‘Fine, I'll direct all managers to you’: Freshly hired factory worker complies with senior employee, leading to factory losing thousands of dollars; senior employee then gets fired

Author image for Eleonora Bader
Eleonora Bader
Dec 8, 2023 7:00 PM EST

Just because your coworker has the same job as you does not mean that they will put in an equal work effort, and that can, at the very least, lead to very complicated and nuanced situations that will keep you up at night, staring at the cracks in your ceiling — OR, if you are lucky, it can also lead to them getting fired.

People like to take credit, but they don't like to work. And this case is no different… One lady was working as a senior employee at a factory, barking orders at her coworker, a young man who had a 'get things done' attitude that she obviously couldn't relate to. Even though their job description was pretty much the same, she made sure to make him feel like he was on a lower level than she was. So, any time a manager entered the room, she would tell him to direct the manager straight to her.

This eventually backfired, because coupled with the fact she knew absolutely nothing about the job, she also made very poor decisions… That her worker was smart enough to comply with. Next up, a manager who demanded his employee work 'only on the tasks he gave him', which led to a bit of workplace chaos.

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    Cheezburger Image 9847469056
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  • 02
    A board meeting. S OC A long time ago I worked (eventually) in the warehouse for a major TV manufacturer.
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  • 03
    I was aided (in no way, shape, or form) by a woman who while having the same job as me just sat and stared into the middle distance. I was young, didn't want to rock the boat so I just got on with it.
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  • 04
    Early on a manager stopped me to ask something, I helped and they went away happy. I got hissed orders from her that any managers should be directed to her. Sure.
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  • 05
    So one day a major FU happened and a delivery of required boards didn't arrive and the line ground to a halt. Manager arrives desperate for a miracle and she sadly shrugs and says there's nothing to be done.
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  • 06
    "You've checked the logs? we don't have any of these board in stock at all" Now she didn't know squat and only had a cursory look at the bay logs and confirmed that there were no boards of that type.
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  • 07
    Manager stomps away frustrated. HIGHER UP MANAGER comes an hour later and asks me, and before I can get 5 words out, she pipes up from her corner and calls the HUM over.
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  • 08
    He stomps away frustrated (the factory is losing thousands every hour) I stop him as he passes and explain that while we don't have the board, two smaller component boards combine to make that board.
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  • 09
    Orders me to get the palette truck and get the lines going. Previous manager comes round and asks why I didn't say this earlier and I explain I was ordered to direct all questions to the "senior" worker.
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  • 10
    End result was factory got going, Hundreds of thousands of pounds were saved, I got a £10 M&S gift card, and she got the boot as they finally noticed she did sweet FA.
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  • 11
    Hempsox 7 hr. ago Excellent use of MC. Got yourself noticed with manglement. Check. (depending on the job, you may regret this)
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  • 12
    Followed your team members orders to the letter. Check. Team member who does nothing but make the rest of the team work harder gets canned. Check I believe you scored a hat trick OP.
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  • 13
    I really need to figure out how to use a circumstance like this with a current 'team' member. Vote Reply Share
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  • 14
    StarScion 7 hr. ago There's nothing more British than a £10 gift card for saving them thousands in an emergency, when it wasn't your job to fix it. Reply Share Vote
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  • 15
    CoderJoe1 7 hr. ago Typical day, board at work, eh? Reply Share Vote
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  • 16
    HouseNumb3rs. 4 hr. ago That is the standard chump payout. Factories need more workers like you... to fatten their bottom line and THEIR BONUSES. Vote Reply Share
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  • 17
    PecosBillCO 3 hr. ago £10 is a pittance Vote ↓ Reply
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  • 18
    Sabbatheist OP 11 min. ago Oh I got a shoutout at the next staff meeting and the resentment/pity/mocking that caused was fun... 4 Vote Reply Share
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  • 19
    invisiblizm · 7 hr. ago Firing the coworker was the real gift. Vote Reply Share
    via u/invisiblizm

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factory worker fired malicious compliance workplace stories reddit new hire upper management factory managers pallet truck warehouse wooden boards company malicious compliance reddit freshly hired
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