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IT Employee Accidentally Caused Mass Quitting After Overhearing A Heated Conversation Between His Boss And An Intern
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IT Employee Accidentally Caused Mass Quitting After Overhearing A Heated Conversation Between His Boss And An Intern

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From the very start of our career journey, we get taught that we must always put our feelings and emotions aside on a dusty shelf when dealing with a job. It is believed that feeling anything other than that energized “I’m ready to do anything” sensation could affect a company’s dynamic and, of course, what management would want their employees to actually act like humans?

Most of us are so used to bottling up our emotions until we literally burn out that it ends up leading to a bunch of issues in our everyday lives, which essentially could’ve been easily avoided. However, these days people are not afraid to raise awareness of things that make us feel less human—so there is hope that one day, workplaces can finally become safe for all of us.

More info: Reddit

A company that promotes an unethical work environment usually doesn’t last long

Image credits: Thomas Luebke

But for now, this real-life story that fits into a similar category was posted on one of Reddit’s famous communities, asking online users if the Redditor was wrong for doing what they did. The post received 11K upvotes and a gripping discussion.

This is the story of how toxic and selfish work relationships can lead to mass quitting

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Image credits: Reddit

The OP began their story by sharing how the company that they worked for at the time was showing signs of being rather corrupt and amoral.

The organization decided to cut its employees’ salaries, although it promised certain things such as a 10% bonus and an increased wage. But unfortunately, it reneged on its promise.

Image credits: Reddit

As a result, 20% of the department decided to quit. However, the OP wanted to stick with the company at least until the next year.

Image credits: Reddit

Although the OP’s plan failed when they happened to overhear an infuriated conversation that their boss and an intern were having, where the intern was asking for some time off due to a very saddening and personal circumstance.

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Image credits: Reddit

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This situation was a breaking point for the OP, and they immediately sent out their resignation letter.

Besides, considering that the management was already showing multiple signs of disrespect towards their staff, the OP decided to also mention the humiliating conversation that they happened to eavesdrop on.

Since the resignation letter was sent to the whole company, as is standard procedure for this organization, other employees instantly emailed the OP back, anxious to know what manager could’ve done a such thing.

And as a respectful employee, the OP personally shared the manager’s name with whoever was concerned by this situation and the staff realized how unprofessional and disappointing the company actually was.

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Image credits: Reddit

Appropriately, people were shocked and started sending resignation letters, which resulted in the company losing over 24 employees on top of those 20% that quit before all of this happened.

In addition, the company decided that they hadn’t been nearly cruel enough and began shutting down the staff’s emails before they left, so there would be no possibility of linking their LinkedIn or leaving phone numbers.

Image credits: Reddit

Management topped it off by scolding the OP, as he was at risk of losing his job. But the Redditor made sure to point out that they don’t empathize with him.

Needless to say, this whole situation is something else, as you would think that people have at least a little bit of common sense in them, especially when it’s someone that people often look up to.

Online users supported the OP and agreed that they did nothing wrong

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Darja Zinina

Darja Zinina

Author, Community member

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Darja is a Content Creator at Bored Panda. She studied at the University of Westminster, where she got her Bachelor's degree in Contemporary Media Practice. She loves photography, foreign music and re-watching Forrest Gump.

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Darja Zinina

Darja Zinina

Author, Community member

Darja is a Content Creator at Bored Panda. She studied at the University of Westminster, where she got her Bachelor's degree in Contemporary Media Practice. She loves photography, foreign music and re-watching Forrest Gump.

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luthervonwolfen avatar
Luther von Wolfen
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When workers "protect" management, they make it possible for management to abuse workers. OP shared ninfo that allowed other people to make informed decisions. Good job.

gerardneaux avatar
Gerard Neaux
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Entitled jerks in positions of power need to learn the definition of the word consequence.

Load More Replies...
catherinebinder avatar
Catherine Binder
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I thought it was odd that the manager would have this conversation in front of op. The fact that op is in IT cleared that up. IT workers are practically invisible.

jameskramer avatar
James016
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Unless things go wrong, then we are in the firing line. It also sounds like the company didn't restore wages after cutting them.

Load More Replies...
annelouise-bidstrup avatar
AnnaBanana
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why is it normal to resign by email to the whole company? I've never heard of this before.

blaasdf2 avatar
Hugo Raible
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Here a good-bye email is normal, sometimes even a little farewell get-together. Because company culture is somewhat sane, you might have nice colleagues to want to say good bye too, and maybe you just leave because you want to advance and not because your company is treating you really bad.

Load More Replies...
blaasdf2 avatar
Hugo Raible
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

2 weeks is 2 weeks. You want hire & fire and at-will employment, then be ready than your employees also quit at will. No one owes an explanation for quitting. You want something more sustainable? Have a 3 month notice period like here, enough time to find a replacement.

infectedvoice avatar
InfectedVoice
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My boss gave me 10 paid days off when I had to put one my dogs down a few years ago, I was a wreck and she knew I would have been no good to work and not emotionally fit, animals are family, of course they are.

marneederider40 avatar
Marnie
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Extra days, or just allowed you to use your PTO or vacation? (I hope it's the former). I got zero days off when my foster son died, when my son's friend who I knew well killed himself, when my best friend died, when my five aunts and uncles died. You have a good company! (Sorry about your dog! It's so hard. I lost my cat two months after my foster son died. I took my first day off the next day - a Sunday - in six weeks. Then I worked another three weeks straight - no weekends off.) I was really dumb. I should have taken some time off.

