Having two bosses who are each mad at you for doing the thing the other boss told you to do is like being stuck between a rock and a hard place… But, in this case, the rock and the hard place are obstinate and refuse to talk to each other—having never figured out how to communicate properly. With that in mind, you probably wouldn't be surprised to learn that the rock and the hard place are, in fact, married and own a business together since plenty of married couples are experts at not communica…

This neighborhood HOA must really regret picking a fight with this driver. As u/wra**ehole writes in this great malicious compliance story, their HOA was seemingly targeting their car. Why? Because it's a bit old, about 30 years old to be exact, though the OP claims it's not an eyesore. Clearly, their HOA thinks differently. HOAs are supposed to improve the communities they surveil, but they've garnered a reputation for being nit-picky about every little detail of a person's property. You might…

Anyone who has had a job has probably, at some point, worked through their break—if you're working in certain industries, you've probably worked through many. The integrity of the organization and your manager will be determined when they find out that you've had to finish your breaks to keep up with the workload or a rush of customers. Chances are they quietly turned a blind eye and pretended that it wasn't happening; after all, the store has been understaffed for so long that it's basically t…

This attorney moved from the city to the country without considering the consequences. It's a major life change, as u/USPO-222 writes. Social media often glamorizes life on a farm. On Instagram or Tiktok, people who act “trad” (meaning traditional) show off their relaxing, low-technology life. Some people will share their days of baking fresh bread, doing household chores, or feeding chickens. Farm life is all that stuff, but there's so much more that goes into it, especially for those who have…

Karaoke is not for everyone, and it's ten times worse when you have an actual good singer present. We all know why that is. They hog the microphone, they take it too seriously, they pick obscure songs (probably musical theater), and belt crazy notes that don't actually sound as good as they think. In short, karaoke is only fun when everyone in the group is on the same page about what this is. You can either have a room full of show-offs and legitimate singers, or you can have a room full of non…

Turn all phones off? Okay, if you say so… Phones in the workplace are quite the divisive topic. You could argue that these days, people really need their cell phones to run their lives effectively. For example, if you're at work, but you get a call or text that your child is sick and you need to get them from school, having your phone on you is the best way to communicate. On the other side of the coin, however, phones are so addictive that it's easy to get lost for hours browsing social media…

This new boss was ready to make some changes in the workplace, starting with this system administrator's daily schedule . Having a coworker who you're completely compatible with is such a blessing. There are so many types of personalities in the world that you're going to end up working with people of all backgrounds. So when you find a coworker who can make both of your lives easier, you know you've found a kindred spirit. This person had a great boss at first, as well as a coworker that he st…

Companies that thrive on shady dealings rarely pay the price. But when a business is being sketchy and ripping off their customers, it feels pretty dang good to see it all go up in flames, watching them get exactly what they deserve. In this case, a lab technician for a scammy company gave his boss a taste of his own medicine instead of helping them pick up the pieces after their skullduggery schemes backfired.

This person made their cold-calling job extra easy with a life hack of sorts. As a cold caller, you're signing up for a job that's both repetitive and competitive. You have to make the same exact sales pitch dozens of times per day, but you can't let the monotony get to you. Instead, you have to convince potential clients to purchase your company's service. For those with the charisma of a salesperson, this job can be great. However, this OP, u/Unashamed_Outrage, writes that they strongly disli…

This coworker was a bit too easy to talk to in the office. We've all had these coworkers among us. The ones who manage to be able to talk incessantly throughout the work day. Meanwhile, you're sitting there wondering how they're able to get all their work done every day. Personally, I am not one of these coworkers. Sometimes, it's been hours since I spoke last because I get a bit too laser-focused. Sometimes, I'm simply not in the mood to socialize. So you can imagine that I was at first a bit…

It turns out that when you have a boss who is constantly looking over your shoulder, it can go badly for everyone involved.

This person had the best summer job ever, all thanks to their boss who went above and beyond his job duties. We could all use a boss like John, as their former employee, u/timothy53, told in a tale of incredible malicious compliance. Summer jobs give teens a taste of independence. At your first job, you have the freedom to drive to work, earn some cash, and then catch up with your friends to enjoy some summer fun. A really great job for teens is lifeguarding . You have to be certified, and it's…

This landlord turned a sweet deal into a living nightmare.

If there is one thing worse than an annoying boss, it's an annoying coworker. This coworker in particular got promoted, presumably because they were related in some way or another to upper management. That wouldn't be so terrible if they had any work morale whatsoever. Ten years ago, OP was working in a company that did salary packaging. The service that the company offered was basically collecting mortgage statements, rental agreements, credit card bills etc., and then advising their clients'…

It's no surprise that someone who isn't qualified for their management position might not be very good at doing it—what's surprising is the vigor that these people display when doing petty and cruel things to their subordinates, wielding and abusing every last shred of stupid power they have with enthusiasm. At least in functional organizations, there are checks and balances to the abuse of power in the form of HR departments and upper managers who at least have an interest in reducing the orga…

When you make the decision to brutally and strictly enforce the rules of a written agreement—almost to the point of spite—you'd better make darn sure that you've thoroughly reviewed that agreement yourself. If you want a strict interpretation of something, you'll get it, and anything that wasn't intended to be in there in the first place is fair game. This is your game, don't fault your intended victim for playing it too. Predatory practices from landlords are incredibly common in certain commu…