Worker laments the firing of their 'crucial' supervisor who was leading their already understaffed team: 'I might just quit soon'

Author image for Brad Dickson
Brad Dickson • Managing Editor
Mar 23, 2024 10:00 AM EDT

Trying to keep up with an increasing workload on an understaffed team is a lot like trying to drive a car that only has three wheels. It's difficult to keep things moving forward without veering off course; things operate extremely inefficiently, and there's probably a lot of noise and scraping going on.

Of course, managing these situations is no easy task—not impossible for a talented manager, but only through a great deal of effort. For this reason, managers who manage to protect their already overworked teams from an organization that's trying to increase their workload earn themselves a great deal of respect from their subordinates. Still, despite being high-performing managers, these team leaders can often draw the ire of upper management, who regard the respect the manager has earned from their team as a liability. So, despite the fact that they're the ones keeping everything from falling to pieces, it's not uncommon to see these managers getting pushed out of organizations by these misguided upper managers.

This worker shared their experience of watching their supervisor being pushed out of their already understaffed team for literally no reason, leaving the already struggling workers with even less support than they already had. They shared their experience with this popular online community, telling of their experience and how things played out.

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  • 01
    "My supervisor got fired today and they were a CRUCIAL part of our team."
    via Bethany Legg
  • 02
    Posted by u/Platniss Everdeen 5 hours ago My supervisor got fired today and they were a CRUCIAL part of our team. My supervisor was LOVED by EVERYONE in our department. She showed me proof that she took 2 DAYS off because she went to the doctor to get seen and brought back a doctors note. She took those 2 days off over 1 year ago. Yet, as of TODAY, the GM is complaining that her attendance is really bad???? Bro I can't anymore.
    via u/PlatnissEverdeen
  • 03
    For reference, we are very understaffed. We should have at LEAST 14 people in our area, and tomorrow when I go in, there will only be 5 of us. And our GM says "we are overstaffed" EXCUSE ME??? She is corrupt. This is the absolute worst company i've ever worked for period. I am almost convinced that nowhere I go is as bad as this place. It's literally a sweatshop, except it's all adults and no children or anyone under 21. We are so understaffed I we couldn't even finish all of our work yesterday,
    via u/PlatnissEverdeen
  • 04
    just lost our supervisor (for NO REASON), and we're about to possibly lose ANOTHER co-worker. And, our lead, once he finds out that our supervisor got laid off, may very well quit. So that's 3 people gone. We have been on a hiring freeze and none of us know why. Minus the freeze, the conditions have been like this since I started 6 months ago in August. And it's only been getting increasingly worse. Long hours, overtime, not that great of pay, etc. There hasn't been any heat or air conditioning
    via u/PlatnissEverdeen
  • 05
    The type of work I do...... I can't "slack off" or "quiet quit" in any capacity. I can't "half-do" my work. I either HAVE to get the work done, like fully, or work overtime, however long it takes, until the work is done. If that means I have to work a 14-16 hour work day every single day, then that's what they expect. But at the same time, they've started telling us "you can't work past your schedule, so no overtime" Okay. FINE. Please explain to me how I am supposed to get all my work done in 8
    via u/PlatnissEverdeen
  • 06
    so shorthanded??? Without going into much detail, I deal with flights and airport stuff. I make sure people on planes have their drinks, liqour, snacks, etc. So people depend on it. Which means if I don't do my work for 1 DAY, then the entire company will start complaining, and then probably end up shutting down. Each task takes around 1 hour to complete. I typically have 6-8 tasks each day. But since I have no help in other areas, I have to step in and do all the "extra" work that I wouldn't ha
    via u/PlatnissEverdeen
  • 07