Load More Replies...
craig_reynolds_usa avatar
Craig Reynolds
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

NTA and here is why in 3 quotes. "You can't fix stupid" "Stupid is a stupid does" "Stupid gets what stupid deserves"

marneederider40 avatar
Marnie
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not letting her leave was horrible. As for taking multiple days off, I understand the desire, but were these to be paid days off? (I don't know if this intern was paid. All of our interns are paid.) My foster son died. I had no vacation time. Paid bereavement was only for immediate family. I didn't even bother to ask for days off. They might have granted it, but I'm a rule follower and it didn't occur to me to ask them to go against their rules. I don't know of a single company in the US who would grant someone multiple paid days off for the loss of a pet (especially when they wont' grant it for loss of a friend, aunt, uncle, grandma, cousin, etc.)

blaasdf2 avatar
Hugo Raible
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Even here in Switzerland, you get no paid time off for an uncle or so. More like 1 day for a very close member and 2 or 3 days for a child or parent. On the other hand, there are at least 20 paid vacation days (plus public holidays).

Load More Replies...
iankelly_2 avatar
Ian Kelly
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There are some management I know that would make a robot resign. It's not just that they have no emotions, they just get off on being jerks. I'm sure he got a big happy out of humiliating the employee and bringing them to tears in front of everyone. They did the right thing. I would have resigned too and wouldn't work a second longer for a company like that. Plenty of jobs out there.

csnxsunhdumlrnoghl avatar
Homer Jay
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When people and animals involved NTA, if was just a stupid boss asking for overtime and such, you would, cause u just unionize to have those perks

v_r_tayloryahoo_com avatar
v
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nope. You're not a total ass here. But...and it's a big BUTT...if you go over here https://www.boredpanda.com/people-ruining-christmas-holidays/?comment_id=8915321 and post about how you're so pissed off that you didn't get the christmas gift you thought you deserved you'll definitely be counted as an ass.

juliacargile avatar
Julia Cargile
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wish people would realize that Hell is a real place and we choose if we go there or not.

luthervonwolfen avatar
Luther von Wolfen
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When workers "protect" management, they make it possible for management to abuse workers. OP shared ninfo that allowed other people to make informed decisions. Good job.

gerardneaux avatar
Gerard Neaux
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Entitled jerks in positions of power need to learn the definition of the word consequence.

Load More Replies...
catherinebinder avatar
Catherine Binder
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I thought it was odd that the manager would have this conversation in front of op. The fact that op is in IT cleared that up. IT workers are practically invisible.

jameskramer avatar
James016
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Unless things go wrong, then we are in the firing line. It also sounds like the company didn't restore wages after cutting them.

Load More Replies...
annelouise-bidstrup avatar
AnnaBanana
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why is it normal to resign by email to the whole company? I've never heard of this before.

blaasdf2 avatar
Hugo Raible
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Here a good-bye email is normal, sometimes even a little farewell get-together. Because company culture is somewhat sane, you might have nice colleagues to want to say good bye too, and maybe you just leave because you want to advance and not because your company is treating you really bad.

Load More Replies...
blaasdf2 avatar
Hugo Raible
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

2 weeks is 2 weeks. You want hire & fire and at-will employment, then be ready than your employees also quit at will. No one owes an explanation for quitting. You want something more sustainable? Have a 3 month notice period like here, enough time to find a replacement.

infectedvoice avatar
InfectedVoice
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My boss gave me 10 paid days off when I had to put one my dogs down a few years ago, I was a wreck and she knew I would have been no good to work and not emotionally fit, animals are family, of course they are.

marneederider40 avatar
Marnie
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Extra days, or just allowed you to use your PTO or vacation? (I hope it's the former). I got zero days off when my foster son died, when my son's friend who I knew well killed himself, when my best friend died, when my five aunts and uncles died. You have a good company! (Sorry about your dog! It's so hard. I lost my cat two months after my foster son died. I took my first day off the next day - a Sunday - in six weeks. Then I worked another three weeks straight - no weekends off.) I was really dumb. I should have taken some time off.

Load More Replies...
craig_reynolds_usa avatar
Craig Reynolds
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

NTA and here is why in 3 quotes. "You can't fix stupid" "Stupid is a stupid does" "Stupid gets what stupid deserves"

marneederider40 avatar
Marnie
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not letting her leave was horrible. As for taking multiple days off, I understand the desire, but were these to be paid days off? (I don't know if this intern was paid. All of our interns are paid.) My foster son died. I had no vacation time. Paid bereavement was only for immediate family. I didn't even bother to ask for days off. They might have granted it, but I'm a rule follower and it didn't occur to me to ask them to go against their rules. I don't know of a single company in the US who would grant someone multiple paid days off for the loss of a pet (especially when they wont' grant it for loss of a friend, aunt, uncle, grandma, cousin, etc.)

blaasdf2 avatar
Hugo Raible
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Even here in Switzerland, you get no paid time off for an uncle or so. More like 1 day for a very close member and 2 or 3 days for a child or parent. On the other hand, there are at least 20 paid vacation days (plus public holidays).

Load More Replies...
iankelly_2 avatar
Ian Kelly
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There are some management I know that would make a robot resign. It's not just that they have no emotions, they just get off on being jerks. I'm sure he got a big happy out of humiliating the employee and bringing them to tears in front of everyone. They did the right thing. I would have resigned too and wouldn't work a second longer for a company like that. Plenty of jobs out there.

csnxsunhdumlrnoghl avatar
Homer Jay
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When people and animals involved NTA, if was just a stupid boss asking for overtime and such, you would, cause u just unionize to have those perks

v_r_tayloryahoo_com avatar
v
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nope. You're not a total ass here. But...and it's a big BUTT...if you go over here https://www.boredpanda.com/people-ruining-christmas-holidays/?comment_id=8915321 and post about how you're so pissed off that you didn't get the christmas gift you thought you deserved you'll definitely be counted as an ass.

juliacargile avatar
Julia Cargile
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wish people would realize that Hell is a real place and we choose if we go there or not.

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