SINGAPORE: Micromanaging, gossiping, and taking credit for employees’ work are all classic signs of a toxic boss. However, one Singaporean recently pointed to what they believe is a less obvious but equally harmful trait: bosses who attack their employees’ identity rather than simply criticising their work.
In a post shared on Wednesday (Jun 17), the individual said that instead of offering constructive criticism like “your work needs improvement,” some toxic managers would rather resort to petty remarks they know will sting.
They’ll throw out lines like, “Maybe you’re not management material,” or “People like you don’t survive in this industry.”
Some of the other remarks they have heard include: “If you’re unhappy, maybe this company isn’t for you,” “You’re becoming a problem,” and “You’re a troublemaker.”
According to the post, comments like these are often used to shut people up.
“Notice how the criticism shifts from your actions to who you are as a person. In some Singapore workplaces, this is used to discourage questions, feedback, disagreement, or even personal pettiness,” they wrote. “Instead of discussing the issue, they make you defend your identity, competence, or loyalty. And next, your opportunistic colleague picks up the signal and [pawns] on you.”
The individual also argued that good bosses talk about behaviour and results. But bad bosses will make you feel as though raising a concern could put your place in the team at risk.
They also aimed at managers who hide behind the company when making personal attacks.
“They cowardly use the company as their shield,” they wrote. “This is a professional malpractice in disguise.”
They ended the post with a message for employees who have been branded as “difficult,” “not a team player,” or “a troublemaker” simply for speaking up.
“Remember, you are not responsible for the fact that they chose a hurtful approach,” they wrote. “They could have addressed the issue. Instead, they attacked your identity. That choice says more about their character than it does about yours.”
‘There are very, very few good bosses’
The post struck a chord with many commenters, who said they had experienced similar treatment in their own workplaces.
One commenter wrote, “Truly. There are very, very few good bosses. Especially those who recognise you as a human being and not just another resource on a spreadsheet.”
Another said, “True, but most of the time we have no choice but to suck it up because we need the money. It’s not easy to switch jobs, especially in this economy now.”
A third shared, “I was in the RSN during my NS. That was exactly how my commanding officer and senior officers spoke to me.”
Meanwhile, a fourth commenter claimed, “In Singapore, a lot of boomers and even some Gen X managers are like this.”
In other news, a Singaporean man has gone viral after sharing a strange and upsetting experience from his mother’s wake, where a visitor claimed he could communicate with the deceased.
His post on Reddit’s r/askSingapore forum quickly gained traction, pulling in more than 2,200 upvotes and hundreds of comments within a day.
Read more: Man says supposed psychic appeared at mum’s wake, later learns he works as an insurance agent: ‘He claimed he could talk to her’
