People To Share Their Most Satisfying Stories Of Dealing With Toxic Superior At Work
Real stories. Take notes.
Whether you're just beginning your career or you've been in the workforce for many years, chances are you have had to tolerate a toxic boss at some point. Sadly, harmful employers can be hard to escape, as jobs are hard to come by these days, and let's face it, not many of us can afford to go without work for very long.
According to a 2023 survey, a staggering 87% of employees have had to cope with a toxic manager at some point in their careers. Another poll suggested that 71% of workers in the US alone have had to endure the negative effects of at least one toxic supervisor.
So, when Reddit user u/Relevant_Grape_4106 asked members of the r/NSFW subreddit to share their most satisfying stories of how they dealt with a toxic superior at work, it's not surprising that the responses came pouring in. People recounted their moments of sweet revenge and commended each other on their victories.
From naming and shaming their managers' poor behavior to publicizing their plagiarism and threatening legal action, we have some of the best responses for you below. Keep scrolling to read 10 of the most satisfying accounts of how employees dealt with their toxic supervisors.
The Redditor asked people to share their most satisfying stories of how they dealt with a toxic superior at work.
Reddit/Relevant_Grape_4106Psychological Analysis
This situation often stems from a combination of power imbalance and stress, leading individuals to either comply with or rebel against toxic behaviors.
Recognizing these patterns can empower employees to advocate for themselves and seek healthier workplace dynamics.
Analysis generated by AI
Analysis & Alternative Approaches
Behavioral specialists note that addressing toxic work behaviors is essential for fostering a positive workplace culture.
Research consistently shows that organizations that prioritize employee well-being see higher productivity and lower turnover.
1. Always give credit where credit is due
I had a manager who tried to steal credit for an Excel spreadsheet I created that would make reviewing and submitting expense reports 100 times easier. After I showed it to her, I overheard her telling her supervisor about it, but she said, "I created," not "my employee created." So I immediately changed the spreadsheet, locking the cells with a password and adding a glaring and bolded "Created by: (My name)" before resaving a copy on my drive. Then, when it came time to present it at the managers' meeting, I copied my file over the original, and when she opened it, she couldn't do anything with it, and of course, my name was on it. She ended up calling me into the meeting, giving me credit, and I unlocked the cells and began to explain how it worked. She was red-faced for the rest of the meeting, with her boss glaring daggers at her.2. "I am 100% sure she hates my entire family at this point."
My first job was at McDonald’s. One of the managers had worked for my mom a few years before and hated my mom. She was a poor employee, and my mom had to let her go. When she realized who I was, she started treating me poorly, assigning me all the undesirable tasks, cutting my hours, and scheduling me for inconvenient shifts just to make my life difficult. One day, she yelled at me because my hair was too long. I keep my hair shaved to 1/4” every other week, so it was at most 1/2” long. My response was, “my head is shaved, you’re being unreasonable,” and I took my hat off to show her. The main store manager was present. Fortunately, I had been documenting all the mistreatment, and the store manager agreed that my hair was never too long. I did receive a warning for my language, but she ultimately got fired.I am certain she harbors resentment towards my entire family at this point.- Dr. Susan David, emotional agility expert
3. Bullies always get their karma
Worked at a lab. New Lab mgr was psycho. Started having meetings every morning which was good until it wasn’t. He’d pick one person and after their report he’d start berating them. Moved around day to day…diff person. Even our mild mannered scientists.He started on me one day (I was the one that handled reports on what was late but had no recourse to add staff, schedule or affect anything that would help late results) I pushed back and said scheduling needed to change to improve production. He seemed to put me in his sights after that.Would accuse me of ignoring emails (that turned out I wasn’t cc’d on), tell me not to do parts of my job description that others relied on me for and other crazy behavior. He even moved my desk away from where it was grouped with my coworkers to a hallway as a subtle punishment. He’d light into me every day.Told local HR but she was scared of him too I could tell (she did say something because it was after that he moved my desk). Got fed up. Called the company report hotline on advice from an HR (diff company) friend. They opened a case, hired an outside lawyer to investigate who interviewed me and many of my colleagues and he was fired. Turns out he was saying horrible untrue stuff about me to coworkers to undermine me, was doing similar things to others, took furniture home from the office to his apartment among other things. Never have felt so vindicated. TLDR: abusive bully boss - called the company report line - investigation - he got fired.- Dr. Laura Berman, sex therapist
4. No means no
I just told them no. Back when I was an insurance fraud investigator I had one particular claim that was referred that literally had no fraud indicators. Pursuing a fraud investigation on a claim with zero indicators is a recipe for a bad faith claim.The particular reason this claim was referred over was because the adjuster did not like how the claimant had spoken with them and she happened to be buddy buddy with my boss. I always referred to these as mean man referrals and sent them back because being a jerk does not equal fraud.With this claim I got a call from my boss telling me I needed to accept the claim for investigation after I had sent it back. I went over the claim with her, explained that there were no fraud indicators, and explained I wouldn’t do it. They continued to persist and I advised I wasn’t doing anything against our policy and if she really wanted it to be investigated she could do it herself. My persistent nos eventually made them give up and I never saw that claim again.Long story short is my boss and her friend had a personal vendetta against the claimant and tried to use me to make their life a living hell and I was having none of it.- Deleted Reddit user
5. "He had no other options."
