Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
Having a terrible day at work can be frustrating, overwhelming, and even demoralizing. Whether it's a challenging project, an annoying colleague, or just a series of misfortunes, sadly, there are plenty of reasons you might feel like you're a failure.
But as Sigrid and Bring Me The Horizon sang, "It's just a bad day / Not a bad life." And one of the ways to recover is by venting online. So we at Bored Panda decided to remind ourselves that the universe hasn't conspired against any of us. From time to time, everyone runs into some (undeserved) adversity.
Continue scrolling to see all the messed-up nonsense people have had to deal with on the job! And when you're done, see more fails previously posted here.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
I Work In Mosquito Control. Everyday I Go Into Vacant Lots, Holding Ponds Swamps, Low Areas, Woodlands And Onto Residence Properties. This Is Typical Of What I Find
I've lost my faith in humanity. What we do defines us and this is what we do. We are not stewards of the land or caretakers. We are a blight. We are just vultures picking at the carcass of a dying world.
#2
I Work As A Valet And Make $3.85/Hour And I Received This As A Tip
Getting dealt a bad hand at work isn't the end of the world. Especially for content employees. According to Annie McKee, Ph.D., who is a best-selling business book author and advisor to top global leaders, from CEOs of Fortune 500 companies to government officials, those who are engaged with their jobs and colleagues work harder — and smarter. But that's quite rare.
"Far too many couldn’t care less about what’s happening around them," McKee wrote in Harvard Business Review. "For them, Wednesday is 'hump day' and they’re just working to get to Friday. And then there’s the other end of the bell curve — that nearly one out of five employees is actively disengaged. These people are sabotaging projects, backstabbing colleagues, and generally wreaking havoc in their workplaces."
#3
Sorry Class, My Dog Ate Everyone's Homework
Deborah Harris2 1 year ago
and this young boys and girls is the result of feeding your teachers' doggo all those treats ..well played :D
#4
As A Practical Joke, Some Coworkers Wrapped My Office In Foil. In The Process, My 30" LCD Monitor Was Accidentally Turned On, And It Boiled Itself
Here's what it looked like when I unwrapped it.
Sassy Feminist 1 year ago
I hope this came out of their paychecks and you were given compensation for this damage.
#5
Got Fired For “Telling The Boss How To Do His Job” When All I Did Was Say “We Can’t Obstruct A Fire Escape”
"Disengaged, unhappy people aren’t any fun to work with, don’t add much value, and impact our organizations (and our economy) in profoundly negative ways," McKee explained.
"It’s even worse when leaders are disengaged because they infect others with their attitude. Their emotions and mindset impact others’ moods and performance tremendously. After all, how we feel is linked to what and how we think. In other words, thought influences emotion, and emotion influences thinking."
#6
If You're A Parent And Let Your Kids Make A Mess Like This
#7
Two Domino's Workers After Their Shift In San Antonio, Texas Today. All Food Gone In 4 Hours
#9
Consequences Of Working In A -10°C Lab Where I Have To Wash My Hands 40 Times A Day
Edda Kamphues 1 year ago
I feel so sorry for you. I guess a good hand cream won't quite do the job?
McKee thinks it’s time to finally blow up the myth that feelings don’t matter at work.
"Science is on our side: there are clear neurological links between feelings, thoughts, and actions. When we are in the grip of strong negative emotions, it’s like having blinders on," she said. "We focus mostly — sometimes only — on the source of the pain. We don’t process information as well, think creatively, or make good decisions. Frustration, anger, and stress cause an important part of us to shut down —the thinking, engaged part. Disengagement is a natural neurological and psychological response to pervasive negative emotions."
#10
Two Teams Of Builders Was Building A Bike Lane "On The Right-Hand Side" (Mariupol, Ukraine)
#11
2 Hours Into A 10-Hour Shift When A Passenger Asks If I Know About The Stowaway On My Bus
#12
I Work In A Mall With An Indigo Book Store And Found This Yesterday, It Really Pissed Me Off
#13
New Guy Tried To Empty The Fryer Grease Into A Plastic Bucket
However, it’s not just negative emotions we need to watch out for. "Extremely strong positive emotions have the same effect," McKee said.
