As a boss, it isn’t straightforward to realize when you’re inappropriate. Sure, #MeToo and the Time’s Up movements have made everybody aware of sexual misconduct. However, improper behaviour in the workplace goes beyond anything sexual.

After all, most bosses, men and women, understand the boundaries regarding what is proper in this context. Still, leaders do things which make their employees uncomfortable and which sours the atmosphere. When this happens, a limit has been exceeded and you’ve stepped out of bounds.

The best way not to get in trouble is to understand what you can and can’t do. Below is four of the latter.

 

Yelling In Public

Being the boss means having to deal with a lot of stressors. At times, it can make you want to explode regardless of your surroundings. As a rule, it’s a terrible idea because it paints a picture of an unstable leader who can’t control his/her emotions. When you yell at people in front of others, it puts them in a difficult situation. They can’t fight back for fear of reprimand, yet they are pitied in the eyes of their colleagues. People make mistakes and need scolding but it should be in private behind closed doors.

 

Salary References

Money is a big deal in the office because everybody wants more of it and people get jealous when they are underpaid. Yes, when there is discrimination in action, it’s essential to act for the sake of your employees. However, there is no reason to bring it up in front of their peers when they earn a high wage because of their hard work and skill. Usually, it sets off a chain reaction where the person in question feels as if they are hated because of their salary. Let wage comparisons between co-workers be their choice and no one else’s.

 

Spying

Some weird things are going on in the workplace and you want to get to the bottom of it. So, you install software which spies on the staff and monitors their actions. Even when this is legal, it’s a terrible approach. As soon as your workers find out, they’ll be outraged and feel as if they aren’t trusted. Quality managed IT services can reverse engineer a problem – stealing, for example, if it occurs yet never monitor people for the fun of it. The same goes for CCTV. Keep it there as a backup just in case there is an issue.

 

Sharing

You’re their boss, not a patient in a therapist’s office. Incredibly, superiors will share details about their private life and put them in a sticky situation. Tell and they will never be trusted, but keep it to themselves and they’ll crack under pressure. Even if they are a trusted confidant, it’s vital not to overshare info about anything other than the company. It goes both ways, too. You can offer an employee a shoulder to cry on but you shouldn’t act as their shrink.

Great leaders always think before they act.