They say workers don’t leave their jobs; they leave managers. A horrible boss can make or break a workplace, and some so-called leaders are so exceptionally awful workers tell them off in spectacular fashion.
While scrolling through my favorite sub on Reddit, r/askreddit, I found a delightfully entertaining thread asking users to share the best ways they’ve given a final *ahem* “F-U” to an awful supervisor.
Grab your popcorn and enjoy the fabulous ways workers fight back.
No Schedule, No Worker
One Redditor shared a frustrating tale of attempting to work at a daycare facility. They interviewed and were told they’d receive a text over the weekend with their hours.
Naturally, the text never came, but they received a call at 10 am on Monday asking them to come in at 11. They ignored it and again asked for a schedule.
The last-minute calls continued throughout the week until they finally had enough.
“I tell her I’ll stop in to get my check by the end of the week because she can’t respect my time and lied on the ad about being full-time,” the user stated, adding, “Also, I am not getting paid to be on call.”
All the Employees Leave
Companies must take care of their employees, or they’ll soon find themselves without workers. One user shared that after leaving an awful company, most other employees followed, including their previous manager and a few key developers.
The original company couldn’t function without these essential workers and soon went under.
Others commented that similar things happened at their companies. “That will teach them not to overwork their staff and underpay them,” said one.
Where’s that Smell Coming from?
One Redditor shared a particularly nefarious going away present they gave their boss.
“I taped a piece of fish to the back of his desk, which was up against a wall,” they said. The user added that it took nearly a month for the manager to find the source of the nasty smell.
Leaving a rotting fish to stink up a workspace is the ultimate diss.
Not Showing Up to “Final” Shifts
Managers short on staff often expect former employees to cover. Numerous Redditors shared stories of quitting a horrible job, then being asked to come in and cover a shift.
Of course, workers scoff at these ridiculous requests and leave the managers hanging at the essential shift.
These stories showcase two marks of a horrible boss: they don’t hire enough employees to cover shifts, and they’re so bad at leading that the employees they hire leave as quickly as possible.
Ruining the Weekend
One user shared that they gave an employer extra time after quitting, only to be strung along.
“I quit. They begged so I agreed to stay while they hired someone for me to train up,” they shared. The user continued to say that the company ignored the promise and didn’t follow through on hiring a replacement.
After months of asking and waiting, they quit on a Friday night without warning. “ I guarantee that ruined several people’s weekends – probably right up to the CIO level since he was the one who convinced me to stay on “while they hired a replacement,” they added.
Bye Bye Keys
A construction superintendent had had enough of horrible bosses who refused to implement OSHA safety standards and constantly threw them under the bus for their failures.
“One evening, on a whim – I restored my laptop, tablet, and phone to factory settings,” they shared. Then, after sending a goodbye nasty gram, they “tossed the keys into a retention pond.”
The user shared they got an offer at a different company within four hours and never looked back.
Exposing Personal Secrets
One worker was so fed up with horrible treatment from their boss that they blew up her personal life on the way out the door.
The user shared that they knew their boss was working towards leaving her husband “Because I found it on a numbered to-do list on top of her desk.”
Weird that she’d leave it out in the open, but the employee took the opportunity to gather the evidence, taking a photo of the note.
After being mistreated for the last time, “I sent the photo to her husband, copied her, and wrote, “For your records” in the subject line,” the user shared.
Refusing to Train
Bosses do everything possible to squeeze more from workers while paying them less. One Redditor shared that her boss tried to demote her after she expressed that she needed help keeping up with her workload.
The user explained that her boss “pulls me into his office and goes, “We don’t really think you’re a good fit for this position, but you’re a bright young lady, and we’d hate to lose you. I’m giving you the option to stay and be my secretary. You have until 7 am tomorrow to decide.”
She quit, of course, causing her boss to backpedal immediately. As it turns out, she’s the only person in the county certified to do her job.
“He asked if I could stay 2 more weeks to train a new person, and I told him no. What if we paid you a consultation fee? No. But you’re the only person in the county certified! Should have thought of that earlier,” she shrugged.
I’m Keeping the Apron
Workers at a luxury French Cafe received fancy aprons as part of their uniform. One user said they quit after dealing with a horrible manager but kept the apron.
“One day, he pulled me off the floor (where I earned tips as a server) and made me polish silver for hours. He kept returning & throwing every second piece back at me, telling me to do it over. Kept saying “missed a spot,” the user shared, highlighting the awful way the manager treated them.
“So I walked out . . . and kept the apron. I kept the beautiful black apron with the embroidered logo and still wear it when I cook today,” they said.
The user added that the owner begged them to return, but they refused, but not before sharing that the manager wasn’t cut out to lead.
Leaving a Tip
One user shared that after they were wrongfully dismissed, they charged a massive amount of money on their not-yet-disabled company card.
“Took the taxi home after being wrongfully dismissed,” they shared. “Tipped the taxi drive $250 on company expense.”
Companies should revoke access to accounts immediately upon letting someone go; when they don’t, they can find themselves with unexpected costs. It’s illegal in the US to take these charges off someone’s paycheck, so their only recourse would be legal action, which is often more costly than it’s worth.
Spectacular Quitting Stories
Have you ever quit a job in spectacular fashion? Perhaps you wanted to, and these stories can help you live vicariously through those who had enough.
We hope you enjoyed the selection of stories from people getting back at their horrible bosses, even if you don’t agree with all the methods.
Source: Reddit