"Some studies show that too much happiness can make you less creative and prone to engage in riskier behaviors (think about how we act like fools when we fall in love!). On the work front: I’ve seen groups of people worked up into a frenzy at sales conferences and corporate pep rallies. Little learning or innovation comes out of these meetings. Throw in a lot of alcohol and you’ve got a whole host of other problems."
So it sounds like having your suspenders stuck in your chair every once in a while can be actually quite beneficial.
#14
They Can't Pay A Living Wage But I'll Waste Hundreds On Food Waste
#15
Stayed At Work For The Storm. This Is The Road I Take Home
#16
Got Laid Off Today With Zero Notice, Found All My Stuff Already In A Box When I Got To Work
Cat Chat 1 year ago
Actually, depends on the place and reason for being fired. I worked for several years in a bank's processing center. There was one guy who was stealing money from the bank (normally if a deposit slip total was off by $10 one way or the other we just used a bank over/short slip, but he was using altered slips that placed the difference into his personal account). When he was caught, he wasn't even allowed back into the building past the security checkpoint, and the supervisor and HR rep packed his stuff.
Load More Replies...
Limey 1 year ago
Not in the US I am afraid. It’s called “At Will” employment and is not only legal, but commonplace here.
Load More Replies...
ZombieRedfox 1 year ago
When I got let go from my last job for a total b******t reason, my office manager had already packed up all my personal belongings and handed them to me during our meeting with HR. Worst part is my co-worker texted me earlier that day and asked if I was alright and she told me what the office manager was doing. Needless to say, I was VERY upset in that HR meeting....
Erica Knapp 1 year ago
When I got let go for a BS reason and was very upset they told me to come back after hours to get my stuff. But then decided it would be better for my supervisor to pack it all up and bring it to me at home...none of this ok.
Load More Replies...
Jessica Osbon 1 year ago
Had this happen last year. I put in my 2 weeks notice, which I actually let them know 6 weeks in advance that I was leaving. That gave them plenty of time to hire and let me train someone new. About 2 weeks after I gave them the notice I clocked out on Friday afternoon and everything was normal. When I got to work the following Monday, my personal items were no where to be found. When I confronted them turns out they were locked in his wife's car. I lost my s**t and quit on the spot. That was not the first time she had gone through our personal items. Needless to say, they cannot keep employees. Since I left, they have gone through 12 people for my position. I just laugh now.
Apachebathmat 1 year ago
Wow, that’s harsh, sorry this happened to you, on to bigger and better now
El Dee 1 year ago
I always wonder when I see people in the US leaving jobs with a box of possessions what it is that they are carrying. I only ever took a pen to work in an office, everything else belonged to the company..
Okatango 1 year ago
It is common in the tech industry, in order to minimize risk to code, data or IP. That said, our company always had security accompany the person so they could pack up their own things, two or more weeks ((depending on seniority) paid as well as all accumulated vacation. We then organized a nice little party or send off, unless the person was fired because of unprofessional behaviour.
Natalie Doran 10 months ago
Geez this looks worse than the study computers in my school library
Vince Colucci 11 months ago
Good for them, better than making you work and firing you at the end of the day.
James Edwards 11 months ago
My friend received a text message advising that she was fired as she drove to work 'By the time she drove back home all her stuff was in a box at the front door.
Chelsea McKee 1 year ago
I think perhaps employees should pack their own stuff. Idk, seems a little callous. Was it deserved?
Eh-non-o-mous 1 year ago
Cold. Unkind. Tasteless. Not working for them anymore: Worth it. soul restored.
Stephanie A Mutti 1 year ago
Honestly, I'd rather just go in and grab this box than have to stand around while my co-workers gawk as I pack my tissue box and snack mix.
