'[I said] "Okay, I’ll go get another job elsewhere then" and quit immediately': 20+ Entitled bosses who got on their employees' last nerves

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Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Nov 26, 2024 3:00 PM EST

If your boss is making you grind your teeth, you're in good company. The people of the internet joined together to share the reasons why their boss has been getting on their last nerves, and there are some crazy stories out there! 

Some people have bosses who just don't appreciate a single thing they do. The boss is so focused on meeting their goals or delivering a project to a client that they don't acknowledge all the hard work it takes to make that happen. It can be so frustrating to work a 60-hour week, only to have your boss chastise you over a typo or an unsent email. It's bad for morale, because who wants to work overtime if their work goes unnoticed? 

Other people shared that their bosses were too callous. Some bosses act like they were raised on a different planet or something. When someone's family member passes away, and an employee asks for time to plan a funeral or grieve, most decent humans will respect that. We'll all go through dark times in our lives, so it's only polite to handle this with grace. But some managers will just coldly insist their workers be in for their shift anyway. It's no wonder a lot of the people below ended up fleeing their jobs and heading off to a better on ASAP. 

Next, read about this person who had to tell a pushy family member that "We don't need to be around each other 24/7" after she invited herself on a vacation! 

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    Cheezburger Image 10433516032
    via Getty Images 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
    What did your boss tell that got to your last nerve?
    via u/vigilantee001
  • 03
    Agnol117 "Can't you just be late to your other job? You have responsibilities here." Yes, and those responsibilities end when my shift does. You have a responsibility to make sure the shift is adequately staffed, but I don't see you doing that.
    via u/Agnol117
  • 04
    [deleted] Told me that my raise was not in the budget, and that "lazy i.t." are paid enough, and we play video games all day. He gave himself and all managers a raise a month later.
    via u/[deleted]
  • 05
    I found a better job, left, gave my two weeks and because he was cheap with i.t. lost his website, and took him a year to hire or keep anyone long enough. His company lost millions in online sales. His company never recovered and went under.
    via u/[deleted]
  • 06
    Shas_Erra My manager was off recently and left us with no cover. I forwarded something on an email because it's something that only management can raise. Nothing urgent, so figured it could wait and be picked up when she was back.
    via u/Shas_Erra
  • 07
    Got a snotty reply less than 5mins later saying "You know that I'm not in today. Send this to [person]" I would do that. IF YOU'D ACTUALLY BOTHERED TO TELL US THAT THEY WERE COVERING FOR YOU
    via u/Shas_Erra
  • 08
    Feline_Diabetes My boss said to me several times in our last meeting "This is [our field], not therapy", when discussing projects I've been working extremely hard on. Other co-workers were present. He is known for never, ever, ever being satisfied with the rate of progress in a project, which is something I've come to accept, but to imply
    via u/Feline_Diabetes
  • 09
    that I'm treating my job like some kind of relaxing recreational activity is just delusional on a galactic scale. Still in two minds about whether to book a meeting with him soon where I can explain just how incredibly condescending and unprofessional I felt this comment was and how I never want to hear it again.
    via u/Feline_Diabetes
  • 10
    Ok-Economy9... Working 24 hour shifts on an ambulance. We used to get run to the ground often. On one occasion, we were running calls non stop from 8 am to midnight without a break. I called dispatch to ask for a break to get some food (there were other ambulances in service so a 20 min food break was reasonable). My boss. happened to be dispatching
    via u/Ok-Economy9827
  • 11
    and he denied my request and said "this is what you signed up for. Just run the calls or you'll be written up for insubordination." Mind you, I've been doing this for 5 years at that time. That's when I realized that private ambulance sucked. I was also his "Top EMT," and for him to say that, was the final nail in the coffin. I got a job with a hospital shortly after working as a tech. Best decision I've ever made.
    via u/Ok-Economy9827
  • 12
    Pigbenis7687 "We couldn't have asked for anything more from you as an employee, but this jobs going to Taylor because he's more of a go getter." I told this a h le okay, I'll go get another job elsewhere then and quit immediately. Exceptionally satisfying and the place has been going down in flames. since I left.
    via u/Pigbenis7687
  • 13
    CoolestBrandon he once told me "just do it and don't ask questions" when i was trying to clarify something important... like dude, i'm trying not to mess. it up
    via u/CoolestBrandon
  • 14
    manicjazzer I'm with a non-profit. They asked me to cut next year's department budget by 5%. I confirmed the task and deliverables multiple times and gently pushed back since our expenses scale up with program delivery and we had a 4-5% growth target on top of an approved year of massive anniversary
    via u/manicjazzer
  • 15
    events and programs planned. After losing multiple nights of sleep over it, I delivered the cuts. Then they said, "Oh great, don't worry, it was just an exercise. You manage budgets well." Lost my trust.
    via u/manicjazzer
  • 16
