‘Higher-ups are furious’: Countless company projects put on hold after worker complies with boss's demands to ‘order office supplies through corporate’

Author image for Eleonora Bader
Eleonora Bader
Aug 21, 2023 1:00 PM EDT

When someone does you a favor at work, the proper reaction should be a mix of 'grateful' and 'thank you'.

One employee was using their lunchtime to get office supplies for coworkers at their workplace, paying with the company card. They had been doing this for YEARS, so imagine their surprise when one day, they came back from lunch per usual with a bag of corporate goodies in their hand, a receipt in the other, and received a frown and a scolding from their boss, instead of a 'thank you'.

OP was told to give up the company card, and never use their lunch to get office supplies again. To be clear, getting office supplies wasn't even in OP's job description, so when I said he'd been doing everyone a favor, I meant it. But alas, some people can't spot a good thing until it's gone. The rose-colored glasses effect usually sets in the way after you've already lost.

Chaos ensued, as OP knew it would. Supplies took forever to arrive, projects were put on hold… like I said, chaos. Scroll down to read what else all this good malicious compliance includes. Hopefully, OP's boss will figure out sooner than later that they made a huge mistake. For more stories like this, here is a woman who cashed a twelve hundred dollar check that technically wasn't hers to cash, after an employee made a huge mistake at work.

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  • 02
    Font - Posted by u/Isabeau56 1 day ago No work-related errands at lunchtime? OK.
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  • 03
    Font - From time to time we have immediate needs for random items in the office, so when that happens, I make a quick run to get the needed item while I'm already out at lunch. This is NOT in my job description, nor anyone else's. Someone at corporate orders regular office
    via u/Isabeau56
  • 04
    Font - supplies, and that covers most of our daily needs. I've been working here for years and just took it upon myself to fill special orders, since I'm the only person in our office location with a company credit card. Just trying to be helpful, right?
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  • 05
    Font - I had to special order some paper, which required me to go to the office supply store. It took about an hour. Like I said, I'd been doing this for years with no issue and my efforts had always been appreciated, so I didn't think anything of it.
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  • 06
    Font - When I returned to the office, I was called in to explain my "long lunch" to my boss. I told him where I was and showed him the receipt for the paper, but to my surprise, he was still upset. He said "All office supplies have to be ordered through corporate." He also said I could no longer use the
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  • 07
    Font - company card without his OK. Cue MC. When my coworkers sent me requests, I just told them they needed to contact corporate. Because many of these requests were specific to our department, I was the only one
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  • 08
    Font - who really knew what was needed, so of course the orders got s up, and often took a week or more when they were needed the same or next day. People making twice my salary have been tied up with supply orders and certain projects
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  • 09
    Font - have been put on hold until special order materials arrive. Sometimes the items we've gotten are not what we requested, so that caused even more delays. My coworkers are getting frustrated and angry. I could easily resolve these issues, but I've been told to stand down, so that's what I'm
    via u/Isabeau56
  • 10
    Font - doing. I'm anticipating my boss will want to undo his new rule as the outcry gets louder, but it's really not my job. I was just doing it as a favor. I'm sure the experts at corporate can figure it out. :-)
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  • 11
    Font - RemarkableMacadamia +3 1 day ago Yah, I think if they come back and ask you to return to the previous favors, tell them you no longer feel comfortable carrying and being responsible for the
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  • 12
    Font - corporate card, and that you've realized that neglecting your lunchtime really had an impact on your health that you hadn't realized before now that you've been able to take them fully. Also, there's a liability issue if
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  • 13
    Font - you blend lunch with work errands using your personal vehicle. What if something happens while you are out and there's some sort of accident? No, no, it's better to keep the lines very clear.
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  • 14
    Font - In other words, you are no longer available to do errands on your personal time using your personal vehicle or to accept the financial and liability risks associated with said activity.
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  • 15
    Font - Hemiak 1 day ago They just need to schedule an hour or two each week for OP to run out and fill immediate orders. Then he gets paid for something he was doing for free, and everyone is happy. Reply Share 1.2k
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  • 16
    Font - Isabeau56 OP · 1 day ago I would have been happy with that, but now I'm annoyed about it. I guess we'll see. ↑ 706 706 ↓ Reply Share
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  • 17
    Font - yParticle +3. 1 day ago Title doesn't quite match the story, because this was more about you buying supplies. But I'd like to focus on the title: any work-related activities should be
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  • 18
    Font - on the clock and not count against your lunch, or your employer is stealing from you. Wage theft is extremely common and underreported-don't be another sucker. 248 Reply Share
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projects workplace-stories-reddit corporate office supplies malicious compliance coworkers malicious-compliance-reddit upper management materials lunchtime lunch company-credit-card
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