Boss Bans Employee From Covering For Coworkers To Avoid Giving A Raise, Regrets It 5 Years Later

Your value in the workforce and a company can be different, so you need to spend some time with the same employer to learn how the business operates and the true size of your contribution.

When the Reddit user we’re focusing on today reached that point, they asked their superior for a raise. Their main bargaining chip was that they could cover for two other positions simultaneously, something no one else in the department was capable of.

And while the boss reassured them that it wouldn’t be needed ever again, they didn’t take any action to enact the change, so it was only a matter of time before their words came back to bite them in the butt.

Companies go out of their way not to give you a raise

Boss Bans Employee From Covering For Coworkers To Avoid Giving A Raise, Regrets It 5 Years Later

Image credits: drazenphoto / envatoelements (not the actual photo)

But this one may have gone a little too far

Boss Bans Employee From Covering For Coworkers To Avoid Giving A Raise, Regrets It 5 Years Later

Image credits: YuriArcursPeopleimages / envatoelements (not the actual photo)

Boss Bans Employee From Covering For Coworkers To Avoid Giving A Raise, Regrets It 5 Years Later

Image credits: TheMurderedGirdle

Corporate inaction after employee feedback is depressingly common

Boss Bans Employee From Covering For Coworkers To Avoid Giving A Raise, Regrets It 5 Years Later

Image credits: BGStock72 / envatoelements (not the actual photo)

First of all, props to the author of the post for mustering up the courage and making the trip to the boss’s office. A 2023 survey of 1,000 American employees found that over 80% of them feel entitled to a raise, but only 60% intend to ask for it because many are unsure how to approach the conversation (32%) and fear rejection (28%).

But while they were given a higher salary, it sounds like the manager failed to do anything about the feedback they received on company structure and potential scheduling risks. This is actually a common problem.

Another survey of nearly 3,500 employees from 2023 discovered that those who report being energized and excited about their work are 31% more likely to stay at their organization, 31% more likely to go above and beyond, and contribute 15% more. The findings also revealed one of the main issues impacting engagement was employee dissatisfaction with what happens after they provide feedback on their experience of their employer and workplace—only one-third of employees believe their organization will act on their feedback, while 46% of employees wish their organization did more to address employee feedback.

In other words, when employees share feedback, they often see no action, and that quickly leads to frustration and lower motivation. Hopefully, the Redditor’s boss will use this experience as a learning opportunity, for their and their colleague’s sake.

People who read the story had a lot of reactions to it

Boss Bans Employee From Covering For Coworkers To Avoid Giving A Raise, Regrets It 5 Years Later

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Rokas is a writer at Bored Panda with a BA in Communication. After working for a sculptor, he fell in love with visual storytelling and enjoys covering everything from TV shows (any Sopranos fans out there?) to photography. Throughout his years in Bored Panda, over 300 million people have read the posts he's written, which is probably more than he could count to.

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I'm a visual editor here at Bored Panda and I enjoy a good laugh. My work ranges from serious topics related to toxic work environments and relationship difficulties to humorous articles about online shopping fails and introvert memes. When I'm not at my work desk, checking if every single pixel is in the right place, I usually spend my free time playing board games, taking pictures, and watching documentaries

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What do you think ?

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KatSaidWhat 5 days ago

I once realised my boss was doing tax evasion and covered my a*s before letting him know he had screwed up. I backed up the email immediately and bcc'd my gmail address because if it ever came down to it, I was not going down with him as complicit. He moved away, sold the client list to someone else, I got "sold" with it acrimoniously becuase he tried to swerve redundancy. A year later he got really vindictive and personal because he thought he was being cheated out of commission (he wasn't). I forwarded that email to him and told him if he came for me again, I would have his (medical) licence suspended. He tore a new one into my new boss who hated him too. When he asked, I said I couldn't tell him as I was complicit and it could open legal issues - he said he would cover lawyer fees so I told him. Suddenly he had leverage. Guy never came for me again but did manage to block a job offer by giving me a bad reference. I got an apology a couple of months later from the guy who ...

2points

KatSaidWhat 5 days ago

... didn't hire me because he realised what a prick the old guy was and that he had lost a really good candidate.

3points

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pep Ito 5 days ago

I keep all my work-related emails. On one occasion I managed to get a colleague paid all the variable that had been taken away from him because of losses incurred on a project he was supposed to be managing. Two years ago all the projects changed project managers, including this one, and he was notified by mail but for some reason it was not reflected in the company's systems. Once it was cleared up, my colleague got the variable back and the current project manager was left without it. Moral of the story. Never get rid of all work emails until you retire. You'll never know when they will come in handy.

2points

Mike m 4 days ago

The one comment had a point that maybe things changed. I would have worked it and then brought it up again the my next review that once again I am the only one who can cover for both.

0points

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KatSaidWhat 5 days ago

2points

KatSaidWhat 5 days ago

... didn't hire me because he realised what a prick the old guy was and that he had lost a really good candidate.

3points

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pep Ito 5 days ago

2points

Mike m 4 days ago

The one comment had a point that maybe things changed. I would have worked it and then brought it up again the my next review that once again I am the only one who can cover for both.

0points

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Boss Bans Employee From Covering For Coworkers To Avoid Giving A Raise, Regrets It 5 Years Later

Companies go out of their way not to give you a raise

But this one may have gone a little too far

Corporate inaction after employee feedback is depressingly common

People who read the story had a lot of reactions to it

Progress:

Thanks! Check out the results:

View alternative results:

Rokas Laurinavičius

Rokas Laurinavičius

Viktorija Ošikaitė

Viktorija Ošikaitė