20+ times bosses caught their employees breaking the rules: 'Employees honestly think I don't notice when they're ASLEEP!'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
May 21, 2024 4:00 PM EDT

No employee can be "on" all the time. Everyone needs a break during the work day to recharge, zone out, and center themselves. Taking breaks is a win-win both for overall productivity and mental health. So when you have an employer who takes issue with how you pace yourself on the job, then it's time to stand up for yourself or go work somewhere else. Of course, if you're dropping the ball in some way or if there's a solution where both parties are able to have their needs met, then a conversation with your boss may actually be productive.

However, if these anecdotes serve as any indication, there are far too many head honchos who overstep. After all, bosses need to pick and choose their battles carefully. If they see that an employee is on social media for a second, maybe that's not as important as an employee who actively never gets any work done. Chances are, in the former scenario, that employee was merely taking a much-needed rest after completing a task.

Keep scrolling below for this collection of stories where bosses caught their employees "breaking the rules." For more content like this, check out this post about a new boss's unnecessary policy.

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  • 01
    "Please do try to stay awake, ok?"
    via Israel Andrade
  • 02
    Bosses of Reddit, what do your employees think you don't notice, but you really do?
    via [deleted]
  • 03
    [deleted] When they do the little mundane/gross/boring/tedious tasks that need doing but no-one else does. I see you going the extra mile bro, and Imma let the supervisors know you're better than everyone else.
    via [deleted]
  • 04
    [deleted] When they're on Facebook or browsing the web. The natural reaction to someone approaching your desk is not a furious flurry of clicking and your eyes bulging. Edit: To clarify, I do agree with the majority. If you're getting your work done, and aren't on obvious sites, I'm not gonna give you a hard time about it. It's more entertaining to watch the panic.
    via [deleted]
  • 05
    I_lurk_until_needed They think I am too old to know what reddit is.
    via [deleted]
  • 06
    baronmad. That they take extra long lunches its no big deal usually 5-10 minutes but not every day. That taking a d[ can take up to 20 minutes every time, i know they browse reddit and other sites while they are there i dont care. That 2 guys usually comes in late on monday every week and has their friends at work cover for them.
    via [deleted]
  • 07
    That they talk s about me behind my back sometimes. 1 girl that works under me is amazing she doesnt think i know because no one has "told" me but its fairly easy to see, if i set her on a task i know it will be done on time and that she usually goes the extra mile so to speak. She is going to get a raise coming january and i will give to to her retroactivly from august this year. For different reasons, first of all she is already underpaid, she is also pregnant with her first child and her boyf
    via [deleted]
  • 08
    missallis. My facility has overnight shifts. Employees honestly think I don't notice when they're ASLEEP when I arrive in the morning (I come in at 5 AM.)
    via [deleted]
  • 09
    Me: Hey, I know it can be really difficult, but please do try to stay awake, okay? Employee: I was awake! Me: You were snoring when I came in. Employee: I don't remember that. Me: that's because you were unconscious. ^ actual conversation.
    via [deleted]
  • 10
    Also, I know you're on your phone all day. I don't care. Just be discreet so I don't get in trouble when MY boss sees you doing it.
    via [deleted]
  • 11
    IDFWSoup We see it all. You just have to pick your battles sometimes.
    via [deleted]
  • 12
    k_b_r_o. If you're constantly late, don't blame the traffic or an accident. We all know you just need to get up earlier.
    via [deleted]
  • 13
    Amonbell. When they kiss a Still feels good to hear you're awesome ;)
    via [deleted]
  • 14
    Tess47. When you are looking for another job or interviewing. Sometimes we are happy and sometimes we are not.
    via [deleted]
  • 15
    D When I walk by and you're slacking. It's not normal for you to be scared to see me, I'm friendly and praise work. And, really, I don't give a s if you're slacking if you get your work done on time.
    via [deleted]
  • 16
    Who's f[ who. Seriously, guys, they're work computers. Work network. Work fl accounts. chat
    via [deleted]
  • 17
    Exactly what the loudmouths think about everyone in the hierarchy especially myself and their direct supervisor. See above.
    via [deleted]
  • 18
    And who wiped on the bathroom walls and door handle. What I do not know is who to get to go to his home and wipe son his bathroom door handle.
    via [deleted]
  • 19
    zzth22 How Janice from accounting just don't give a
    via [deleted]
  • 20
    [deleted] . Not a big boss but I am in a supervisory position of sorts. (military weather forecaster) If weather is good or really bad, we usually don't have too much to do since there are no impacts or no one is doing anything because weather is too bad. I can tell if people didn't put effort into their weather forecast and just half- assed it. It's easy to tell when someone puts minimal effort in and when someone goes above and beyond to do their best.
    via [deleted]
  • 21
    [deleted] The look in their eyes when I ask them to do something. It's drastically changed since I took over. My team would scatter when the old boss came through the door because no one wanted to interact with him. It's not that he was a terrible boss, he was just.. he had no filter. He said whatever came to mind. Offensive, condescending, just whatever. It was constant word
    via [deleted]
  • 22
    Now, they just say 'yes ma'am', and smile and go about their task. No argument, no distraction, no excuses. Just, 'okay!'. They feel comfortable with me, and aren't unwilling to do something. My team rocks. They really do. They have vastly different personalities that need to be addressed. I appreciate every single thing that they do, and I let them know that.
    via [deleted]
  • 23
    vicsilver . I hear everything. Seriously. Just because I'm in an office off of the cube farm doesn't mean I can't hear them gossiping all day. I don't mind because they work their off- but I know ALL KINDS of dirt on employees, past and present.
    via [deleted]
  • 24
    rayEW. I find funny how "bosses" forget that people spend 50% of their awake time making money for their company and receiving only a very small fraction of it back.
    via [deleted]
  • 25
    If your guy does the job, it should be enough. You are a a [to force a guy to work like a robot just to satisfy your "work standards", if the guy wants to browse his cellphone 10 minutes it will not make a difference to your company.
    via [deleted]
  • 26
    The guy that does not do the job is a completely other thing though....
    via [deleted]

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workplace-stories work stories toxic-workplace bosses toxic-boss Horrible Bosses reddit thread Reddit toxic-work-environment
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