Happy National Boss' Day: Most Awkward Workplace Topics, Moments
Though the country celebrates National Boss's Day this Monday, spending time with a superior remains a cringe-worthy experience for many.
A recent Adecco Staffing survey provides insight into what topics make employees squirm most around the boss. More than anything else, almost a quarter of Americans said the most taboo thing to discuss with your manager is your relationship status -- outranking politics, religion, medical history, age and even weight.
Coming in a close second is political beliefs at 16 percent, followed by medical history at 11 percent.
"As a general rule, we recommend managers refrain from aggressively inquiring about personal issues unless the employee initiates the conversation," Kathy Kane, SVP Talent Management at Adecco told The Huffington Post. "While it might be a lot easier to share details about raising children or going to sporting activities, relationships with spouses or significant others typically feel more private.
The study, which was carried out by Opinion Research Corporation on behalf of Adecco Staffing, also looked at the most uncomfortable moments. For the 68 percent that do socialize with their bosses, the activity that most Americans say would be awkward be going on a double date at 43 percent, followed by going to a movie at 38 percent.
And if money is your main priority, you might want to think about working for a man. The findings reveal the higher the salary an employee makes, the more likely they are to have a man for a manager. Kane, though, explains that might be partly explained by the gender gap in business.
Indeed, the National Partnership for Women & Families reports that, among full-time workers in the population as a whole, women still earn only 77 cents for every dollar their male counterparts make.
"While women are still making some gains in the upper echelons of the corporate world, the most senior positions are still held more often by men," she said. "This is most likely part of a the reason for this result."
The study also finds men are more likely to have male bosses, while women are more likely to have female bosses.
The Chicago Tribune notes Patricia Haroski, a State Farm Insurance secretary first registered National Boss Day back in 1958 with Chase's Annual Events, a national calendar listing. By 1979, Hallmark finally began honoring the holiday.
Loading comments… 
The Huffington Post Tara Kelly First Posted: 10/17/11 01:47 PM ET Updated: 10/17/11 01:47 PM ET