ask questions, listen, know something about their direct reports’ lives (as in what’s important to them, not by being intrusively personal),” Carnachan told us last year.
#19 These Were Given To Me By My Indian Boss As Part Of Diwali Celebrations. Sweet And Filled With Cashews
#20 My Boss Writes Notes On His Hand And Photocopies It For Later
