this post was submitted on 09 Dec 2025
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I call anyone but my boss 'boss' or 'chief' at work. Its a kitchen so telling people youre behind them or asking for times on things or whatever comes up a lot so I have a wide variety of generic terms for a person in several languages in rotation just cause saying the same thing over and over sucks
Having a peer use boss wouldn’t be icky in the same way to me.
I've had co-workers who absolutely hated it.
I think when you use one of those words that refers to an unbalanced power dynamic it can make people feel a variety of ways you don't necessarily intend.
I'm thinking in particular about a guy I worked with who might have felt it highlighted our age difference, or that he inferred I saw his behavior as domineering and "bossy," or he might have been labor-pilled cuz if we all hate the bosses, it's not a very endearing term to use.
Could also come across as sarcastically demeaning
What way is this?
@JustSo@hexbear.net nailed it:
The context I was talking about was as a customer, being called boss by someone in customer service, so much as I didn’t want there to be a power dynamic, there is one, and that’s what made it feel icky to me.
That's fair. In kitchens acting professional isnt a thing so calling someone Boss doesnt carry any connotations if they arent your boss.