Signs you have a great boss

Reader’s Digest: It’s not necessarily the ones who bring in doughnuts and give you compliments.
She gives you a challenging project: One of the primary jobs of a boss is to help develop and improve her employees, and a great boss knows just how hard to push you and what assignments will help cultivate your talents, says Lynda Spiegel, a human resources professional and founder of Rising Star Resumes. The new assignment should feel difficult but not completely out of reach, and your boss should be available to give you ongoing guidance and feedback throughout, she adds.
She takes sick days: Managers can sometimes inadvertently discourage employees from taking needed sick days, says Alison Green, of the blog Ask A Manager and author of How To Get a Job: Secrets of a Hiring Manager. “If you have a manager who herself never stays home, and people see her powering through it when she’s sick, that usually makes people feel they’re expected to do the same—even if the manager doesn’t actually feel that way,” she says. Instead, a great boss will stay home and rest when she’s sick and encourage you to do the same.
He speaks calmly, even when others are yelling: In an ideal world, everyone would be perfectly civil at all times, but anyone who’s ever worked under a tight deadline or in a challenging office knows that tempers can flare hot and fast. A great boss won’t get sucked into the drama and will be able to speak forcefully without yelling while helping to calm the situation down, says Peter Holmes, an employment law consultant and HR advisor.
She has an open door communication policy: When challenged, some bosses retreat into their office, perhaps even giving employees the silent treatment, Holmes says. But a good boss will prioritize keeping the lines of communication open, even if she doesn’t particularly like what you have to say. Whether it’s through email, text, chat, or in-person, great bosses make themselves available for regular and timely communication.
He gives you the credit you deserve: Is there anything worse than busting your butt on a project only to see your boss take all the credit for your hard work in the end? If your boss regularly assigns you “prestigious” work and makes sure you are getting the recognition for it, that’s the sign of a great boss, Holmes says.
She has a great sense of humor: Laughter is not only the best medicine; it’s also good for business, says Steve Pritchard, human resources manager at Cuuver. A great boss knows how to laugh and share a joke without crossing moral or ethical lines or making anyone uncomfortable, he says.