4 signs your boss is bad for your health

4 signs your boss is schwimmschwimmbadeanstalt for your health4 signs your boss is bad for your healthThe bad boss has become a comedic part of work culture, permeating movies and television, but when you actually work for a bad boss, theres nothing funny about it.Researchers from the Harvard Business School and Stanford University meta-analyzed the results of mora than 200 studies to better understand the effects of stress in the workplace. They found that worrying about losing your job makes you 50% more likely to experience poor health and that having an overly demanding job makes you 35% more likely to have a physician-diagnosed illness.Job insecurity and unrelenting demands perfectly characterize the environment created by bad bosses, and the negative health effects measured by the Harvard and Stanford researchers are as bad as what are seen in people who are exposed to significant amounts of second-hand smoke.Bad bosses are more common than you think. Recent research from the A merican Psychological Association reported that 75% of American workers identify their boss as the worst and most stressful part of their job and 60% of US workers would take a new boss over a pay raise.People ask the difference between a leader and a boss. The leader leads, and the boss drives. Theodore RooseveltIts obvious that bad bosses have a disastrous impact on their employees health and productivity, so what do people working for bad bosses do about it? Not much.While 27% of people working for a bad boss quit as soon as they secure a new job and 11% quit without having secured a new job, an amazing 59% stay put. Thats an alarming number of people who are living with overwhelming stress and experiencing the trickle-down effects this has on their sanity and health.There are many theories as to why people keep working for bad bosses, ranging from Stockholm Syndrome to company loyalty. Sometimes its just comfortable couch syndrome, where putting in the effort to find a new job s eems too overwhelming.The problem is that the longer you stay with an abusive boss, the harder it becomes to convince yourself to leave and the bigger the toll it takes on your mind, body, and family. Thats why its important to know how to recognize the signs of a bad boss early on before youre sucked in so deeply that its hard to leave. Here are some critical things to watch out for.1. BelittlingSometimes its necessary for bosses to deliver feedback about your performance that isnt easy to hear. But some of them give you the strong impression that they enjoy it. They dont just give you important feedback, they relish the act of putting you in your place - even more so if they have an audience.While you dont necessarily want a boss who cant deliver tough feedback, you definitely dont want to work for someone who enjoys criticizing and blaming. If thats the kind of boss you have, get out quickly, for the sake of your health.2. Temper tantrumsLike everyone else, bosses have bad days. Pressure might make your boss lose his temper, but that shouldnt be happening on a regular basis. If your boss flies off the handle anytime something doesnt go exactly the way he wants it to, its time to reconsider your employment.Whether its directed at you, his bosses, or just the forces of nature, tantrums set a negative emotional tone that reverberates throughout your workplace. They make people timid and cautious. People stop speaking up and sharing their creative ideas because theyre afraid theyre going to get slapped back down.If you hear your boss yelling down the hall, and instead of thinking What in the world is going on? youre thinking Here we go again, then its time to move on.3. Unreasonable expectationsSome bosses see their employees the same way that young children see their teachers- as having no identity outside of their work. They cant quite wrap their minds around the importance of family obligations, hobbies, or anything else outside of the office that doesnt se rve them. These are the bosses that expect you to put in unreasonable hours that serve little purpose.If you get the feeling that youre disappointing your boss every time you leave for the day, then youre working in an unhealthy environment.4. Failure to lead by exampleIf theres one thing that drives almost all employees crazy, its a boss who doesnt walk the talk. Its extremely difficult to feel inspired and to take your job seriously when the person who sets your standards doesnt live up to those expectations herself.If your boss is a hypocrite, its time to go.Bringing it all togetherHaving a bad boss is more than just irritating - it can cause very real damage to your mental and physical health. So, if youve got a bad boss, stop telling yourself to buck up. Instead, do an objective tally of the toll its taking on you, and, if its time to go, get busy today.Travis Bradberry is the coauthor ofEmotional Intelligence 2.0and the cofounder ofTalentSmart.This article originally appeared onLinkedIn.