It’s frightening how disconnected some higher-ups are from what their employees actually need. The hallmark of a good manager is that they’ll address their workers’ concerns and help them thrive. Unfortunately, some truly awful and stingy bosses are so delusional that they’re convinced they’re beyond generous.

Content creator Sam Pelissero, the host of The Shmee Show, went viral on TikTok after venting about his former boss who had promised him a ‘life-changing’ bonus. His hype and expectations were quickly dashed. That bonus, as it turns out, was a measly $250. Scroll down for Sam’s full video and to read how the internet reacted to it. We got in touch with Sam and he shared his thoughts on what happened, why the video resonated with so many people on the internet, and what bosses could do to motivate their employees. Read on for Bored Panda’s full interview with him.

More info: TikTok | YouTube | Spotify | Instagram | Twitter | ShmeeShow.com

Some managers are completely disconnected from reality. TikToker Sam went viral after he spilled the tea about what his former boss did

Image credits: sampelissero

Money was extremely tight for the TikToker

“So I used to work for a production company and half of my income went to rent, which is– you’re not supposed to do that, it’s supposed to be, what, a third of your income? I had no choice but to take one of my paychecks and put it towards rent every month, I only had another paycheck to cover all my bills and all of my groceries and whatever, which was not a lot of money. My boss would hear me complain about how underpaid I was, no matter how hard I worked.”

Image credits: sampelissero

He did everything that he could to earn more cash, but his boss shot his ideas down

“I would ask for a raise, I would ask for more work to do to get more money, and he would turn me down. So I started to drive for Uber and Lyft. The first Christmas I worked there (I worked there for about six months at this point) my boss brought me into the office to give me my Christmas bonus. He said ‘in this envelope, Sam, is your Christmas bonus. I just want to say, I know how hard you’ve worked the last few months of being here. I see your potential to be a longtime employee. I just know how much you don’t like driving for Lyft and Uber.'”

Image credits: sampelissero

Sam’s boss finally decided to give him a ‘life-changing’ bonus. But it was nowhere near as big as he thought it would be

“‘The money in this envelope is going to change your life. Instead, you’ll never have to drive for Uber or Lyft again.’ I went back to my desk and my stomach was full of butterflies because I think it’s gonna be 1000s of dollars. It’s gonna be, like, $10,000. It’s gonna be $5,000! It was $250.”

Image credits: sampelissero

“Many of us are taken advantage of in the workplace and grind our lives away for pennies”

Bored Panda was interested in getting Sam’s take on why his video was so popular with people on TikTok and elsewhere. “I was shocked it went viral but, unfortunately, not shocked it resonated with so many people,” he told us.

“It speaks volumes to how many of us are taken advantage of in the workplace and grind our lives away for pennies. Just as a music artist would be nothing without their fans, companies would be nothing without their employees,” Sam said.

From his perspective, keeping workers happy isn’t all that difficult: all you need to do is respect them and give them fair pay. Unfortunately, “it seems to be the hardest hill for employers to climb.” Meanwhile, something that could help bosses connect more with their employees is to show humanity. “Every person is on their own life journey and the sooner one realizes that, the more willing they are to be compassionate and not let their ego stand in the way.”

The content creator was incredibly humble even though his video was viewed millions of times. He pointed out that “you never know what’s going to happen” when it comes to going viral online. “I have so many more stories to share so stay tuned.”

You can watch Sam’s full video right over here

@sampelissero #stitch with @maryefrost I don’t think there was every a period of time where that much money was life changing 😭😭😭#fyp #boomer #storytime #poor ♬ original sound – Shmee

We were also curious about what went through Sam’s mind when he realized how tiny the bonus he got really was. “I thought ‘is there supposed to be a few more zeros?’! Had my ex-boss not given the speech about it being life-changing, I would have not thought twice about the amount and never thought about it again,” he pointed out how his former boss had set up high expectations.

Sam opened up to Bored Panda that he’s been a content creator for more than a decade now and has been reinventing his content over the years: from webseries to podcast, to talk show, to short-form TikTok videos right now.

