If your boss appears to treat you special in any way, such as providing more space or access to clients not available to other employees in the company, that could indicate they see you as more than just a colleague.
But relationships can quickly sour, so it is crucial that you learn the telltale signs that indicate when your boss may be turning against you.
1. You’re Feeling Like You’re Being Too Much
Even though every boss is unique, if your manager becomes overbearing to an ineffective or annoying extent, it might be time for change. While your boss likely just wants assurances that everything is running smoothly, if their micromanagement becomes detrimental it’s time for something different.
A great boss should encourage and allow for breaks or time off whenever work becomes overwhelming, yet when things become stressful they should seek your advice or input on important matters such as clients, projects and the company’s future direction – otherwise it is an indicator they no longer value or consider you part of their team.
If your boss used to invite you for lunches or other social events but has recently stopped doing so, this could be a telltale sign they no longer wish to form relationships with you. Although they might have nothing against you personally, their personal lives likely take up most of their time leaving little space in their schedule for non-work related activities such as lunch dates.
Likewise, if your boss seems disinterested in working with you altogether, this could be because they fear they are at risk of losing their position. If they’re being denied certain responsibilities or projects like other managers are receiving it could also be related to performance concerns from other executives. Either way, it is crucial that both parties involved recognize that there have been clear boundaries drawn and crossed in order to save careers from possible destruction.
2. You’re Feeling Out of the Loop
When dealing with an aroused boss, the lines between platonic coworker and romantic partner can become blurry. Depending on your workplace culture, if your boss begins hanging around your desk or finding ways to work one-on-one with you it could be an indicator that they like you as more than just a colleague; they might also discuss you among the employees to gauge their responses and see how other react.
Signs that your boss likes you as more than a colleague include when they bestow upon you extra privileges that would normally go only to their most senior employees, such as receiving a larger workstation, parking spot closer to work or special access to certain clients. It could also indicate their favoritism if they shower you with compliments or make romantic predictions about your future together.
Your boss should always provide feedback about your performance, even if they’re unhappy about it. But if they seem overworked and distant without taking time for conversation with you, that should be an indicator that things have gone sour between the two of you.
Rejects from your boss can be devastating to your self-confidence, yet this doesn’t have to spell disaster for your career if you do your research and identify where the problem lies in terms of how they treat you.
Your boss may be treating you differently for various reasons, such as lack of faith in their leadership abilities or fear that they’ll be fired soon. In this situation, it would be wise not to further escalate matters by discussing their mistakes with other colleagues in the office.
3. You’re Feeling Undervalued
Feeling undervalued by your boss can be devastating to your psyche, particularly if you’ve worked tirelessly to please them. Perhaps your boss doesn’t give enough praise when you do great work or seems more concerned with completing other projects over yours, or just adds extra work onto your plate without considering its effect on team or whether compensation should be considered when assigning it.
Your boss could also show their interest by approaching you first when they experience issues in their professional or personal lives, whether at work or personally. This could mean seeking advice or referral to professionals that could assist them in solving specific situations. Being appreciated is one of the primary indicators of attraction and affection in men.
Your boss might be showing signs that they like you by leaving their hand linger on yours when handing you a cup of coffee, which should prompt caution, since office romance can quickly turn sour.
Always look for work environments that align with your goals and values, but if an employer isn’t supporting you it may be time to explore alternative careers options.
Let your emotions guide your work experience rather than get in the way of finding happiness and success in it. You deserve an environment which challenges, assists growth, and provides purpose in life.
4. You’re Feeling Pressured
If you feel pressure from your boss, it can be easy to feel intimidated and overburdened with stress. Remember that as professionals we are there to do our job. If your situation becomes stressful due to them treating you poorly it might be worthwhile discussing this with them directly and raising their concern directly with them.
If your boss is discussing you to other managers or coworkers, this could be a telltale sign they want to fire you. They might use vertical praise – which refers to flattery that comes directly from a higher up – as part of the effort.
Your boss assigning special projects could be an indicator that they want you off of regular duties so they can hand them off to someone else – which may be used to replace employees no longer considered valuable by their employers.
Lastly, if your boss seems disengaged from you or attempts to isolate themselves from you, this could be another indicator that they want a distance between themselves and you. In general, when work becomes hectic at the office they would encourage taking a deep breath or taking some time off when things get overwhelming.
As coworkers often exchange pleasantries when meeting outside of work, it may not be out of place for you and your boss to exchange brief pleasantries upon meeting one another outside of work. But if they begin talking about you among their coworkers or find ways to interact with you personally it could be seen as romantic interest and you should set boundaries to ensure they maintain professional relations between both of you.
5. You’re Feeling Disrespected
Your boss plays an essential role in how satisfied and fulfilled you feel at work, so keeping them happy is paramount to an enjoyable work experience. But if they’re treating you poorly – for instance by not inviting you to meetings or speaking in a derogatory tone – then action needs to be taken immediately as this kind of behavior can erode motivation and cause doubt about whether the career choice you made was indeed worthwhile.
If they no longer seek your input on projects and clients and focus instead on other employees instead, this could be a telltale sign of disinterest on their part. You might even notice them cancelling meetings with you without explanation.
Respectful bosses often suffer from deep insecurities about themselves and have little interest in discussing ways you could work together productively or advance within their company. When someone succeeds at working for this kind of boss, they often feel threatened and should not be working with them.
There could be many reasons for why your boss doesn’t respect you; it could be as simple as not wanting to discuss a project with you or perhaps they’re having an off day. Either way, you deserve a workplace that values and supports you in reaching your career goals; if this isn’t happening for you it might be best to look elsewhere for employment.