This Halloween, let’s talk about the real office ghost story…

It’s not the haunted printer or the mysteriously vanishing snacks.

It’s the quiet fright that creeps in when your boss walks by…

“Oh no… here he comes again. He’s so serious. He never laughs or smiles.”

—whispers, with fear, from working cubicles like a campfire ghost story.

Not because managers wear masks or one frightening Halloween costume, but because we don’t know what they’re thinking.

Is it a casual stroll, or a performance review in disguise? Is your screen showing the right tab? Did you forget that report?

Will you hear the dreaded: “Got a minute?”, the scariest phrase in a corporate environment, or your manager telling you the director wants to have a word with you?

The real terrors don’t lurk in haunted houses; they hide in hallway glances, unread emails, and vague calendar invites. They wear suits, not sheets. They speak in silence, not screams. The real horror is unclear expectations, unspoken feedback, and the chilling silence after introducing a bold idea.

We treat our managers like monsters under the bed, avoiding eye contact, overthinking every message, and assuming the worst. But what if we flipped the script?

Behind every “scary” boss is a human being, juggling pressure, expectations, and the same desire for success we all share.

Instead of fearing them, what if we tried understanding them?

Ask questions. Clarify expectations. Offer support.

You might find the monster is just a mentor in disguise.

This Halloween, let’s turn fear into curiosity. Let’s build workplaces where transparency beats tension, where courage replaces whispers, and where leadership is unmasked.

Happy Halloween to the brave, the bold, and to every hardworking employee who is boss-aware.