    hours more to my 8 hour shift. But, they don't want us working past 2:30? I start work at 6:00. We have a couple breaks, and lunch. So by 2:30 is around 8 hours give or take of "working". I've literally left at 6pm before because of this stuff. WHO wants to work from 6-6?????? NOBODY. I am so tired of this. I might just quit soon honestly. Oh and also, they fired the person that was the SOLE one that knew how to do a specific job in the building. So now, that work won't be getting done anymore,
    via u/PlatnissEverdeen
  • 08
    TLDR: Supervisor gets fired for no reason, (budget cuts they said) whole team is suffering because of it, as we are ALREADY shortstaffed long hours, little pay, overtime, 14+ hour days. "Sweatshop." Basically a work rant Thinking about quitting!
    via u/PlatnissEverdeen
  • 09
    Leeoid 5 hr. ago Definitely get new job and ghost old one. Reply Share . 177 Platniss Everdeen OP 5 hr. ago Oh I will once I find something I want Reply Share 39 Cat_Impossible_0.4 hr. ago If you are connected with your supervisor via LinkedIn, reach out to them in working directly for her under a new company Reply Share 53
    via u/PlatnissEverdeen
  • 10
    Delirious_Biscuit. 4 hr. ago All 5 of you just don't show up, they will either pay you more or you get a new job Reply Share 59
    via u/PlatnissEverdeen
  • 11
    Ok-Willow-9145 · 4 hr. ago Let the work fall apart while you look for a new job. If you take up the slack the staffing problem becomes your problem. If the work doesn't get done staffing becomes management's problem-as it should be. ✩40 40 ↓ Reply Share
    via u/PlatnissEverdeen
  • 12
    Checkinginonthememes 4 hr. ago Stop working as fast as you are able. Work at a "reasonable" pace and hopefully your few remaining fellows will as well. 32 Reply Share
    via u/PlatnissEverdeen
  • 13
    TrogdorBurns 3 hr. ago They used to do this thing back in the day. I forgot what it was called, but the general idea was that you and all of your coworkers would collectively stop working all at the same time. And you would elect a representative to go talk to management and say "we all won't be coming back to work until you fix the problems around here." You should do something like that. It would be much easier for you to search for tactics if I could remember that name. Reply Share Vote
    via u/PlatnissEverdeen
  • 14
    justalookin13 · 5 hr. ago Nothing you detailed says to stay in your job. If you work as hard as you do without reward you should find a job fairly easy and be properly rewarded. 16 Reply Share Platniss Everdeen OP 5 hr. ago I agree. I hope I can 5 Reply Share
    via u/PlatnissEverdeen
  • 15
    Max_W_2 hr. ago The business you work for is failing. They are trying to cut costs. That's why they fired your supervisor and are complaining about being overstaffed. Vote Circusssssssssssssss 2 hr. ago . This Reply Share Vote ●●● It's over and the ship is sinking Reply Share
    via u/PlatnissEverdeen
  • 16
    mrsmuntie Get the 63 6 5 hr. ago out!! Reply Share ●●● fenriq. 3 hr. ago I can't imagine putting up with a tenth of this before walking the out. 5↓ Reply Share
    via u/PlatnissEverdeen
  • 17
    Hammaer962 hr. ago "Please explain to me how I am supposed to get all my work done in 8 hours when it's taking me upwards of 12+ because we are so shorthanded???" You don't. Full stop. Unless someone is literally going to die if you don't complete your work, you don't have to finish it. (If someone is going to die, call an Ambulance for that person, and you don't finish your work). Vote Reply Share ●●●
    via u/PlatnissEverdeen
  • 18
    West Quantity_4520 3 hr. ago . So they're not paying you for more than 8 hours? I think that's illegal. I also agree with others. ALL of you, don't show up for just one day, the same day. They're going to fire all of you? Yeah, right. 3 Reply Share
    via u/PlatnissEverdeen
  • 19
    iPigman 2 hr. ago . This is the point where everyone in your department begins to look for greener pastures. You have power as long as you aren't afraid to use it. Vote Reply Share ●●●
    via u/PlatnissEverdeen
  • 20
    Dboogy2197 2 hr. ago Get the fact they only want you to work your scheduled time in writing. Then do it. Leave exactly at the time. No matter what level of completion is. They might fire you but you will have a solid case for unemployment, depending on where you are Vote Reply Share
    via u/PlatnissEverdeen

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workplace discussion employment issues antiwork workplace-stories jobs fired employment-discussion job work i quit quit supervisor workplace Horrible Bosses quitting employment in the workplace
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