“I have lived a very colorful and comedically chaotic life, so my content has always been inspired by that. I love sharing my stories as well as showcasing others. The purpose of life is to share our experiences and learn from one another to better the next generation,” he said.

“If a story from my life can impact someone else’s positively, then I will have fulfilled my purpose. The advice I always give anyone when it comes to content creation is, make content you would watch. Stay in your own lane and the followers will follow. Authenticity is rare these days and I have always found when I stay in my own lane, I get the best engagement.”

Sam is the host of The Shmee Show. “Not only do I host my own talk show, but I now operate my own video production business where I video edit, produce, direct, script write, and consult with anyone who needs help with content creation. I started two years ago and it has been nothing short of success! If anyone out there needs help, check me out! Storytelling and content creation are what I do best!”

He also filmed a couple more updates for his TikTok followers

@sampelissero Replying to @ambersecrest #boomer #storytime #poor ♬ original sound – Shmee

@sampelissero Replying to @wednesdaysmumm ♬ original sound – Shmee

Not all managers are good leaders, and it shows

Every dollar is valuable, especially when times are tough—nobody’s knocking that. But the very fact that TikToker Sam’s former boss said that the bonus was going to “change his life” is ridiculous. We’re not going to lie, it made us laugh harder than we have all week. And it just goes to show how just because someone is in a management position, they don’t necessarily know how to manage people… or that they’re even aware of what the economy is like.

Sam’s video raises a couple more important issues. First of all, it highlights how some bosses are oblivious about how to actually support their subordinates. Especially proactive and competent ones. The TikToker explained how he had asked for extra work, as well as a raise, but got turned down. So he was forced to start working another job on the side, just to keep a roof over his head and to put food on the table.

The second issue is that some managers create false expectations. They paint a rosy picture of what the work conditions and remuneration will be like. When their employees finally realize what the reality is like, it can create a lot of resentment and frustration. No boss should be surprised to see a high turnover rate if they promise their workers the world and keep underdelivering. Either keep everyone’s expectations realistic by being incredibly transparent or actually put in the effort to match the hype you’ve built up.

Image credits: energepic.com (not the actual photo)

The dollar is nowhere near what it was worth decades ago

Sam’s video got over 3.5 million views over the past couple of months and it keeps resurfacing. The topic’s incredibly relevant to anybody who’s ever had to deal with a stingy boss or a manager who doesn’t understand just how much things cost these days. A dollar now isn’t worth what it was decades ago. For instance, something that cost $1 ten years ago, in 2013, would cost $1.29 in 2023. Going back a bit further, something you could buy for $1 in 2003 would cost you $1.63 today. In short, the dollar is losing value thanks to inflation.

$250 might have meant something solid half a century ago, but it’s somewhat silly as a ‘life-changing’ bonus right now: getting $250 in 1973 would be the same as $2,816.85 in 2023. It won’t solve all of your problems, but it’s looking far more solid! Obviously, it would be wonderful if your boss understood this basic principle. If they’re from an older generation, they might have a very different instinctive understanding of a single dollar’s value than we currently do (and this might happen to us in the future, too, so let’s not be overly judgmental).

Image credits: Lukas (not the actual photo)

It’s essential to learn how to manage your boss

Though employees expect those above them to have the right leadership and management skills, sadly, that’s not what reality looks like. Many managers don’t want to hear about their workers’ problems. So if you want positive changes in the workplace, offer them some potential solutions and try to find a compromise. If the higher-ups are decent people, they’ll acknowledge the effort and at least attempt to adapt to your needs.

Meanwhile, if you’re aiming to get a raise or a promotion, you’ve got to constantly remind your boss of how much value you bring to your company. Something that you could do is keep them updated on major wins and projects (without overwhelming them with too many details too often), and schedule bi-annual performance reviews. Odds are that nobody sees the full extent of your hard work and your results. You need to remind them of both.

Image credits: energepic.com (not the actual photo)

Here’s what some TikTok users had to say about the viral video

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