Do employers intentionally demotivate their employees.?

Question

Do bosses try to make people feel bad about themselves so that those people will feel that they would not be of any value anywhere else? Or are they just on power trips?

Answer 1

There are good bosses and bad bosses.
Good bosses recognize the value of good employees and try to create an environment where those employees get recognition for their work. Good bosses also want to see their employees learn and grow so both (the boss and employee) can advance and become greater assets to the company.
Bad bosses (some on power trips) do exactly what you said, make their employees feel they don't have value (and it's not just making the employee feel they don't have value for another employer). Unfortunately, when your employees don't feel valuable they don't do quality work. Why should they?
Unfortunately, in some cases employers do intentionally demotivate their employees, but I believe these cases are uncommon and not the norm.

Answer 2

I don't feel that intentionally 'demotivating' employees would be particularly good business sense. If employees aren't motivated, they don't do good work and aren't as productive, thereby hurting the employer. Really, it doesn't make much sense from any angle.

You've probably just got a dick boss on a power trip. Everybody has to deal with a bad boss at some point, but if you have the option it might be worth a look around to see if you could find a better job. Chances are, you'll probably just get another jerk. The good bosses are few and far between.

Answer 3

No, they don't intentionally demotivate people. There is no benefit to the employer. However, it would be incredibly stupid since they will drive good people out of the company.

However, lots of people unintentionally do it. There are many reasons why this can happen. New bosses may still be learning how to supervise people. More experienced ones may never have been given any training on it and don't realize that they're doing it.

It's not easy being a good boss. If you don't think so, try it at some point in your career. You'll be amazed.

Answer 4

Hi,

I see some core similarities between what bosses and parents do, they mean well in most cases, not all, but lack the sense and skill to reach their goals.

When you have the handicap of weak people skills and a senseless antenna to what's meant and intended by the actions and words of those around you, your diagnosis and curse will cause more harm than good.. hence the impression of bosses.

Some are indeed on power trips, but they are rare or at least their power trips are not the most overwhelming aspect of their personality and does exist and kicks in infrequently between misunderstandings and bursts. :-p

Very few employers would not seek great employees, that can only mean they'll also do as well or better as a consequence.. Not always the case where intent meets practice.. Some bosses just become worried about their subordinates replacing them or taking the limelight away or making them seem less of value with their counter growing value.

At times bosses focus on a one weakness or a mistake you made once and lose sight of your other strengths and accomplishments, that's them and is their way of evaluating themselves, their family and the people around them, professionally and personally..

Not everyone is of sound mind and judgment, if they had the ability to see themselves the way others see them or had a choice to improve those aspects, there won't likely be people that we dislike. :-)

I see a problem with organizations that show appreciation to successful and skillful employees by giving them roles they think are the best way they can show appreciation, but are not within the skill sets of the person they're appreciating. One example is if you get someone who's good with numbers, business or technical matters and they do well and gets a raise and a promotion and eventually manages people whom they have no clue how to manage.. the real issue is the organization has NO WAY of appreciating them financially and rewarding them except by moving them up in the org chart and that means people under them whom they are not even interested in dealing with or want except as proof of success to their peers perhaps and an opportunity to experiment with their own beliefs and experience in the past of how to address issues the right way as opposed to what they didn't like about their ex-managers. ;-)

One organization I was impressed with had been studying a two-tier organizational chart that distinguishes between how to appreciate their employees from both domains, those with and those without people and management skills, this way the subject matter experts don't get the short end of the stick because of their lacking people skills and the rest of the employees don't get a monster boss in the making placed above them.. they'll suffer, the boss will feel demoralized because they've been distracted by this added people burden away from what used to make them shine.. so they manage people as a necessary evil just as they do with the troublesome laser printer in their office. :-p

Sorry for the long answer, I'm not articulate enough to express myself briefly.. should work on that. :-)

/Mao

Answer 5

The employers have no choice. Liberals believe in an idiotic spiteful idea; they think the people who went out of their way to own a business would just take it in the rear over Obama's new taxation, and the employees would get some kind of weird arrogant revenge. That's not really the way it happens. The people with the business sense keep the place going and cut corners where necessary. My question is: When do they start blaming Obama?

Answer 6

You know what? It doesn't mean that they know everything just because they are bosses. Some of them got the job because they got lucky, some got it by kissing a**, some got connection, etc. Also, some of them are just pure a**holes. It also has something to do with their personality. If a boss knows what he/she is doing and he/she has self-confident then he/she won't be putting people down. There can be A LOT of reasons of why those bosses are just a pain the a**. My boss is also a pain in the a**.

Answer 7

My vote is for a power trip. Usually a boss would want a productive, motivated, self-confident employee (who is doing a good job) rather than an employee whose got a self-defeating attitude. it's better for the company when employees are confidently productive.

Answer 8

Yes demotivation is the fastest way to achieve greatness in business. I think Jim Jones used that theory.

Answer 9

It's not just bosses; many people "thrive" by making others feel bad about themselves. It's called bullying.
This page will help
http://www.bullyonline.org/workbully/

Answer 10

Sounds to me like your boss, like many, uses manipulation to make their employees feel as if they couldn't get employment elsewhere or they are not worthy of a raise or promotion. If you are a reliable, dependable and good worker, don't fall for this typical ploy. Find another job where you are appreciated. P.S. Don't give this loser as a past job reference on your resume. Good luck.