Employee Has Lunch Break At 12:40, It Renders The Boss Livid, Who Texts Them To Return

At this point, there’s probably enough problematic managers and supervisors to fill up the Mariana Trench. Not that anyone would try that, but you get the analogy.

Or so Reddit would lead us to believe. But when you think there can’t be any way to one-up this guy, here pops up another boss with a toxicity level surpassing their predecessor as if it was the Olympics.

Actually, if it was the Olympics, many employees would probably hope all these bad managers get their own flag and country to represent (hopefully a country literally on the Sun). Especially if it’s a boss who nitpicks on lunch break times.

More Info: Reddit

They say you gotta eat to keep your strength up. But when you actually do that, your boss might just have a problem with it

Image credits: Tobias Begemann (not the actual photo)

Well, a problem not with the eating part, but the part where you specifically need to do that “on the hour”

Image credits: u/kacalisian7

The boss’ logic as to why it has to be strictly :00 or :30 evaded the employee, and so they just had to ask others if it’s ludicrous

Image credits: darkday (not the actual photo)

An office admin of two years by the nickname of u/kacalisian7 doesn’t usually take lunch breaks. They manage to grab a bite while working at the desk, bypassing the need for an unpaid 30-minute period of downtime. But since it was nice outside, OP decided to actually take their lunch outside.

And so they did, clocking out at 12:40 and planning to return at 13:10. Exactly 30 minutes. But that’s not how that works.

13:05. Boss texts OP asking where they are. They don’t reply for obvious reasons, and notice the boss standing outside, peering into OP’s soul with a supposedly livid emotion on his face.

OP explains the situation of when they got off, how much time they had and the like. The boss wasn’t having any of it, though. They snottily remarked that “breaks don’t function like that, they’re only on the hour, so 12, or 12:30, 1 or 1:30.” Excuse me, what? OP was so shocked by that statement, they couldn’t really understand if that was crazy or outright outrageous.

Image credits: jenny downing (not the actual photo)

Folks on r/antiwork helped put things into perspective, though. The issue here lies in what the policy is and if the boss isn’t pulling these requirements out of double-bun boulevard. So, this Redditor suggested checking the policy on lunch breaks and getting to the bottom of it. OP, however, doubts there’s one to begin with.

Others were quick to be technical and akhshually’d that 12:30 isn’t on the hour, it’s in the middle between them. And even if OP took the lunch break at 13:00 sharp, the boss would have probably still called them five minutes in. “Last word syndrome”, this commenter speculated.

And then there were those who would have been keen on slapping the boss with a little bit of his own medicine. Like leaving a conversation mid sentence (or mid anything at work) if it’s smack dab 12:00 and it’s time for lunch. This sort of malicious compliance might just send the boss a message to knock it off.

Oh, and 12,600 upvotes, 96% positive, a thousand comments, all that jazz. Lots of support from the community.

Now, this is the part where this article becomes self-aware and you get some knowledge on how to properly assess such a situation. It’s painless, don’t worry.

Image credits: Elvert Barnes (not the actual photo)

Indeed suggests a number of pointers on how to deal with a bad boss the right way. At a minimum, you will need to analyze the situation and identify the root cause for the manager’s badness.

The next step would be adapting to their style and setting boundaries, goals and strategies to make this boss-employee dynamic work. This is assuming the boss wants to cooperate, and many do, but if that fails, do the classic maneuver of involving the HR. Either them or other folks involved in the job.

Remember that the ultimate priority here is the company. The fact that there are disagreements or discrepancies shouldn’t stop the job from being done, and if it can be done better, it is everyone’s responsibility to make sure it is. This in turn will help you become a strong professional, and only good things can happen there. Oh, and your boss might also become less of a reason to quit, which is always great.

Though, it is important to also throw it out there that the famous people don’t leave companies, they leave bosses idea is becoming a bit of a myth these days. Sure, there is a kernel of truth there, but more recent studies suggest it’s now the job that gives reason to quit.

Folks might feel like their job isn’t enjoyable enough or that their strengths aren’t used as much as they wish they would be. And that is a question of job design. Many companies create jobs and then shove people into them, but the best managers can do is the other way around—finding talented people and creating jobs around them. Needless to say, everyone benefits from a job that is motivational and meaningful.

“We learned something interesting about those who eventually stayed. They found their work enjoyable 31% more often, used their strengths 33% more often, and expressed 37% more confidence that they were gaining the skills and experiences they need to develop their careers. This highlights three key ways that managers can customize experiences for their people: enable them to do work they enjoy, help them play to their strengths, and carve a path for career development that accommodates personal priorities,” reported the Harvard Business Review.

So there you have it. But why not also let everyone have it too by sharing your thoughts and ideas in the comment section below! Also, have at those upvote buttons.

Short answer: yes, most folks thought it was bonkers, and even suggested fighting it with more of the same

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