Your boss is taking credit for your work. What are you going to do about it?

Ideally, you should seek a more trustworthy boss. In practice, the following should assist:- 1) Speak to the boss, if approachable. about the matter. 2) Complain to the Personnel Manager, if one with proven integrity exists. 3) Document your work, detailing the various steps. 4) Record the time and date that you complete each task. 5) If your work was normally completed with the assistance of others, try to gain their willingness to be witnesses. 6) If necessary, the boss could be challenged to replicate the process or processes, to authenticate his claim. 7) Be industrious, but cautious when interacting with the boss. Finally, the boss's false claims should not sustain a concerted plan of defence.

Start by ensuring all your contributions, big and small, are well-documented. This includes emails, project documents, and any correspondence that shows your involvement and contributions. Personally, I've made it a habit to maintain a detailed work diary and file system that tracks my progress on projects, including dates and specifics of what was completed. This documentation proved invaluable during performance reviews and when disputes about contributions arose.

Strengthening your internal network can provide a safety net of colleagues who are aware of your work and contributions. By sharing your ideas and achievements with trusted colleagues and seeking collaborative projects, I found that my contributions became more visible to others, including higher management. This network can also serve as a valuable support system and reference point for your work and its impact.

If, despite your efforts, the situation doesn't improve and continues to negatively impact your career growth and satisfaction, it might be time to explore new opportunities. In my journey, realizing that my growth and contributions were not adequately valued led me to seek opportunities elsewhere—a decision that opened doors to more fulfilling roles where my work was recognized and appreciated.

This is a tricky one…in my experience a combination of a number of points above. 1. Document your process, how you arrived at the answer, calculation or outcome. 2. Validate with trusted external networks to ensure it is right. 3. Communicate through internal channels. 4. Write a white paper or journal. 5. Give the appropriate level of credit to others who have helped you come to the conclusion. 6. Acknowledge support for your idea by your boss. It’s basic human nature, some people will want you to contribute to their vision of success and have no qualms standing on your shoulders Expect that some people will take credit for your work, then you won’t be disappointed. Take the steps outlined above to protect your ideas.

Remember that you are there to make them look good, and to meet the needs of the company/at large. If you need credit, consider taking on projects outside of your boss to showcase your work.