By Anthony Balderrama, CareerBuilder Writer
A few months ago, a friend of mine was riding a crowded train during rush hour. People were smooshed together. It was a gridlock of discomfort.
A fellow rider was chatting away on her phone, speaking so loudly that she could be heard over the screeching and growling of the speeding train. The other passengers exchanged annoyed glances and even shot a few toward the noisy young woman. Finally, another rider walked up to her, tapped her on the shoulder, and said, "You're speaking way too loudly and are bothering everyone else here." Passengers smiled and the loud talker sheepishly lowered her voice.
My friend reveled in the man's honesty, as would most people who have suffered through an inconsiderate cell phone talker. But in a packed train, only one person had the fortitude to do what the rest wouldn't. Maybe they didn't think it was their business. Perhaps they feared confrontation. For whatever reason, most people are inclined to keep potentially controversial or uncomfortable opinions to themselves.
That's true in many situations, and it's especially true at the workplace. Because many workers have much to say but don't feel comfortable saying it, we offered them a chance to vent to us about their bosses. We asked, "What do you want to tell your boss?" and many gave us their thoughts, though some asked to remain anonymous because they feared getting fired because of their honesty.
Their answers reveal a few things:
Workers have a lot to say, which means they're biting their tongues on a regular basis. Hopefully it's just momentary frustration and not a sign that people are staying in jobs that are bad for them.
Bosses set the tone for their workplaces. A disrespectful or lazy boss has a domino effect on the morale and attitude of his workers. If you can't emulate your boss, then you might have trouble seeing him as a leader.
Big frustrations come from little problems. Issues such as unanswered e-mails or poor attire pester workers and have them screaming silently in their minds. Yet, the solutions to these problems aren't that complicated, they just require a conversation, which workers view as too uncomfortable to have.
So whether you're a frustrated worker or an oblivious boss, see what workers want to get off their chests and figure out if you're in the same situation:
"I care about and deeply respect my boss, but there is one thing I'd love to tell her. Our company operates on a telework model, [so] I work out of my boss's house. Our dress code is lax, but she takes it to a new level. Sometimes she works in her pajamas in front of me and other times she's in a shirt with ridiculous sayings on them. I wish I could tell her that I respect her individuality but sometimes she should just kind of change her clothes and make a bit of an effort." -- Sharon Rosenblatt
"'Answer your fricking e-mail, sweetie' I have clients, colleagues and everyone asking me about important questions that they e-mailed to her weeks ago and never received a response. I'm not a mind reader and I cannot divine the answers they need. And if ever I need an answer to a pressing question, forget about it. I'm not hearing anything unless I catch her on the fly, which doesn't seem like the way to run a business to me. Clients are important. Colleagues are important. I'm important. You have a company-provided iPhone -- use it. You're still on probation and the powers that be aren't happy with your response, or lack of it. They're getting complaints. I'm getting complaints. And I'm really wondering, what's the problem here? The solution is simple: Answer your e-mails." -- Anonymous
"Stop being so nasty. Get off your high horse. Try a little humility because you may lose it all one day." -- Anonymous
"You are a hypocrite." -- Anonymous
"I would like to say to my boss that she should stop carrying on her extramarital affair with her client. It's bad enough that she is married with kids, but he is also married with kids as well. I would also like to tell her that striving for her business' success and treating her employees, vendors and partners with respect and dignity are not mutually exclusive." -- Anonymous
"I just moved to a new city for a job, and I've been here barely a month. I want to ask my boss if I could either move offices or get a better one with a window, but I'm too afraid to ask. I've made a few friends with co-workers and even they have told me that I got the worst office of all the empty ones, of which there are many. My office is small, has no windows and is right across from my boss's office." -- Anonymous
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