'Sorry, you removed my access to all those files': Employee requests to extend company access after last day, incompetent boss ignores him and endures the consequences

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Oct 21, 2023 2:00 PM EDT

There is something to be said for listening to your employees, even when they are on their way out. Perhaps they actually have the company's best interest at heart. Unfortunately, some employers are too proud or too self-absorbed to get over the fact that someone under them might actually have a better suggestion for you and for the team you run.

This thread was posted to Reddit's r/pettyrevenge by u/flib_bib, who worked in management at an international school and spent much of his employment there updating and streamlining the school's data and tech systems. However, he never received proper acknowledgment or feedback for this important work. When he left the position to move away with his family, he requested to extend access to said systems on a temporary basis so as to facilitate a smooth transition. Of course, his tech-incompetent boss ignored the request and deemed it unnecessary. Cut to a few months later, his boss reached out to him with desperation in his messaging because he admitted to not understanding the new system whatsoever. Apparently, the system is pretty user-friendly, so it's more of a poor reflection of the boss's incompetence and hubris than anything else.

Keep scrolling below for the full story and for the best reactions in the comments section. When you're finished, feel free to check out this story about an IT director who kept receiving nonstop emails from a digital software company and who decided to take matters into his own hands.

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  • 01
    Font - Sorry, you removed my access to all those files. You do have access to it all yourself, though. A Onedrive quandary! Tldr: deputy head of a school was mostly computer illiterate. After cutting my access to files early, they then started asking for help accessing them themselves (without much luck).
    via u/flib_bib
  • 02
    Font - A few years ago, I took up a management role in an international school. It included spending 2 years exploring what stakeholders wanted from timetabling, which interests and skillsets staff had and could share, establishing relationships with companies and organisations in the local community and developing solutions to include all of this which could be refreshed on a 6 or 7 weekly basis without being too onerous.
    via u/flib_bib
  • 03
    Font - The staff were quite computer-shy and busy and would need to input student preferences in a really easy and convenient way. I developed an automated system to do so and updated it after each round of inputs so by the end of the 2 years it was integrated and smooth.
    via u/flib_bib
  • 04
    Font - Then, my wife and I decided to leave the country for other adventures. On a side note, I spent 4 years building the department into a 21st century one with plenty of electronic resources to build efficiency and powerfully improve the service the students received. Every time I made a large resource, I sent a simple link to the HoD, HoF and my line manager (deputy head) letting them know about it to make their workload lighter and requested any feedback for improvements (they never did).
    via u/flib_bib
  • 05
    Font - When going through the offboarding process, I explicitly requested having access to my online resources for an additional month (still prior to my last paycheck). They agreed and put it writing.
    via u/flib_bib
  • 06
    Font - Off we went, packed up or sold all our things and moved across the world. I finally got a chance to transfer important documents/ emails and... they had already deactivated my access. After several emails and calls I was eventually given a short, stressful window to do the task I had planned a fortnight for and lost some precious time with family whilst briefly in my home country.
    via u/flib_bib
  • 07
    Font - Roll forward a couple of months and I receive an email from the deputy head. They're having trouble finding all the tools and resources I'd produced. I simply let them know I didn't have access to any of it anymore, the school had locked me out of the accounts. But not to worry, she had access to it all.
    via u/flib_bib
  • 08
    Font - Unfortunately, the deputy had risen through the ranks through social pressure and manipulation. She was well out of her depth and was used to delegating most of her job description. Simply using Onedrive was well beyond her ability.
    via u/flib_bib
  • 09
    Facial expression - It that a lot of the resources will go unused, but I learned a lot and got plenty of feathers in my cap, etc. They'll likely just have to do it manually and build up again.
    via u/flib_bib
  • 10
    Font - Gubba Monster 14 hr. ago I hate these people, promises are broken, the they come running to you for help. "Listen Lady, I don't work for you anymore, put that little brain of yours to use and figure it out yourself!" 513 Reply Share
    via u/flib_bib
  • 11
    Font - DPSOnly 3 hr. ago social pressure and manipulation Also hate whatever kind of nepo-baby this is.
    via u/flib_bib
  • 12
    Font - HoraceorDoris. 7 hr. ago I worked for a company for 15 years and was leaving a week before Christmas, starting my new job in February. There was a lot of "end of year" stuff that needed to be done in the period between Christmas and New Year, which I offered to help out with.
    via u/flib_bib
  • 13
    Font - I ran a lot of the social events and to that end I had a "cash and carry" card. This card allowed me to buy items in bulk and at a discount, but was dependent upon it being a company card, as they didn't offer them to the general public. I had bought and paid for a bicycle for my son from there and was going to collect on my way home on my last day. I left on a Friday, bought cakes for everyone, did a little leaving speech and left to collect the bike. When I arrived, I was informed that
    via u/flib_bib
  • 14
    Font - I knew exactly who had made the call to the store, someone who had been moaning a few weeks earlier because he couldn't get a card as too many people in my office (3) had cards. Unfortunately for him, it was me that was meant to be helping him complete the end of year stuff. When he called me for help, I told him that as I don't have a company cash and carry card, I no longer work for the company. Rules are rules after all! Ironically, the lady who took over social events got the replacem
    via u/flib_bib
  • 15
    Font - crabcancer 7 hr. ago Same for me. My old place was tracking clients by using a marker and whiteboard in a healthcare environment in 2020! I bashed everything using excel, highlights, conditional formatting...... Basic stuff.
    via u/flib_bib
  • 16
    Font - Fast forward to them wanting to me to go bye bye. I have a problem mouth engage then brain catches up. So ruffles feathers. Made to sign an NDA that I will not access, replicate or use the design. Wording is important. I change it to access, edit, modify, replicate or use the exact design/worksheet.
    via u/flib_bib
  • 17
    Font - Went on my summer holidays 3 months later, got a call. How does we add providers etc. "I would love to help but the NDA you know" "Oh, c'mon, we are family, we promote religion like values"
    via u/flib_bib
  • 18
    Font - "Nah, NDA." Last I check, the 75 inch was remove, white board went back up. Staff spend 1-2 hours every night writing in different colours and checking when I reduce it to 15 minutes. 122 Reply Share
    via u/flib_bib
  • 19
    Font - HMS_Slartibartfast 13 hr. ago Since you were dealing with stakeholders, were you also making SURE they knew about all of the wonderful easy system you'd set up? Love it when someone important asks about "Important and easy to run report" that can't be run nor updated since illiterate leadership doesn't understand the straight forward directions! 116 Reply Share
    via u/flib_bib

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workplace-stories toxic-manager work stories toxic-workplace petty-revenge-reddit work technology petty revenge toxic-boss Horrible Bosses reddit thread Reddit toxic-work-environment
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