A large percentage of time of 9-5ivers is spent at the workplace so it has to be conducive enough for them to be productive and efficient. Imagine, you don’t get along well with a co-worker or you are bullied, the workplace would be dreadful. When it is your boss that gives you negative vibes, this would take a toll on your job.
Here are 6 revealing signs that your boss just is not that into you and what to do about it:
1. You are being micromanaged
Is your boss checking up on your work before it is due? Does he/she dictate details trusting you to get it all figured out? Does he/she show a lack of confidence that you will do your job well? If you answered yes, chances are your boss dislikes you.
Here’s what you should do:
First, make sure your boss doesn’t treat everyone in the same way. If the behaviour is just between the two of you, ask yourself whether you’ve done anything to warrant the lack of confidence. Have you been dropping the ball on tasks or making significant errors? If so, then realize that a good manager should get more closely involved—because ultimately her job is to ensure that the work is done well, and you’ve given her/him a reason not to take that on faith. If not, then it’s time to ask her if there’s anything you’re doing that makes her feel she can’t trust you and how you can work with more autonomy.
You can also try suggesting other ways to keep your boss updated with your work with weekly reports or weekly meetings so that he/she doesn’t feel the need to be on your case. If he/she is not bulging, ask if they be willing to experiment with giving you more autonomy on one specific project to see how it goes.
2. No feedback
Some bosses are used to not giving any feedback. If your boss praises others and leaves you unrecognised, that is a sign he/she is not into you.
What to do about it:
Ask your boss directly for feedback. You could say, “I’d love to hear about what you think is going well and where I could focus on doing better.” Or, you can ask to debrief a recent project, share your assessment of what went well and what could have gone better, and ask for your boss’s thoughts. Then, listen to what he/she says. Your boss’s response will give you more insight into how they see you—which is helpful feedback for you to have, whether or not you agree with the assessment.
3. You don’t get a raise upon request
Turning down your raise request isn’t a sign of a problem on its own, since there can be reasons that have nothing to do with you, like budget constraints. But if your boss values you, they will explain why she can’t grant the raise and often explain when you can expect an increase in the future or how to earn one.
Here is what to do:
Ask something like, “What would it take for me to earn a raise in the future?” A boss who is invested in retaining you and who values your output should be willing to talk with you specifically about what you’d need to do to hear “yes” next time. If that doesn’t happen, then as with some other flags on this list, this is an indication of whether you should stay in this job.
4. You can’t get your manager’s attention
If your boss regularly cancels your meetings, forgets to return your calls and emails, and generally doesn’t seem to have you anywhere on their priority list
Here’s what to do:
Does your boss do the same to other workers? If not, they may just be overwhelmed. But if you noticed you are a particularly low priority, talk to your boss. Tell your boss that getting a chance to talk at least once a week is important to you, and ask if there’s a way to have the meetings happen more reliably. Would it help to change the day they are scheduled for? Or can you both commit to a particular day without nailing down a specific time period, so that your boss has a larger window of time to make them happen? Or something else?
Be more assertive about following up when the meeting doesn’t happen. The day after a missed meeting, go back to your boss and ask: “We didn’t get a chance to meet yesterday. Do you have a few minutes to talk this morning?”
5. You are not invited to important meetings
Does your manager meet with your colleagues to discuss key updates or projects that you are a part of when you are not there? Do you hear after the fact about decisions that were made that you should have had input on?
Here is what you should do:
Approach your boss directly to address the problem. Be courteous. You will get better results if you work from the assumption that it was an oversight to be corrected, rather than an intentional exclusion. For example, you could say, “I would have liked to have been included in the meeting this morning since I’m working closely with them. I noticed I haven’t been included in several account meetings recently. What can I do to ensure that I’m part of those discussions in the future?”
6. Your boss doesn’t care if you leave
Smart bosses will go to great lengths to keep an employee they really value—but they won’t object when an employee they don’t much care for considers leaving.
Here’s what to do:
If your boss doesn’t value you much, you’re less likely to get the kinds of mentoring, raises, professional development opportunities, and high-profile or interesting projects that a boss who is firmly in your corner might offer. It can also make you more likely to end up at the top of the list if your company has layoffs. However it manifests, working for a boss who doesn’t care if you stay or go isn’t great for your career, so factor it into your thinking as you consider your timeline for your next career move.