A bad boss can make or break a job. Far too many employers don’t know how to lead, treat their employees poorly, and expect workers to bend over backward to meet their demands.
There was a time when workers felt they had no choice but to take it. However, in recent years, they’ve been fighting back against toxic work environments.
While scrolling through the popular subreddit R/Antiwork on Reddit, I stumbled across a post where a user shared that they quit their job after a rude threat from their supervisor. Users in the resulting thread shared their stories of refusing ridiculous demands, showcasing that when we fight back, we can get results.
The Original Story
The thread started with the Original Poster (OP) sharing the spectacular way in which they quit their job.
“My supervisor told me today that he could have another person ready to take my job an hour after I left if need be,” they began, “So I said, “Start the timer,” And I left.”
The user explained that they started the conversation during a break in front of their coworkers, so everyone in the company got to witness the glorious retort. They also said the initial inquiry was over a raise they were promised, which makes the boss’s response even more horrifying.
Insta-Regret
Later in the thread, the OP shared that they’re a welder, a highly sought-after trade, and the boss has been putting the raise discussion off for at least a month.
The boss instantly regretted their decision. “He spammed my phone my 10 min car ride home with texts and calls wanting me to “come talk about it” and not to “make rash decisions,” Op shared, snarking, “but I thought I was oh so replaceable?”
The story received 90 thousand upvotes and was showered with various awards. It also prompted others to share their stories.
“Do It”
Another user had a similar story.
“My boss once told me could fire me and replace me with two people for the same price. Do it,” they responded. “He didn’t do it.”
Bosses often feel like they have all the power but realize quickly their business would fail without employees.
Panda Express
Another user shared their story about a horrible manager who helped the fast food chain Panda Express gain quality employees.
I had a manager that held a stack of applications for Panda Express and would give them to people if they complained about their job. Funnily enough, Panda Express paid more than we got paid at the time.”
The user continued to say that the manager was forced out of the company after too many employees jumped ship to work at Panda Express.
Replaceable Huh?
Sometimes bosses don’t really understand who keeps a company running. One user shared their story of quitting after a meeting where the boss told everyone they were replaceable.
“We had a staff meeting, and my boss said everyone is replaceable,” they shared. “I did 90% of the work in that office. And everyone, including him, knew it. That meeting was on a Friday and Monday morning. I walked into his office and quit. Got messages from co-workers saying he was scrambling.”
Bosses should take note not to insult the people keeping their companies afloat.
Bosses’ Bad Decisions Forces Companies to Pay More
Numerous employees shared their stories about quitting after asking for a raise. In most cases, the company couldn’t find a single employee to replace them and shell out even more money to hire numerous positions to fill the role.
“I asked my boss to hire more people as I worked nearly 10 hours a day without real breaks,” shared one user, adding that the boss kept telling them “he’s searching for someone.” After over a year with no recourse, the employee quit. “My old position is now filled by 3 people and an assistant. I work normal hours now, make more money, have more days off, and can chill at work sometimes,” they remarked.
In other instances, companies couldn’t find qualified applicants at the asking price, so they hired underqualified workers who couldn’t keep up with the workload.
More People Need to Stand Up for Themselves
“The more people do this, the faster these terrible bosses will learn.” commented one user.
The OP agreed, saying, “This is exactly why I do it.” OP then shared their motivation, watching their parents give everything to a company for no reason.
“I watched my parents slave away for corporations because they felt like they didn’t have a choice, watched them get run over when it came to promotions. I will not be humiliated in front of my co-workers, I will not make less than I deem I’m worth, and I will ask for a raise every damn month if I want. I do not work for the company; I work for myself, and the second you start screwing me, I’ll drop you faster than they can say, “right to work state.” They added.
Shifting Work Culture is Good for Everyone
Although the R/antiwork community gets a bad reputation because “no one wants to work anymore,” the truth is that people no longer want to be exploited at work.
As this thread shows, people want to work. However, they want to be treated fairly, paid suitable wages, and have a work-life balance. It doesn’t have to be either/or. We can have both.
The more workers stand up for themselves, as this Reddit user did, the more likely our work culture will shift to the benefit of employees.
Melanie Allen is an American journalist and happiness expert. She has bylines on MSN, the AP News Wire, Wealth of Geeks, Media Decision, and numerous media outlets across the nation. She covers a wide range of topics centered around self-actualization and the quest for a fulfilling life.