'I was looking forward to a 70% pay bump': Employee jeopardizes a promotion after getting caught by the CEO playing Pokémon Go on his phone

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Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Apr 13, 2024 11:00 PM EDT

There's nothing worse than that sinking feeling in your stomach when you get caught doing something you're not supposed to be doing. It makes you feel like a scolded child hiding late-night comic books under the covers after bedtime. Most of us learn pretty quickly how to hide our secretly debaucherous activities to avoid feeling this way, but the guy in our next story totally failed to follow the fail-safes of secrecy in the workplace, causing him to nearly lose a promotion.

We all know that you're not 'supposed to' be on your phone at work, but who isn't? Everyone scrolls memes, texts their friends, and enjoys the perks of having a pocket-sized computer with them at all times (in fact, you're probably scrolling on your phone right now!). But when the CEO is around, it's time for all the hooligans to whip into shape and pretend they don't even have a phone. Suddenly everyone's a model citizen–except for the dingus playing Pokemon Go under the table when the CEO surveys his desk. Scroll for the entire cringe-worthy story of how a guy risked everything at work just to catch a wild Caterpie. 

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  • 01
    Posted by u/Turbox39 TIFU By playing Pokémon go while the CEO of the Company that owns my company came to talk to me S I have been in the process of applying for a new job within my company that'd be a huge jump in my career. I was selected
    via Turbox39
  • 02
    yesterday as the lucky candidate and have since been negotiating the salary. This morning I show up early to work for some things I wanted to get done ASAP. 2-3 hours in, I'm wrapped up with my high priority items and clearing my emails, so like any
    via Turbox39
  • 03
    reasonable human being I whip out my phone to spin the poke stop that is at my office building and see what's around. While I am doing this, the CEO of the company that owns my company, who unknowingly to me was visiting our office
    via Turbox39
  • 04
    today, comes up to me as he knows I am being promoted to run a new branch we are opening. I put my phone down the moment he came up to my side (I can't see who is coming up behind me as my desk faces out a nice window) but there is no real hiding it no matter how quick I put my phone down.
    via Turbox39
  • 05
    Long story short my boss pulled me into his office about an hour later and he had spoken with the president of our company, my boss, and the hiring manager about it already. My boss told me he couldn't say wether or not it would affect me getting the position or not.
    via Turbox39
  • 06
    Fingers and toes crossed for me, I was | looking forward to a 70% pay bump. Be on your best behavior when expecting a promotion kids... TLDR: I was on my phone at work and the ceo of the company that owns us saw me and my promotion may be on the line
    via Turbox39
  • 07
    nismaniak 18 hr. ago But did you catch 'em all? 1.3k Reply Share Turbox39 OP 18 hr. ago Sent those mons straight to the professor
    via nismaniak
  • 08
    Batmanuel 13 hr. ago Bro does the CEO NOT know how much candy you need to evolve Wailmer? Gotta stay on that grind
    via Batmanuel
  • 09
    blackop 19 hr. ago Promotion Escaped!!!
    via blackop
  • 10
    Oxygenius 18 hr. ago If that's all it takes to lose a promotion you earned with hard work, then that company is fragile as
    via Oxygenius
  • 11
    ThinkThankThonk 15 hr. ago I've worked at a big company during the height of Pokémon Go and our lead counsel would play it (in responsible intervals) during big conference calls with vendors, and I assume she wasn't the only one in the world with a high powered job doing that. No one cared.
    via ThinkThankThonk
  • 12
    Ε Turbox39 OP 20 hr. ago Currently replying to your comments at work, I have learned nothing. Big wig is gone though we are safe 1.1k Reply Share dracobatman 19 hr. ago Can confirm, am at work and am looking at the comments. It's too easy to relax in the last 10 mins as well
    via Turbox39
  • 13
    brakeb 20 hr. ago one of a few reasons I hate a desk that someone can walk up on me from behind... last time that happened, I got a mirror and mounted it above my 2 17 inch fat monitors... (this was in the CRT monitor days...)
    via brakeb
  • 14
    Luckpast 20 hr. ago Idk man, if it were me and I just spent 2-3 hours working. I would've just started the interaction with "Oh hey, just taking a break from working on this..." and then you show him the work you did that morning.
    via Luckpast
  • 15
    Unless you literally had nothing on your computer to show that you were working on something, this interaction wouldn't have been that bad. And if you had explained that you came in early to work on stuff, it wouldn't have been a huge deal.
    via Luckpast
  • 16
    Companies know that human beings in an office setting aren't going to work constantly. But if he called you into his office and spoke with the president of the company after this one interaction, either:
    via Luckpast
  • 17
    A. You've done this before and have a history of being on your phone while in the office and not working. OR B. You work for a company that takes working constantly very very seriously. And in my opinion you should find a different company to work for because that's a very toxic work environment.
    via Luckpast
  • 18
    Turbox39 OP 20 hr. ago I didn't really think much of it in the moment to explain myself cause I didn't see a big deal. Our company is pretty great, haven't loved my interactions with the ownership group that recently purchased us. We are normally left alone. Life goes on though ¯__()_/
    via Turbox39
  • 19
    Die Dae 20 hr. ago You were taking a short break between tasks to stay motivated. If they have a problem with that, find a new company to work for. 94 Reply Share spyrenx 20 hr. ago In the corporate world, taking a break to play a crossword puzzle is completely different from taking a break to play Pokemon Go.
    via Die Dae
  • 20
    Horror_Cow_7870 - 19 hr. ago You don't get to manage your own short breaks throughout the day? Do you have to raise your hand to go to the bathroom? 25 Reply Share ... Turbox39 OP 19 hr. ago No hand raising, just have to make sure the bathroom pass is back on the wall and take it with us
    via Horror_Cow_7870
  • 21
    Horror_Cow_7870 16 hr. ago "Hey there. You caught me taking a breather. What do you do to regain your focus between tasks?" ...for next time.
    via Horror_Cow_7870

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promotion boss worker employee fired manager job pokemon go work coworkers working ceo employees write up supervisor workplace company coworker business
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