    ladyemippo My dad passed away. He had been sick, but it was still unexpected. My mom and I had long before booked a 4 week holiday, which now happened to be 1,5 months after his passing. It was perfect timing, because I was taking it all pretty badly. When I returned, I had a pretty rough time. I still showed up to work, all my coworkers were very
    via u/ladyemippo
  • 17
    appreciative and understanding. Except for my boss. After my first week back, he planned a meeting in which he told me: "I really hope all that stuff with your dad finally got sorted, so you can focus on work again." I found another job and left 4 months later.
    via u/ladyemippo
  • 18
    intensenerd "You need to choose between work and your family". Ok. Bye.
    via u/intensenerd
  • 19
    Amberlyn Independent contractor here we renew our contracts at the beginning of each year. Was recently told to sign the contract and return it on the spot, that it should only take 10 seconds. That I have no need to read it...... Like what? Yes, I'm gonna read it.
    via u/Amberlyn
  • 20
    Vjornaxx Worked for a guy who ran a small coffee distribution business sold and - maintained espresso machines, distributed coffee and tea for some good quality sources. He was pretty good at the mechanical side of things, was definitely a coffee snob, but had absolutely no organizational skills and was a terrible hoarder.
    via u/Vjornaxx
  • 21
    I was there to organize and help the business run more smoothly - but it was an uphill battle. He ran it out of his own home and it was a mess. The "warehouse" was full to the brim with junk and he wouldn't let anyone touch it; he wouldn't even put a trashcan in there. You could barely get to the product and he would get angry when you implied that the junk needed to be tossed.
    via u/Vjornaxx
  • 22
    He had a ridiculous amount of uncollected invoices because he couldn't organize to save his life. After a few months, I was able to successfully collect about $30k in invoices that his clients probably never even received bills for. He had a lot of small parts on hand for repairing espresso machines, but because different companies had different
    via u/Vjornaxx
  • 23
    names for the same part and the fact that he was a mess, he never had an accurate accounting of inventory. I streamlined the inventory system and based on his suggestion, implemented a digital system so he could account for inventory used on site. The problem was he never used the system and so our inventory was never accurate. When I would point this out, he'd go off about how he couldn't be
    via u/Vjornaxx
  • 24
    bothered to do it while he was in the middle of fixing something. He got a contract at a local event to set up a small coffee stall. Getting the equipment and supplies was an absolute nightmare. The equipment was in the warehouse and he refused to let anyone touch anything in there. When the perishable supplies arrived, there was no space to store
    via u/Vjornaxx
  • 25
    them in his fridge because he was a hoarder. I offered to clear the fridge, but he got attitude and wouldn't let anyone touch the contents that were who knows how old. He ended up angrily doing it all himself. When he finally got the stall set up, he tried running it - but he was too about the quality of the espresso and didn't have the barista skills to quickly dial in the
    via u/Vjornaxx
  • 26
    flavor. I watched him take an order for two espressos, and then proceed to pour then toss out about seven consecutive shots before he was happy with serving it. He probably threw out more shots than he served and the only thing that was served consistently was the nitro cold brew. It wasn't until he brought in a barista he knew that the stall started to run smoothly.
    via u/Vjornaxx
  • 27
    The next day, he bitched at me about how he felt that somehow the fact that the stall was run so poorly was my fault. I got up, put my key to the business down on my desk, told him, "Never contact me again." and walked out the door.
    via u/Vjornaxx
  • 28
    philzar Years ago, ok, a couple of decades ago now.... After several years of 1% and 2% raises that were not keeping up with COL but we're necessary "because the company is struggling." I
    via u/philzar
  • 29
    found another job and gave my 2 week notice. Later that afternoon my manager pulled me into his office and offered me 15% to stay. That MF had the budget all along. I left.
    via u/philzar
  • 30
    Chairbreaker23 Didn't tell me directly, but i heard it about me a few feet away. "Blank will do it, he always does it." Yes the h li do it, i do it all the time cause nobody else does and if i don't do it then nobody else will and when they do they do a bad job.
    via u/
  • 31
    wadibidibijj I'm in a medical profession directly treating patients. The team leaders told me I had to cut certain corners with materials and do it they way they did (maximizing profit while giving a substandard outcome, and I usually had to fix their sh because they refused to see the patients returning with problems). I handed in my notice the next week
    via u/wadibidibijj
  • 32
    dirtyloukie Repeatedly called me and my team out to the whole business for not fully completing our deliveries. Not only what he was saying wasn't true, but everything was completed 2 months prior to his emails, and he never bothered to even check. When I informed him that everything was
    via u/dirtyloukie
  • 33
    completed 2 months ago he doubled down and said that what I delivered was never shared out. I had to respond again saying that the deliverables were shared directly to my boss 2 months ago and he never shared them out!!!!!
    via u/dirtyloukie
  • 34
    tgLoki after I suggested that we can automate work and save everyone lots of time instead of going through data manually, he said "No, just do it manually. You have to work smarter not harder"
    via u/tgLoki
  • 35
    Top-Storage61... My old boss had the nerve to tell me I needed to stop making plans on my days off so he could have me come in to work