Baleygr 1 year ago
I'd need more context to this to "judge". Yes, some employers are just a******s and do s**t like that, especially in the US. But also some employees are not really angles and do things, or behave in a way, that makes it necessary to immediately terminate their employment and not let them in to pack their stuff.
Mandy Delaforce (PC Girl) 1 year ago
Had the same. Left early to go to the dentist. Still had a week left after I had given notice. Got a call after the dentist that I was no longer needed to come pick up my stuff. They wouldn't even let me go and collect it. Found it all in a cardboard box at the reception. Awful people.
Matthew Daubenmire 1 year ago
I don't get the whole, lay off/ fired with no notice..since when do you get notified?
Okatango 1 year ago (edited)
Any civilized country has labour laws that make it illegal to terminate employment (unless criminal or deliberately harming company) without either advance notice or equivalent in pay. Usually time and amount based on seniority.
Load More Replies...
D00FINSHMERTZ 1 year ago
Most likely better off. Looks like a bunch of empty little desk spaces. At least you didn't have much stuff there.
Debbie Smith 1 year ago
That happened to my husband after 25+ years at the job. They wouldn't even let him say goodbye to his co workers.They escorted him out of the building. He found his tool box and other belongings already in his truck. Everyone at the plant was in shock.
Lisa Tetlow 1 year ago
That's just mean!!! I had a job I absolutely loved. One day I was told I was being laid off and that this would be my last day. I worked the entire shift holding back tears.
Mandy Delaforce (PC Girl) 1 year ago
At least they let you in to the office. My stuff was put in a box and I wasn't allowed to enter the building.
Cybele Spanjaard 1 year ago
I pity the person who had to put your effects in the box for your arrival. Some employers are ruthless and treat staff like robotic slaves, not living humans.
Robert McKenzie 1 year ago
Charming! Shows just how much they value people's rights and privacy, even if they have decided they don't want you anymore, for whatever reason.
Naomie Moore 1 year ago
Two words - Labor Board, then hit the unemployment office and file immediately.
Theresa Stephenson 1 year ago
I lost a job at end of a shift and a co worker lost one in the middle of a shift so humiliating.
Kate Jones 1 year ago
That kind of creepy. You don't belong touching my things. I understand they are in an office desk but you can do it in front of me at least. Jerks.
Lola Atkinson 1 year ago
That's appreciation for ya! They helped you get the f*ck out. How nice, don'tcha think?
Virginia Ohearn 1 year ago
I was off sick and they cut the lock off my locker and mailed my locker contents to my home.
Daan Achmad 1 year ago
A good reason to not worship businesses. They see employees as disposable and will always do.
Jaekry 1 year ago
After being fired twice at 6 and 10 years and now at 8 years (so no short temp jobs) I can tell you, it scarred me big time. (first was due to a merger, they didn't even know my name, second was due economics, but unfair, because I was there the longest (first in, last out principe by law) and now due to long covid. I feel so utterly rejected, while I am so loyal to them. :(
Russell Rieckenberg 1 year ago
Probably read too many social media posts of people doing things like deleting files as retribution for being fired.
TrumpsDumpTruck 1 year ago
Not sure if I believe the layoff story if they boxed your stuff. still sucks though
Linda G (Bittern) 1 year ago
I'm still amazed why people think the US & it's antiquated laws are something to aspire to. Why do immigrants want to move there is beyond me.
MongoMarcia 1 year ago
Had to zoom in. Thought that black thing was the reason for the firing. 🍆 🙄
#17
Over 2,000 Pounds Of Fresh Pork Being Rejected By The Walmart Distribution Center Because The Sell By Dates Occur When Their Stores Are Closed For Thanksgiving
This product will still be safe to eat for the next 15 days but they won't even attempt to sell it. This will end up in a dumpster today.
Since nobody can prepare for the unexpected (just the way they can react to it), it isn't surprising that workers worry about other things.
