‘[I'll] smile for a raise': Boss messages his employee privately asking her to ‘smile more’ in their weekly teams video call; she refuses and hilarity ensues in the comments

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Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Oct 14, 2023 9:00 PM EDT

Women everywhere are accustomed to weird old men asking them to 'smile more'. The classic back-handed diss has become so frequent in everyone's life that we've all learned to roll our eyes and move on with our day, well-aware that 'smiling more would make us seem so much prettier'. I'll smile later when something's funny, but will never do so just because a random stranger suggested it as a beauty tip. However, this kind of comment is a little more out of pocket in the workplace. 

In fact, saying 'smile more' to a coworker, manager, or employee in a professional environment might even be something you might wanna bring up to HR…

In this story, one woman flipped the script on her creepy boss after he messaged her privately during her weekly Teams call. While all of her other male coworkers had straight faces in their meeting, her boss sent her a ping asking specifically if she could give a little smile. Yuck. Scroll for the full workplace drama that'll make YOU smile (genuinely, at least) when you read the hilarity in the comment section. 

Up next, this irreplaceable employee got fired after creating a program that improved his factory's workflow, after being denied for his offer to sell it to the company, he walked away, taking his intellectual property with him. 

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  • 01
    Plant - r/r/work Posted by u/aquariuxxx 1 day ago Boss messaged me privately on Teams telling me to "smile"
    via u/aquariuxxx
  • 02
    Font - Our team was in a huddle, all on camera, and someone from HR was observing how my boss conducts our huddles. During the huddle, I get a private message from my boss telling me to smile.
    via u/aquariuxxx
  • 03
    Font - As a woman, I've heard "smile" often. It's always frustrating, and this is the first time it's happened in a professional setting. Also, it was evident that my male coworkers did not get that same message. They all looked like this:
    via u/aquariuxxx
  • 04
    Font - I don't think I'll speak up about it ever, but I'm curious what others would have done in my case.
    via u/aquariuxxx
  • 05
    Font - MapleTheUnicorn. 20 hr. ago I would have sent back a smile emoji and kept my actual face stern LOL
    via u/MapleTheUnicorn
  • 06
    Font - Not Your Mama_ 19 hr. ago I would have given him the most awkward, uncomfortable, and socially inept smile Imao
    via u/NotYourMama_
  • 07
    Font - Gnd_flpd 18 hr. ago No, no do the "Wednesday smile" from the Adams Family!!!! Yall know the one I'm talking about, lol!!! 50 Reply Share JustanOld BabyBoomer. 18 hr. ago You mean from The Addams Family movie with Christina Ricci?
    via u/Gnd_flpd
  • 08
    Font - zurzoth 3 hr. ago Or some William Dafoe psyco smile 3 Reply Share perseidot 9 hr. ago You could go all out with the smile from the movie Smile.
    via u/zurzoth
  • 09
    Gesture - 8ringer 15 hr. ago A Grinch-level ear to ear psychopath smile would be excellent.
    via u/8ringer
  • 10
    Smile - Bedbouncer 16 hr. ago The Chandler Bing Smile
    via u/Bedbouncer
  • 11
    Font - Sad_Confidence9563. 14 hr. ago Give 'em the Kubrick stare with a toothy grin. 2 Reply Share Bluegi 18 hr. ago Psh I would have scrunched my face in a confused frown.
    via u/Sad_Confidence9563
  • 12
    Font - GrandEar1 17 hr. ago That's my everyday smile. Reply Share 1 milkmaidmax. 4 hr. ago Smile, but hold up the corners of your mouth with your middle fingers
    via u/GrandEar1
  • 13
    Human body - Saneless 15 hr. ago Screenshot his request into the teams chat and say "great idea, how about everyone else?"
    via u/Saneless
  • 14
    Smile - twistedscorp87 - 11 hr. ago Yes! Make sure it's right there in the meeting chat so the HR Rep sees it!
    via u/twistedscorp87
  • 15
    Font - femmemalin 14 hr. ago Or interrupt the meeting to let everyone know that it's been requested you all smile.
    via u/femmemalin
  • 16
    Font - twistedscorp87 11 hr. ago I would have made sure I looked as distraught as possible. Bonus points if I can pull off some tears or at least look like I'm wiping my eyes before they spill over.
    via u/twistedscorp87
  • 17
    Font - DafukAmIDoinHere 17 hr. ago Or smiled so freakishly that the boss begged her not to smile anymore T7 1 more reply Reply Share kerrwashere 16 hr. ago This is the way
    via u/DafukAmIDoinHere
  • 18
    Font - Weak_Initiative_8265 20 hr. ago Will smile for raises.. 111 Reply Share kosk11348 11 hr. ago If you want me to smile, then amuse me.
    via u/Weak_Initiative_8265
  • 19
    Font - Callinon 17 hr. ago Gross. If HR was observing the meeting, they're clearly interested in his management style. They'd probably also be interested in a screenshot of that message with a time and date stamp.
    via u/Callinon
  • 20
    Font - AttomicFizz 20 hr. ago "You pay me to work, not to smile" 127 Reply Share bluesky4daze 20 hr. ago I was going to suggest "I smile during my off hours"
    via u/AttomicFizz
  • 21
    Human body - chammy82 17 hr. ago "The only work related smile I have is the one when my paycheck comes"
    via u/chammy82
  • 22
    Forehead - Bedbouncer 16 hr. ago Do the Chandler Bing smile
    via u/canva

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boss worker remote remote workers teams zoom employee hr working from home manager Professional At Work work coworkers working employees supervisor workplace reddit thread Reddit coworker smile
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