Sometimes little things we do at work can drive our bosses up the wall. They may not be major mistakes — some of them can be small habits we do not even notice. Whether it is arriving late, dodging feedback or zoning out on social media, these habits can make us look unprofessional and stop us from progressing. If you’ve been wondering what your boss genuinely wants you to stop doing, here’s a breakdown of the habits they might be hating — and how to fix it.
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Rolling in Late All the Time
If you’re late, even if it’s 5 or 10 minutes, it makes it look like you don’t care about the team or the work. It messes with schedules and leaves people waiting — especially if there’s a meeting or the launch of a project. Your boss probably just wants you to be on time — it’s not so hard, right?
Dodging Responsibility When You Mess Up
Everyone makes mistakes. It’s human. But what bosses don’t like is when the employee starts making excuses or blaming people instead of taking responsibility. All you need to do is confess your mistake and fix it. That’s better than pretending nothing happened.
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Complaining Without Offering Any Solutions
If you’re always complaining about things, but never giving ideas on how to solve them, it can become tiresome very quickly. Employers don’t mind you mentioning problems — they just need you to come in with a “Hey, here’s what we can try,” instead of them doing all the heavy lifting.
Treating Work Devices Like Personal Toys
It’s tempting to check Instagram or do a little online shopping during a slow moment, but when it becomes a habit, it’s a problem. Your boss sees it and might wonder if you’re even working. A quick scroll is fine, but don’t overdo it.
Taking Feedback Personally
Being defensive or shutting down when your boss gives you feedback can make things embarrassing. Feedback isn’t meant to put you down – it’s about helping you to get better. Instead of reacting, take a deep breath, listen, and accept it as an opportunity for improvement.
Missing Deadlines or Asking for Too Many Extensions
Deadlines exist for a reason. If you’re constantly pushing them back or ignoring them, everyone’s flow gets disrupted. Your boss doesn’t expect you to perform miracles – he just needs good time management and advanced notice when you’re running late.
Oversharing Your Life Drama
Sharing personal things with coworkers can help create relationships, but there’s a limit. If you constantly talk about conflicts with your partner, the family or other stressful things all the time, it can be distracting. Your employer probably wants you to pay attention to work and leave the gossip to close friends.
Acting Like a Lone Wolf
Yes, it’s great that you do your tasks yourself without any support. But ignoring the team or missing out on opportunities to contribute to your colleagues is not in the best interests of the company. Bosses love team players — people who volunteer, collaborate and make things work for everyone.
Cutting People Off in Meetings
Interrupting coworkers or talking over them might seem harmless, but it can annoy everyone, including your boss. It shows you’re not really listening. Try pausing, letting others finish, and jumping in when it’s your turn—it’ll make meetings smoother.
Doing Just Enough to Get By
Bare minimum energy might get you by in the short run, but bosses know when you’re coasting. They want proactive, innovative people that care about doing a good job. Putting in that extra mile can make a difference.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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