FAIL Blog
Advertisement

workplace-stories

'She was going to hire a 'professional'...': Boss refuses to stop cleaning computer until it's ruined because her method would 'really clean it out'

'She was going to hire a 'professional'...': Boss refuses to stop cleaning computer until it's ruined, because her method would 'really clean it out'

This person claims that their boss is only their boss because she just decided she was the Office Manager one day, and everyone went along with it. That seems like a recipe for disaster! You'd think that after working in an industry for ten years, this woman “Kevina” would kind of know what she's doing. The OP, u/alas_vikn, shares that they work at a stone company (and they've gotten in the habit of referring to Kevina's shenanigans as “The Flintstone Chronicles”).
View List
'I told you that your expectations were unrealistic': IT consultant fired after refusing to work OT on ridiculous project, gains leverage when negotiating exit terms

'I told you that your expectations were unrealistic': IT consultant fired after refusing to work OT on ridiculous project, gains leverage when negotiating exit terms

There comes a time in your career when you have to stand up for yourself and stop taking on too much.
View List
Advertisement
Update: 'So you lied to me:' HR denies raise promised to employee, employee gets back at HR by canceling furniture order for her office

Update: 'So you lied to me:' HR denies raise promised to employee, employee gets back at HR by canceling furniture order for her office

This HR lady's blatant lie says just about everything one could say regarding the health of this work environment.
View List
'I have to pay for that $0.10 personal call charge? Done.': Company charges employees $0.10 for personal calls, employee makes processing that fee cost more than that

'I have to pay for that $0.10 personal call charge? Done.': Company charges employees $0.10 for personal calls, employee makes processing that fee cost more than that

Companies love to introduce small fees as a means of saving a few dollars or adding an extra stream of revenue. Hey—if you're a bank or network provider with 70 million customers, charging each of them a $0.10 fee every month is going to shore up a clean $84 million in revenue a year, and that's not going to look bad for some senior manager's bonus figure. These tactics can be employed against your employees, too. Nitpicking small costs and introducing small penalties can cause broad-sweeping c…
View List
‘You want to work, then work’: Manager authorizes overtime despite company policy, leading to hundreds of hours of OT; corporate come for management

‘You want to work, then work’: Manager authorizes overtime despite company policy, leading to hundreds of hours of OT; corporate come for management

Some companies' policies don't allow overtime, as paying minimum wage employees a slightly more humane salary is just not in their budget. Despite this, managers can overrule this when holidays arrive and they are in dire need of help. In this case, OP was working at a retail store; unsurprisingly, this was the type of company that paid its employees little but expected a lot. The holidays were fast approaching, and management knew that they were way behind, thus they would need many hands on d…
View List
Advertisement
'I want to be notified about EVERY single critical issue!': IT employee complies with demanding boss by overflowing his inbox

'I want to be notified about EVERY single critical issue!': IT employee complies with boss's demanding orders by overflowing his inbox

Be careful what you wish for, boss!
View List
'I love my job but honestly that attitude is making me sick': Boss insists on mandatory unpaid weekend "team building" trips

'I love my job but honestly that attitude is making me sick': Boss insists on mandatory unpaid weekend team building trips

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…
View List
'I'm not coming': Boss demands employee join unpaid weekend team building, employee refuses

'I'm not coming': Boss demands employee join unpaid weekend team building, employee refuses

When working in any industry, you may find that you come across tight-knit teams of employees who often meet up in their spare time, whether for drinks or a meal, for some good old 'team building'. In this case, it went further than that, as the place OP was employed at organized a team building during the weekend, pulling employees away from their spouses and families, yet not paying a dime. OP approached their boss and exclaimed that weekends were an important time for her to be with her spou…
View List
Advertisement
family drama boss workplace-stories marriage employee fired work stories toxic-workplace job work freelance in laws workplace family reddit thread Reddit toxic-work-environment - 20962565

'I had to terminate them with no notice': Woman has to fire her in-laws for making her company lose $5000

Let this story serve as a friendly reminder to never hire your in-laws to work at your company.
View List
'Effective immediately': Employee gets fired on the spot after giving notice to their restaurant job

'Effective immediately': Employee gets fired on the spot after giving notice to their restaurant job

Giving notice to a job is the right thing to do—when you have the right employer. Like any relationship, the working relationship is built on trust, and a strong relationship that is filled with goodwill should always be honored. But when you know that the person employing you is prone to petty fits of rage—which often include firing people on the spot with no prior warning—maybe it's best not to let this person know that you plan on leaving their business in the next few weeks. After all, they…
View List
'It gets ugly behind the scenes': Top Flops Hotel Management Keeps Under Wraps

'It gets ugly behind the scenes': Top Flops Hotel Management Keeps Under Wraps

With its luxurious amenities, discerning clientele, and high expectations, managing a hotel can be a demanding endeavor, and oftentimes guests have no idea what really goes on behind the scenes. From unforeseen mishaps to logistical nightmares, there is no limit to the things that can go wrong in the realm of hotel management. We're talking maintenance, issues with staff, bigger issues with guests, weather conditions, or technology failures… there is not really a handbook that would cover it al…
View List
Advertisement
'One of us had to go': Boss pressures employee to leave because of jealous wife, employee goes to HR

'One of us had to go': Employee goes to HR after boss pressured her to leave because of his jealous wife

There are numerous workplace red flags in this story, but let's start with the fact that the boss made his problem the employee's problem entirely.
View List
'I lied about how much I currently earn': Desperate worker lands a better job by exaggerating their current earnings

'I lied about how much I currently earn': Desperate worker lands a better job by exaggerating their current earnings

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.
View Article
'She is refusing because she thinks it's immoral': Boss refuses to give employee a job recommendation because they're married

'She is refusing because she thinks it's immoral': Boss refuses to give employee a job recommendation because they're married

When asking someone to be a reference for you, you'd better be darn sure they're willing to say positive things about you. Although it can be awkward to ask, having someone who will testify to your character and work ethic is really important as you're job searching. Lots of companies won't ask for references until you're already deep into the interview process. By that point, a reference can absolutely make or break your prospects of working for that company. While I've never done so myself, q…
View List
Advertisement
pro revenge engineers boss workplace-stories workplace-story manager job revenge tales-from-the-workplace revenge-stories petty revenge company engineer - 20983813

'I wanted revenge': Contractor engineer charges company $9000 to press a button after they try to cheat him

Why is it that so many businesses would rather lose $10 in the name of saving $1? Time and time again, extreme cost-saving measures end up costing more in the long run. This engineer left the company they worked for shortly after completing the installation of an important mystery machine (No, not the one from Scooby-Doo.) For some reason, the manager at the client's site kept their number and contacted them personally to come and rectify an error with the machine. They agreed that the engineer…
View List
'I have no clue [why I was fired.]': Experienced barista gets inexplicably fired after first day at new job

'I have no clue [why I was fired.]': Experienced barista gets inexplicably fired after first day at new job

Starting a new job is always tough. Sure, you might have tons of knowledge and industry experience, but there's always a different way of doing the same old thing at every new organization you walk into. You might think that a square peg would always just fit into the square hole, but your new job may require you to revolve the square 360 degrees clockwise, counterclockwise, and then on a vertical axis—all before putting it in the same square hole you always did before. Sure, it may be stupid,…
View List
Advertisement

Hot Today

Advertisement