For this employee, their inability to escape their boss’s expectations. And for their boss, every little thing is life or death, with exaggerated emergencies popping into their head like notifications at all hours of the night. As a result, their Employees find themselves under constant pressure to be available 24/7, meaning that even their personal time is treated as if they are on call without any sort of on-call compensation.
Without a doubt, this worker needs to set clear boundaries with their boss, or else their inability to switch off will soon lead them to burnout. A boundary isn’t about being difficult, it’s about communicating clearly—for your own sanity. If your boss is a cortisol-fatigued hothead, which, let’s face it, they probably are in this situation, you need to navigate carefully and remain calm and level-headed yourself. Don’t give them any reaction that they can jump down your throat about and use against you. Clearly communicate a reason that they can’t refute to back up your stance. Then restate clearly as required and stay consistent with sticking to the boundary you have set. Offer solutions as alternatives to being at their beck and call 24/7, like shared task trackers.
And, as always, at any point in this process, it’s always good to start establishing a written record.
0 Comments