Reliably, almost every hand shoots up. Enduring a jerk of a boss seems to be a workforce universal constant in every industry. This is reflected in popular culture in movies like Horrible Bosses and Horrible Bosses 2 and television shows like Undercover Boss. And of course, there always seems to be a jerk leader featured in news headlines.
The pandemic spurred “The Great Resignation,” or, as leadership expert Sally Helgesen said, “The Great Reckoning.” Employees are now less likely to endure toxic environments and jerky bosses, meaning if jerk leaders flourish in your culture (or remain unchallenged), it will be harder to retain and attract top talent.
