Hi, Everyone!  

I’m looking for words to describe this frequent saying by management to an employee.  

Usually the saying is thrown at an employee by a member of managment who is unable to respond—or doesn’t want to—to an employee’s complaint or question that relates to its administration.

To me, "If you don’t like it, you can quit!" is an management stratagem.  Administration uses it either force the employee to quit or to "tow the line."  It is a "stop-complaining-and-do-your-work (no matter how assinine!), I-am-the-boss-and-you’ll-do-what-you’re-told" order.

The expression places the employee in that Catch 22 position:  He can either quit (which means here in Canada that he would not be eligible for unemployment insurance) or stay, and now tolerate whatever b.s. management is now engaging in.

There are not too many employees, even those considered management, who can afford to resign because they have the financial resources behind them.

Forgive me if I haven’t made myself clear.  What I am searching for are the words, phrases, or sentences to describe that kind of action by managment, e.g., manipulative, lording it over the employee, unethical? etc.

Thanks in advance, Agorans.

It seems to me to show a  lack of leadership skills on the part of the aggressor. If you are looking for a one word characterization, aggressive gets my vote.  

Perhaps occupational blackmail might cover the scenario. The only fair response to such aggression is through a trade union. The employee can, with the backing of shop steward, turn to the employer and offer union strike action as a third alternative. I believe in a right to strike as it can be the only sure defence against wage-slavery. I don’t believe in the abuse of this right by some unions.

I adore Swedish banks. A few years ago the goverment told the banks that transactions can be made a lot quicker in this electronic age, and that they should speed them up or face legislation. The banks have a maximum domestic clearing time of six hours in Sweden - in Stockholm it seems a transaction often takes an hour. I think that normal hold-ups apply for international transactions, so that the Swedish banks do not suffer too much financial diarrhoea. I can’t wait for the EU to move on this one.

- Garzo.

"If you don’t like it, you can quit!" is insulting, is emotional blackmail, and is also embarassing when said to an employee in the presence of his colleagues.

So many small-minded, mean-spirited bosses who put their employees through a living hell on a daily basis!

I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again: No one—repeat: NO ONE—should ever be made a supervisor or manager in Canada (OK, now we can include the entire world) unless that person has taken courses in human relations and communication!

Sorry for my little rant and rage!

Garzo,

What kind of checks require an hour? Cashing a Swedish check in a Swedish bank takes as much time as is required to punch in its number on the computer, unless there is an OCR number that can be read instantly.

Sounds like you’re having a hard time, McKenzie. Hang in there. I’ll throw my 2¢ in here to say that I was a supervisor at my last job. Definition of supervisor: "Yes, Virginia, there is a hell, and the coffee break just ended."

gailr
There are abusive bosses. There are also abusive employees. They tend to catalyze each other, to the detriment of the entire organization. God help those who try to do the right thing on either side, because nobody else is going to.

Dear Mc,
If you really don’t like your work you’d better quit.  It cannot be very rewarding (outside the salary) to go to work almost every day hating it.

Dear Garzo,
I can transfer money from one account to annother by phone and faster than I can punch in the phone number even when I’m abroad.

I believe in a right to strike as it can be the only sure defence against wage-slavery. I don’t believe in the abuse of this right by some unions.[/U]

[quote author=StoutRex link=board=omni;num=1088875729;start=0#12 date=07/05/04 at 18:59:31]

Here are a few of the qualities I believe a good leader should have:

1. a good balance between a concern for the well-being of his/her  employees and a concern for his/her organization’s mission.
2. ability to recognize that s/he sometimes makes mistakes and is able to acknowledge them.
3. sets an example of professional behavior for his/her employees.
4. does not have favorites among employees.

Any more suggestions?

Specifically,
5. a good leader inspires through leading the way, delegating only when s/he must. not taking  8-hour coffee breaks.
6. a good leader is concerned for the employment health of his/her underlings.  If the work environment is unhealthy a manager is always training new help.
7. a good leader is not necessarily liked but is respected.
6. A good leader can look behind him and see…. followers, people actually do the work they are supposed to do.

Shelly

Just a little message to thank you all for your input.  
You’re a great bunch!

Things are going as well as could be expected, and I’m not as bothered by the incident as I was before.

I agree with Gail in her posting: "This network is not a weapon to take down your boss."  So I apologize if my writing slanted it that way, even though it was not intended as such.

Thank you all once again.

Just remember that Boss spelled backwards is Double S. O. B.  

Though I’m not a boss, the phrase I prefer for true malcontents is "Don’t let the door bang you in the ass on the way out."