Welcome to the wild world of work, where people will go to unbelievable lengths to earn a living. From cafes crumbling without their unsung heroes to bosses turned pyramid scheme promoters, these stories will take you on a wild ride through professional pandemonium.
1. I Left and the Business Fell Apart
u/VaultHawk worked for a small café, doing a manager’s amount of work while being paid minimum wage. But when they contracted pink eye and had to take time off to care for their sister, their boss got mad. Fed up, they applied and got hired at Starbucks, leaving their boss to deal with the consequences. Within four months of their departure, the business closed down.
2. She Played Me Dirty
u/madeofstarlight had a promising job as a financial analyst with good pay and benefits. But things took a turn when their boss had a personable colleague train them incorrectly. This led to errors and a write-up, even though others in the department made similar mistakes. Later, u/madeofstarlight caught the colleague going through their work and making copies for their boss. It became clear that they were being set up to fail. Thankfully, they found a new job and left the toxic environment behind.
3. The Boss Turned Pyramid Scheme Promoter
u/MartinB75’s boss took things to a whole new level by starting to sell Amway products from the office. Not only did he pressure employees to buy from him, but he also implied that joining his pyramid scheme would bring benefits like raises and extra vacation. When u/MartinB75 reported him, their boss didn’t deny it and even invited the HR representative to join. Needless to say, he was swiftly escorted out of the door.
4. Our Friendship Turned Frosty after a Promotion
u/Matopus had a friendly relationship with a coworker who later got promoted to head chef in the kitchen where they both worked. However, things took a turn for the worse as the newly promoted head chef became lazy and started ignoring responsibilities. To make matters worse, they started dating the building manager’s daughter and used the relationship to avoid consequences. When u/Matopus’s partner went into labor, the head chef showed a complete lack of empathy and even wrote them up for missing shifts. Enough was enough, and u/Matopus quit, finding a new job soon after.
5. I Typed and Signed My Own Warning Letter, Courtesy of My Boss
Working for a boss like u/knockinbootz’s was a rollercoaster of emotions. One minute, the boss would sing praises, and the next, they would tear them down until they were in tears. The boss had a habit of changing their expectations and blamed u/knockinbootz for falling behind on filing. To make matters worse, the boss dictated a threatening letter, forced u/knockinbootz to type it, and then signed it themselves. This toxic environment finally led to u/knockinbootz finding a way out.
6. She Acted Friendly to Others and Mean to Me
u/sowhatsoplenty’s experience as a bartender turned into a nightmare when they were assigned to be a waitress instead. The female manager constantly shouted at them and made them feel incompetent. Meanwhile, a male coworker with no bartending experience was allowed to work behind the bar with minimal supervision. When u/sowhatsoplenty tried to help the coworker, the manager erupted in anger and embarrassed them in front of everyone. They were eventually fired based on feedback from the female manager, while everyone else seemed to adore her.
7. My Boss Is a Monster!
One expectant mother, u/anonymous, experienced sheer disbelief when their boss accused them of faking illness while they were in excruciating pain. The situation escalated when the boss went to the hospital to demand the medical record from the doctor. To everyone’s shock, the boss burst into the room yelling that u/anonymous was not pregnant and needed immediate medical attention. Fortunately, u/anonymous’s husband intervened, and the boss ended up being taken away by the police for unrelated fraudulent activities. Justice was served, and u/anonymous could finally move on.
These stories may seem unbelievable, but they underscore the weird and sometimes outrageous realities of the working world. Cheers to the rollercoaster ride of employment, where every day is an episode in the greatest, most bewildering series we’re all part of.
