Everyone has been a part of that workplace where management absolutely refuses to listen. If you send them an email asking for something as simple as a new kettle for the break room, suddenly they don't know how to read; if you try and have a meeting with them to go over requests, suddenly there's no room in the schedule; corner them in the break room that still has a broken kettle, and suddenly they've never used their ears in their entire life. Try as you might; your chances of getting throug…

Getting hired to do a job probably means that you expect to be doing that—and only that, with some exceptions owing to the amazing flexibility that you mentioned on your CV. Now most would consider flexibility to be somewhere within the realm of odd hours, odd jobs, and scoping out new and unforeseen business initiatives… However, being told to go paint your employer's collection of rental houses when you're employed as a retail manager or being made to babysit your boss's infant child when you…

Jumping through hoops might be fun for your labrador, Charlie, but it does not make up a means of effective management. Sure, it might feel like you're doing something and having a significant impact on your team, but if you took a step back, you'd see that your directives have everyone needlessly running around in circles. Busy work is work, but it's not getting anyone anywhere. This worker shared their experience with a popular online community for workplace matters, explaining how they had g…

Some employers value different traits than you might expect. Usually, when interviewing for a job, you'd make sure to emphasize how you go above and beyond, think critically, and problem-solve—yet, some employers are looking for someone who does exactly what they're told and doesn't ask questions. For most of us, this wouldn't work for us, but there are always going to be those who are happy existing as a thoughtless void—just as long as they can get a paycheck. It's always painful when you acc…

People are expected to put up with too much these days in the workplace.

Of all the many frustrating experiences that are waiting for you when you arrive at work, there is arguably none greater than a coworker who refuses to pull their weight. Without fail, their dragging of the chain will hold back the rest of their team, who will have to pick up the slack if they have any hopes of keeping projects on track and hitting KPIs—keeping the ever-watchful roving eye of management looking elsewhere and the team's heads off the chopping block. Still, after weeks, months—ye…

When you receive an offer from a new employer, you may be incentivized to approach your current employer and see if they'll match the offer. After all—as we often discuss, your current employment is a known entity, and so it will often seem preferable to stay in the comforts of the known—rather than branch out into the unknown of the new role that is being offered. Usually, your current employer will come back with what they can reasonably offer, seeking to match the offer you've received. It's…

Management seems to have a different set of rules for themselves, on the one hand, they are allowed to do whatever they want, even if it goes against company guidelines, yet employees caught behaving, in the same manner, will be immediately given the boot. In this case, OP was working part-time as an IT manager for a small company, as OP was still in University finishing their degree. OP described the management team as extremely incompetent, as they would browse the internet for personal shopp…

You really shouldn't say something that you don't mean that could cause an outcome that you don't want to someone who will happily oblige you. Retailers love to set rules and swear by them as if they had been written in stone since the dawn of time—and definitely not something they made up 15 minutes ago. These rules will blatantly disadvantage workers and be strictly enforced to the point where there is no nuance for grey-area scenarios. After all, being able to predict extremely obvious gray…

Have you ever had this crushing anxiety that you shouldn't be doing the job that you're doing? That, although you're a consummate professional, really you're just a child inside of a giant robot controlling it with an off-brand controller. You fear people discovering this secret and revealing that you actually have no idea what the heck you're doing and don't deserve any of the success that has been handed to you. This is imposter syndrome, and many people suffer from it—and in part, it's true,…

With all of this bending-over-backwards, you really could use a rewarding massage instead of a 40+ hour work week.

Having a close-knit workgroup can be amazing; it's the kind of thing that has to form naturally with a bit of time and pressure that nurtures (and necessitates) cohesiveness and codependence. The relationships you form in these workplaces can be incredible and turn out to be life-long bonds, but they can also create a workplace environment that is unintentionally toxic. Eventually, something is going to change. Maybe the company expands, or there is going to be a falling out between people on t…

Sometimes you have to fake it ‘till you make it, that may or may not include your salary. I’m not sure you're on the right side of ethics if you do this.

The queue is a foundational structure of society. First come, first served—it's as simple as that. This serves as a great equalizer of man. Every person's status is one and the same when they are in the queue—all are equals and must wait their turn. If you refuse to wait your turn, you'll be That's all well and good, except people with status, particularly entitled people with status, keep looking for loopholes to avoid waiting in the queue like everyone else because they think they're better t…

Sometimes it's important to take a step back and take a look at why you're doing something—especially when it negatively impacts other people. If you can't come with anything other than “because I want to” or “because it's better for me personally” then maybe you should reconsider and not do that thing. For one, you should never have the audacity to think that you can think that you have the authority and skill to rewrite an entire policy by yourself overnight… Add the incompetency of this empl…

Increased responsibility deserves increased compensation. Usually, if you're being given more responsibility, it comes with more stress and added workload, which you have achieved by displaying competency, aptitude, and adequate experience—at least in theory. Unfortunately, at times an employer might try and tell you that they're doing you a favor by bestowing increased responsibility upon you, and why should a favor get you a higher rate of pay? If anything, you should be paying them —they'd a…