"I told him in no uncertain terms that he could not speak to me the way he was and that if he did it again I'd leave," recalls a restaurant manager. Dr. Carol Dweck, a renowned motivation researcher, emphasizes the importance of setting boundaries in the workplace, stating, "When individuals assert their needs, they foster a culture of respect and accountability." Dr. Carol Dweck further explains, "Understanding your own value in the workplace can empower you to stand up against toxic behavior." The manager added, "I made it clear that I could walk into any restaurant on our block and get a job on the spot, but he had no other options—there was no one who could take my 40 hrs/week and all my responsibilities." Betting my job on an ultimatum was terrifying, but it worked. He never spoke to me that way again.6. Team leader sabotage
I had a horrible team lead who tried to sabotage me when she found out I was being considered for a promotion that would have jumped over her.We both had our own offices so I called her into mine, moved my chair up so I sat higher and pretended like I was her boss and asked her things like "did you think that behavior was appropriate?" and "what would you have done differently if given the chance to try again?". I was nervous doing this because I'd literally never spoken to any adult like that ever before in my life.According to Dr. Alexandra Solomon, a relationship expert, "Setting boundaries is essential in any professional relationship, especially when dealing with toxic dynamics." I found a new job shortly after that was a 30% pay bump and had a solid career trajectory but let management know why I was leaving and it was 80% because of that lead. Dr. Solomon emphasizes that "advocating for yourself can lead to better opportunities." I discovered she was let go soon after I left because other people gave the same reason for leaving. I didn't exactly want her fired but I improved my situation and she got what was kinda coming to her I guess.7. Would you like to speak with my lawyer?
I had a manager who thought it was part of his job to manage people's personal lives too. I (female) was stuck with him and another manager (also female) in a car en route to an offsite meeting. He took this opportunity to ask me about my recent slew of "so-called" doctor appointments I had had. They had been legitimate appointments and I could have even provided doctors' notes if he had asked, but he didn't go that route. I simply asked him if he wanted to continue the conversation when we got back to the office and HR could be present or if I should arrange for a consultation with my attorney. He shut up really quickly.8. The power of persuasion
I had a boss who was very abusive to his staff. Blatantly sexist to the women on the team. Wouldn't pay people overtime. After three years, I negotiated a raise and then he only gave me half of it, claiming the other half had to come later at some unspecified point in time. I was furious. So I wrote a letter of resignation to submit to our Board of Directors, came in the next day, and told him that if he didn't honor his agreement, I would send it to every single Board member.As soon as he read it, he knew he'd probably lose his job if the Board found out about the wage theft, the retaliation, and the sexism. I managed to negotiate proper raises for myself and three of my female colleagues. That gave me some big dick energy for awhile.But honestly, looking back on it, I wish I had just sent the letter to the BoD. Yeah, some things got better, but other things got worse and there was very little reason to protect his job other than the fear of the unknown of what would happen if he was replaced.9. An anonymous tip-off
Had a buyer who was narcissistic and over-bearing to everyone, thought he was the absolute gods gift.I noticed that he had two laptops on his desk, a company one and his own an identical model. Turns out he was doing ‘company’ work on the company laptop and his own work on his laptop basically cutting deals with our customers for cut-price goods and skimming the profits for himself.A little tip-off to a couple of directors and IT had him being chased through the building desperately trying to lose his personal laptop somewhere but he was shown to be as guilty as ever and he was escorted off the premises by security as everyone clapped and whistled. According to Dr. Ramani Durvasula, a clinical psychologist, "Dealing with toxic individuals in the workplace can be draining, but taking action is essential for your own mental health" - Dr. Ramani Durvasula.No one ever knew where the tip-off came from, but I didn’t care as it was one less ass-hole at work.10. All's well that ends well
Left the company only to have it bought out by the one I left 5 months later. At the new company, I was brought on as a supervisor. After we were acquired, my position is now considered to be a corporate level supervisor , while my old POS of a supervisor is still classed as a local one. When I see him, I don't say anything to him, I just stare. It makes him nervous AF. Then, I proceed to talk to all of my old coworkers and tell them how wonderful life is going now. At one point, I was willing to lose money and move three states away with the company to get away from him. It all worked out in my favor in the end. For the cherry on top, since I had been gone less than six months, I was able to keep all of my benefits that I acquired over 20 years, and right before I left, I blocked him from getting a manager spot.What are your thoughts on these stories? Do any of them stand out to you?
We can only imagine the feeling of pure satisfaction that some of these Redditors must have felt when they got revenge on their toxic bosses. Karma always seems to have a way of winning in the end.
As always, we would love to hear your stories too. You can share them with us in the comment section.
Dealing with Toxic Superiors
Research shows that toxic work environments can lead to significant psychological distress, impacting mental health and overall job satisfaction.
According to studies published in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, employees under the influence of toxic leadership often experience symptoms akin to post-traumatic stress, including anxiety, depression, and burnout.
Understanding these impacts is crucial for both employees and employers, as addressing the root causes can lead to healthier work environments.
A social psychologist from the University of Michigan highlights that power dynamics in the workplace can create environments where employees feel powerless.
When a superior exhibits toxic behavior, it can lead to decreased job performance and increased turnover rates, as employees seek to escape detrimental situations.
It's important for individuals to recognize their emotional responses and seek support when navigating these challenges.