"One could argue that today's employees are as equally stressed as their predecessors, but for different reasons," said Jodi Chavez, president of Atlanta-based Randstad Professionals, a segment of Randstad US, which provides finance, accounting, HR, sales, marketing, legal staffing and recruitment services. "They fear having their jobs outsourced to another country, have anxiety about how best to work alongside new technologies such as automation and robotics, have increased financial pressures with rising student loan debt and late retirement, and feel pressure to be 'on' and answering e-mails 24/7."
#18
Absolutely Shattered
#19
At The End Of Shifts, We Split The Tips Evenly. We Had More Than 50$ Of Tips And My Coworker Had To Leave About 10 Minutes Early She Ended Up Taking All But 2.50$
Lululoohoo 1 year ago
I'd call her out and then cut her out of the next tip split..give her only $2.50 in shares
#20
I Collect Carts At Walmart. Please Stop Being Lazy And Return Your Cart To Where It Belongs
#21
OMG I Won I Won I Won
In difficult times, you need to find an internal reserve of energy and hope to help you make your way through. In other words, you need to tap into your resilience.
"Like so many other human traits, resilience can be woven into the fabric of one’s being (nature) and/or it can be learned (nurture)," career and business coach Marjie Terry said.
"One’s natural disposition may lead them to always look on the bright side or to look for the silver lining. For others, with an accumulation of life experience, they develop a resilience perspective and realize that, as the old saying goes, what doesn’t break you makes you stronger. They develop an ability to recognize that it’s important to keep going even when life hands you challenge after challenge—they develop perspective."
Sometimes, there really isn't much else we can do but endure. And laugh!
#22
Something Went Wrong With The Line Painting
#23
Paint Truck Breaks Long-Standing Speed Record - Hits 88 MpH
#24
Colleague Definitely Drew The Short Straw On Email Naming Conventions
g90814 1 year ago (edited)
We had a lot of foreign contractors work at my company at one time, we had a "last name first initial' email naming policy, I was always sure to ask them first if the naming was ok and not inappropriate for their language, and was always sure to check new names. We could also set up aliases if they wanted a 'personalized' favorite email name.
#25
Sgt. Vanderheiden Got His Suspenders Stuck In A Chair Yesterday, But Some Helpful Friends Came To The Rescue
#26
Guy At Work Dropped So Much Oil We Got Invaded By The US Government
#27
Girlfriend Works At A Local Target And Had A Family Stroll In And Do All This
Well-Dressed Wolf 1 year ago
Ahh, retail. I worked in vitamins and supplements. Having flashbacks to families with undisciplined children who loved to hurl the glass vitamin bottles onto the floor.
#28
Coworker Found A Surprise At The Bottom Of Their Cup This Morning
#29
When You Have A Long, Active Day Surrounded By People, Then Get Home, Take Off Your Work Pants, And Just Stare At The 6" Tear Straight Down Your Back End
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 1 year ago
I was closing late one night and it was just me and the restaurant GM. I was getting ready yo leave and he notices a bar towel in my back pocket. Then he realizes I've just worked an 8hr shift with torn pants. He quietly hand the towl back and wishes me a good night.
#30
Last Night Someone Tried To Steal A Car From The Dealership I Work At
#31
I Finished Rolling My Silverware After An Eleven-Hour Shift, Only To Have The Drawer I Loaded It In The Break And Fall To The Floor. I'm So Done With Today
#32
5 Minutes Into My Maintenance Shift I Get Called Up To The Public Bathroom, This Is What I Found
#33
Can't Get Into Work This Morning Because The Closer Didn't Realize They Took Home The Core To The Door Lock
#34
I'm A Night Custodian At A High School. This Is What The First Day Of School Looks Like
#35
Colleague Stepping On A Wet Concrete
April Caron 1 year ago
Yikes! Cement burns are a serious thing! Let’s hope he cleaned up thoroughly and quickly.
#36
Coworker Drove A Forklift Over A Can Of Oil
#37
Fresh Refurb At The Pub I Work At And Someone Decided To Write A Review Of The Paint Job
"You didn't sand or undercoat these doors!"
