'Manager now is not happy... I reminded him about what he told me': Boss ignores employees' common-sense advice, loses thousands of dollars worth of products

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Nov 2, 2024 5:00 PM EDT

If the boss wants to be wrong, let him! He pays you to come to your job and try your best. As long as you're doing that, plus covering yourself with a paper trail, you should be fine to watch as his mistakes ruin his day. 

Managers will talk about hiring employees they can count on, then turn around and micromanage them. It's pretty self-defeating, but that doesn't stop bosses from breathing down their employees' necks for no reason at all. This person, u/Stumpy6464, had to watch as their boss made a mistake, and no matter how much this employee tried to warn them, the boss just kept referencing policy. 

At least this employee now has a great story of malicious compliance to share. Commenters loved their story, and added that the boss was really to blame here at the end of the day. One person noted that they especially needed a better system to ensure events like this wouldn't happen in the future, since it is wasteful to let so much product get ruined for no reason other than maliciously complying. 

Up next, have a laugh at some really funny costume mistakes, like one person who was exasperated to find that their "Halloween costume came and the gloves only have 4 fingers." 

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10423241472
    via Hrant Khachatryan For Unsplash+

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    Thousands of dollars turned to Rocks. M First time poster on this sub, and on mobile. I work for a large chain hardware store. Also Important to note that I Don't get "yelled at" at work, most people don't yell at some with my body size and composition.
    via u/Stumpy6464
  • 03
    Today we had trucks drop off some concrete and non treated lumber for the building materials department (I work in this department) Both of these categories of product cannot get wet. If they do they cannot be sold or must be sold at reduced price. The bundles of wood and pallets of concrete or unloaded shortly before I get to work and clock in, (in the afternoon to work a closing shift). So I arrive and all
    via u/Stumpy6464
  • 04
    this product is outside, this is normal. I check the weather and have about 3 hours until rain is forecast. Okay it will be close but I can get it done in the timeframe. So I begin. I bring inside a few pallets while also helping customers. We are mildly understaffed today. Well Mr Manager says the pallets cannot be inside because they block the aisles. This is the issue, we don't have enough employees in my dept. to work product and help
    via u/Stumpy6464
  • 05
    customers. He is correct about policy saying not to block the aisles but we do this all the time so we can work together on product and help customers. Doing both is part of the job. I wanted a clear answer, my associates and I all want a clear answer. So 30 mins into me working it begins to absolutely downpour with crazy lightning, about two hours before it was forecast in the weather. So instead of all the product being
    via u/Stumpy6464
  • 06
    inside, it was outside, so it would not block an aisles. I normally would not let this happen and just bring it inside and take getting chewed out. But today i figured, if I was going to get chewed out, I was going to get chewed out for following the rules. So product is outside and it's raining sideways.
    via u/Stumpy6464
  • 07
    Manager now is not happy. the forklift is also outside and covered in rain only because "he doesn't like it being inside" and half of the lumber and concrete is already toast. He then asked why it was all outside in the rai I reminded him about what he told me and also reminded him about the operating procedures that he was angry with me for not following the previous times I have blocked aisles with product to keep it out of the rain. At this
    via u/Stumpy6464
  • 08
    point 50% the concrete bags are saturated through and begin to harden into just big rocks. And all the MDF and particle board is blistering and falling apart. So he gets to explain why the store had a couple thousand in markdowns today to HIS Boss. And his boss like me so I doubt any of this will even come back to bite me. Feels good.
    via u/Stumpy6464
  • 09
    TLDR; Me: * I should bring all this inside because it can't get rained on. Boss: don't bring all that product inside, It's against operations procedures. Me: okay boss :)
    via u/Stumpy6464
  • 10
    . • rain downpour begins 30 mins later Boss: frustrated and holding back anger Me: _ (. .) _/ I followed the rules and your instructions. *probably a couple grand in product damaged beyond the point of sale.
    via u/Stumpy6464
  • 11
    bornamental They need a better system.
    via u/bornamental
  • 12
    the_ceiling_of_sky I also work in a large hardware store. Yes, we do bring those items in immediately. It rains every 5 minutes here so leaving any product outside is practically forbidden no matter what corporate thinks. I'm glad I just deal with price tags.
    via u/Stumpy6464
  • 13
    Magic Toolbox I'll bet 10 worthless internet points he trys to make it your fault when he tells the big boss. I'd follow up proactively with big boss to be sure your side of the story is told.
    via u/Magic Toolbox
  • 14
    CoderJoe1 Stupidity from management never fails to amaze when it downpours to the employees.
    via u/CoderJoe1
  • 15
    fragofox I used to work at Lowes, and we had a store manager who was awesome, super down to earth guy, knew his sh BUT he got stuck with 4 assistant store managers who were the dumbest pieces of sh on the planet.
    via u/fragofox
  • 16
    They would pull this kind of power trip all the time... constantly causing issues... in the end the 4 asm's were fired for sleeping around and promoting those they slept with, which sadly reflected badly on the store manager who got demoted and shipped off... It was crazy to see corporate show up and take the store over for a few months.
    via u/fragofox
  • 17
    sweetpursuit I'd talk to the big boss asap... he will 100% blame you.
    via u/sweetpursuit
  • 18
    Bun Bun I would love to hear an update on this once it reaches the big boss's ears.
    via u/Bun0Bun

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