October 16th was Boss’s Day, the day designated for employees to express appreciation to their bosses.  Did you buy a card, flowers or donuts to express your gratitude to your boss?  If you are a supervisor, did you receive acknowledgements of appreciation?

Where I work, many days are celebrated, some official and some made up to bring a sense of light-hearted fun to the workplace.  Fortunately, Boss’s Day is not one of the many days observed.  Not acknowledging boss’s day avoids the inevitable awkwardness that accompanies the day.

Relationships between bosses and their “subordinates” are complex and often strained.  Throwing in an expected day of appreciation can heighten stress for both parties.  If your boss makes your life miserable on a daily basis, you probably don’t want to honor her/him, though you may feel it is expected.  If you are a supervisor who gets a card or gift from employees, you have to wonder if it was sincere or obligatory.  From either side, the day has the potential to sugar-coat the power inequities and emotions that accompany them.

Imagine a workplace where people can express gratitude up, down and across the organization when they want to, without a calendared obligation to do so.  Read more about how to create the workplace you want in my book, Management Culture, available at mgmtculture.com or though Amazon.