Find out why your boss hates you with these 10 simple questions

It is easy to say "My boss hates me without any reason. I wonder why he/she does not like me?" but it takes a professional attitude to introspect at one's own behavior at work and ask "What can I do to make my manager like me?" Let's stay away from complicated management jargon and focus on the practical things that directly affect your relationship with your boss. Here are 10 simple questions that you need to ask yourself.

1) Are you often late to work?

Employees are not machines and it would be impractical to expect someone to reach work on time every single day of the year. However managers get irked when when employees start taking things for granted and start arriving late to work more often than not.

Do you always find yourself reaching late to work because you can't wake up early? That could be the reason why your boss hates you because other employees may see you and start coming in late too.

2) Do you put in the effort and commitment that is expected off you?

Every job comes with duties, responsibilities and subsequent expectations. All managers expect their employees to put in effort and commitment in doing whatever it takes to get the job done. If you find yourself shooting one excuse after another for why you couldn't get something done on a daily basis, tap yourself in the head and start putting in real effort into your work.

This does not mean that you spend more than the required time at work or do things that are out of your job profile. All you need to do is show your manager that you are genuinely trying your best to complete all possible tasks in the best possible manner.

3) Do you gossip too much in the office?

Office gossip is hard to avoid and it would be impractical to assume that employees will shun themselves from all forms of gossip while working. In fact, managers like to have someone who can be the eyes and ears of the office floor.

But too much of gossip can make your relationship with your boss go sour. Classic signs of an employee who gossips too much is spending more time in the office kitchen, murmuring to other colleagues in the hallway and talking in a soft voice on the phone. It is possible that your boss hates you if you gossip all the time.

4) Have you ever said something bad about your boss to a colleague?

Gossip spreads like wildfire and if you have said something nasty about your boss to someone, expect it to reach your boss' ears sooner or later. Bad mouthing your manager in front of other colleagues is like hitting yourself in the foot.

Your boss may not confront you over what you said because it is not considered professional. But he or she will take note of your bad mouthing and is likely to wait for an opportunity to catch you off guard.

If you have already said something bad about your boss in the past, try to make amends by apologizing for your rude rant and thank your boss for being the bigger person.

5) Do you complete the required hours at work?

Even super employees who exceed their targets are required to log in the minimum numbers of hours at work even if it means just showing their presence in the office.

Excessively long tea breaks, smoke breaks, spending too much time chatting with colleagues in other departments, long personal phone calls, long lunches or early exits are typically noticed by all other team members. If you do this often even if you strike more deals than anyone else in the office, your boss may think that you are setting a bad example in front of others.

6) Are you always overdressed or under dressed for work?

Shabby work colleagues are a sore sight and so are the ones who dress as if the office hallways are a ramp on which they can model their latest Gucci's and Armani's.

Are you guilty of being either too shabby or too overdressed? Take a look around you and see if your dressing style is in line with the kind of clothes worn by your colleagues and your boss.

7) Do you understand or at least try to understand what you are doing?

In every office or workplace you will find people who will just do what they are told to do and go home when it is time to go. Much like a horse wearing blinders and running to the finish line in a straight race.

A better understanding of the tasks and procedures will enable employees to be better problem solvers. Managers find these types of employees very irritating because they expect employees to ask questions like "Why am I doing this?" or "How does this work?"

Your boss may find you annoying if you always shun responsibility by claiming that you did something just because you were told to, and you really don't understand the logic behind it.

8) Do you mingle well with your work colleagues?

Do you know how to make friends at work? Or are you usually the kind of person who will sit in a corner of the office, do the job and go home virtually unnoticed? Managers love employees who bond well with their colleagues and team members.

Spruce up your social skills in the office if you think that you are not putting in the required effort to bond with your colleagues on a professional level. Your boss is likely to notice your efforts even if you don't manage to make many friends.

9) How often do you find yourself adding value to your team's or company's performance?

There is more to being liked by your boss than just hard work, effort, work ethics, commitment, importance of being on time and understanding one's own job profile. Your boss will expect you to add value in one way or another if you have been working for your company for more than a year.

Whether it is your wonderful idea that saves time on the work floor or your idea that saves the company a lot of money, think of how you can contribute to the business. Managers are constantly on the lookout for employees who can make a difference.

On the other hand, if you have been in a company for many years and are just going along with the flow without any significant contribution to the business or its processes, you may have found yourself a spot in your boss' radar. This could be the reason why your boss doesn't like you.

10) Do you follow the rules, regulations and policies of the company you work for?

Every company, business and organization has a set of rules, principles and policies. If your boss hates you, take a moment to think if you are blatantly flouting any of the guidelines that you are expected to follow.

Even star employees are not exempt from adhering to company policies because when one employee flouts the rules without consequences, others may follow suit.