Stinky Malinky 1 year ago
They’re right, though. The entire door is chipped and looks like c**p.
#38
Bought Myself A Little Chair For When I Have To Program Robots For Long Hours At A Time At Work. Someone Over Capacity Borrowed It On The Off Shift
#39
I Literally Just Got Home From My First Day Of Work
Rob Williams 1 year ago
Scrolling thorough these posts do US citizens actually have any workers rights?
#40
I Live In A Tiny Town (Less Than 10,000) And There's Only One Road In And Out. Whenever There's An Accident, Traffic Gets Jammed. It's My First Day At My New Job
#41
First Day On The Job As A Pool Attendant And Some Lady Thought It Was A Good Idea To Dump An Entire Chocolate Fountain Into The Sink
#42
Testing Out Our New Printer. Left The Room For 5 Minutes And Came Back To This
#43
A Colleague Tipped Over 7 Crates Full Of Wine Bottles
#44
My First Day As A Delivery Guy At Domino's
#45
When You've Had A Bad Day At Work, Just Remember Someone Else's Work Day Is Probably Much Worse
#46
This Is The "Black" Coffee I Just Ordered From The Vending Machine At My Work. Good Morning To Me
#47
Spilled Half A Pot Of Hollandaise On The Floor At Work. The Majority Of It Went Underneath The Cooler
unfilteredCigarette73 1 year ago
Well...c**p..I guess slide it out and start cleaning there is probably something else under there too
#48
Cleaned My Glasses Too Hard. I Am At Work, Don't Have A Spare Pair
#49
On My First Day As A Janitor Assigned To This Area Of My School, The Rain Flooded Everything
Add New Image
What do you think ?
Canda (Cat Panda) 1 year ago (edited)
Wandalutz is on a downvote and negative reply rampage, petition to get them banned starts here. The reasoning for this is what is below me and what they did to Zara the Squid
Load More Replies...
An Unpopular Opinion. 1 year ago
Nah, we've had a handful of these, not new, they're just less common
Load More Replies...
Yuehan Zhao 1 year ago
I found the EXACT SAME pics in the same order on the fun post. Who got it first?
Just BeSee 1 year ago
The person who was a cart returner at Wal-Mart. Was complaining that people were not returning their carts? I... Well.... If?.... umm...? Forget it. If I explain it to them, I would be doing the job of learning for them. If this is not enough information for sometime in that type of situation; life is going to continue to be a abundance of differing disappointing situations. Puppies can bring happiness. Get yourself a puppy. . . DO NOT get a puppy. My apologies. They are only going to last you about 1 year each. . . Bonzi Tree
Canda (Cat Panda) 1 year ago (edited)
Wandalutz is on a downvote and negative reply rampage, petition to get them banned starts here. The reasoning for this is what is below me and what they did to Zara the Squid
Load More Replies... An Unpopular Opinion. 1 year ago
Nah, we've had a handful of these, not new, they're just less common
Load More Replies... Yuehan Zhao 1 year ago
I found the EXACT SAME pics in the same order on the fun post. Who got it first?
Just BeSee 1 year ago
The person who was a cart returner at Wal-Mart. Was complaining that people were not returning their carts? I... Well.... If?.... umm...? Forget it. If I explain it to them, I would be doing the job of learning for them. If this is not enough information for sometime in that type of situation; life is going to continue to be a abundance of differing disappointing situations. Puppies can bring happiness. Get yourself a puppy. . . DO NOT get a puppy. My apologies. They are only going to last you about 1 year each. . . Bonzi Tree
You May Like 154 People Who Had One Job And Still Failed 50 Cringeworthy Design Fails That Are So Bad, They're Funny 30 Times People Listed Hilariously Wild Ads And Expected To Actually Sell Something
Viktorija Gabulaitė
Ilona Baliūnaitė
Gabija Palšytė
Related on Bored Panda
