A worker has described a nightmare boss who steals ideas, makes drunken advances at conferences, and alternates between praise and abuse. The employee, writing to an advice column, says the boss takes advantage constantly, from texting at weekends to behaving inappropriately at networking events.
Boss's behaviour escalates
The worker recounts how the boss has screamed at them in the office, calling them an idiot and a thorn in her side, then later drunkenly begged for a sexual encounter in a hotel. More than once, she has banged on the door during overnight conferences shouting "I'm horny". The employee has resisted so far, never kissing her, but finds her hard to refuse.
Over the past 12 months, the worker has served as confidant, personal shopper, and even cleaned up her vomit after boozy lunches. There is no job description, and the boss expects the employee to be on call at all times.
Mixed signals and stolen credit
Before the summer, the worker organised an entire staff party with awards and gifts, and was praised as "brilliant". Hours later, the boss screamed at them for failing to secure work experience for her niece at a top law firm. When the worker pointed out they had no influence there, the boss said they should have "cultivated contacts".
The boss picks the employee's brains, passes off their thoughts as her own, and takes credit. Senior bosses think she is a genius, but the worker calls her a fraud. Despite this, the employee's confidence is low and they fear moving on.
Advice: plan your exit
The advice column responds: "Every day you stay in your bad boss's shadow is another day wasted." It suggests compiling a list of strengths and achievements, then charting desired jobs and locations. The worker has the work ethic and experience to branch out.
The column warns against resigning rashly but urges hatching a positive, realistic plan. It notes the boss would discard the employee if savings were needed. The worker is motivated with good ideas and natural talent, and should put themselves first. If the boss's behaviour was inappropriate, the column suggests speaking to someone higher up. Loyalty is not advised because the boss has shown none.
