The good, the bad and the ugly

Dubai: Bosses can make or break a career. Gulf News asked readers in one-on-one interviews what their best and worst experiences with their employers have been.

Ksenya Prekovic, an office manager in Dubai, was lucky enough to have a boss who knew a good employee when he saw one.

She said: "The best thing a boss has ever done for me was recognise my work and give me a bonus, pay rise and paid for part of a vacation."

Unfortunately, not all of her experiences have been so good.

Prekovic added: "I once had a boss who wrongly accused me of not doing my job when I had. The workplace became unfriendly and the incident added to my decision to leave the company later on."

Those who have encountered situations that forced them to leave their jobs are not alone.

Strong personality

Sharjah based quality manager Zahra Jama Saleh told Gulf News that she once worked for a boss who couldn't handle her "strong personality".

She said: "I had a female boss who I was overshadowing and she began harassing me and making things difficult. I decided to leave, but after I left she realised her mistake and apologised."

Luckily, Saleh hasn't let one bad experience faze her as she was taught the value of a good boss early on.

She said: "I started working at an early age and would leave the office for periods of time. Once I left for three days. My boss understood that I was young and needed to have fun. He didn't take disciplinary action, instead encouraged me to use my time wisely and continue my education."

Dubai-based office manager Behin Bidenjeri also found herself working for a good boss, but only after first encountering a bad one.

She said: "I had performed a task very well and presented it to my boss. After days of working on the report, that no one was willing to do, he was unsatisfied and rude about the end result. He said, ‘It's nice but I would have expected better.' He was always rude to the employees."

However, she eventually ended up finding a gem in the pile of employer coal.

"I once did a favour for my current boss and his family. That same day, when I returned home, I found a bunch of roses and a box of chocolates on my door step. The card was signed by him and his wife. It was very sweet."

While not everyone has been fortunate enough to find a great employer, experiences like investment manager Ali Wahab's may give workers hope.

He said: "A boss of mine, when I got married was unable to attend my wedding. I was really disappointed and to make it up he ended up hosting a big reception of 50 people for my new bride and me."

The Sharjah resident explained he had worked for bad employers as well.