    via u/Top-Storage6160
  • 36
    itsagoddessj "At least you're getting experience ... think about all the experience you've gotten.."
    via u/itsagoddessj
  • 37
    TheKrusader Used to be a baker. One night I was training a newbie how to make baguettes. I demonstrated how to slide then into the deck oven with wood plank, but when she tried it they went in curved. So I told her to hold on while I straightened them out. 2 seconds later she shuts the door on my arm while it's still in the oven. My arm at
    via u/TheKrusader
  • 38
    this point is badly burnt, so I call my boss and explain what happened. His first question: "Is the oven still working?" 2 weeks notice the next day.
    via u/TheKrusader
  • 39
    Tbiehl1 2 for one special really "Stop trying to prevent issues. Just leave it alone and we'll deal with them when they come up." I work in SaaS software...
    via u/Tbiehl1
  • 40
    "You're just exaggerating now" when I pushed back saying that ignoring a specific issue now would make customer churn entirely more likely and likely lead to a key employee resigning... Last I heard that employee is really enjoying their new job
    via u/Tbiehl1
  • 41
    Virtual-Row64... "Your pay comes out of my pocket. You do what I say. I'm god here" he got fired lol
    via u/Virtual-Row6413
  • 42
    palming-my-b... I was working at the Publix deli, had just started in the kitchen literally 2 days before Super Bowl, I told my manager "hey I'm gonna need some help in the kitchen in Super Bowl day or switch me with someone that has more experience" she never did. (Mind you my other manager, on such busy days would put two of the best in the kitchen
    via u/palming-my-b***
  • 43
    together) Day came, I went in with my redbull in hand trying to do as good as possible but I burnt myself a couple of times and I was starting to get too overwhelmed. I asked her for help and she said "you should've tried harder" I quit right there on the spot, bought a carton of eggs and egged the f out of her car
    via u/palming-my-b***
  • 44
    xXUnicornLOr... I'm nearly 37 weeks pregnant, extremely tired, extremely uncomfortable and sore.. my boss told me to act like I want to be at work, to put on a game face and smile more. I let the intrusive thoughts win and I lost my sh.
    via u/xXUnic0rnL0rdXx
  • 45
    Moon_Jewel90 My workplace is currently understaffed right now and when I asked my boss if we could hire another staff, his response was "We'll be alright, you have me and I can always come and help you guys out". From past experience, his help is mostly non-existent.
    via u/Moon_Jewel90
  • 46
    Stag TheNag I won engineer of the year for our entire region, in my year end review I told my boss "these are the things I think I need to improve on and here is my plan to do it, what else do you have for me?" He said "Nothing, you've done everything I've asked and then some"
    via u/Stag TheNag
  • 47
    So I said "Cool, would that performance come with a promotion to the next tier?" His response was "No, we can't promote you two years in a row"
    via u/Stag TheNag
  • 48
    Flash forward to one of my coworkers (who absolutely deserves it) was promoted again, after being promoted last year. So apparently that guy can get jumped twice but your engineer of the year with no feedback given whatsoever is stuck in HR purgatory apparently.
    via u/Stag TheNag
  • 49
    elnokur13 "It seems to me that you just come in here, do what you're asked to, and leave. There's no "extra" in you." Like dude, this is literally just a job, it's in the description to do what you have to, and that's it. You give me money, I give you my time.
    via u/elnokur13
  • 50
    steved328 Jealousy & lack of gratitude.. just made me work harder, smarter and stronger. His bosses & company leadership respected me and appreciated me & my boss. would get infuriated because he wanted the credit, but fortunately we had leadership that saw my impact on the P&L which afforded me to receive large
    via u/steved328
  • 51
    bonuses and accolades and recognition in meetings and company celebrations. He hated me for it instead of being proud of me. It motivated me to treat my employees much betterin which I would share my bonuses with my
    via u/steved328
  • 52
    subordinates to show appreciation for their hard dedication & their work gave me the recognition. Made me look forward to going to work every day just to crush his fragile ego.
    via u/steved328
  • 53
    dangerous_str... Chef boss once said (I was a line cook) that he didn't think I was working hard enough because he didn't see me running around in a panic during rushes. I pride myself on having my mis en place prepared well and can multi task very well so I am not stressed out and make can focus on making sure the focus is on the food
    via u/dangerous_strainer
  • 54
    quality as quickly as possible without running around like an idiot potentially causing an accident or making a mess. He said he didn't care and wanted me to move around more despite my chit times. being excellent. Quit very soon after, guy ran a horrible kitchen but it was close to home so I gave it a try.
    via u/dangerous_strainer
  • 55
    JasmineRider27 One time at band camp ... my boss tried to embarrass me in-front of my team that I had done my work incorrectly. I was being bu ied by her too at the time. My bl d was boiling. I had to pull her aside with another Project Manager present to explain what I had
    via u/JasmineRider27
  • 56
    been asked to do and that what I had completed was accurate and correct. She did not apologise and left me feeling enraged at her stunt to embarrass me in- front of the team that I managed.
    via u/JasmineRider27
  • 57
    OtterWars0321 Aunt and grandma did the same week (old age and illness complications) and when I was putting in time off for bereavement they said.."sounds like you have alot of personal problems." Walked out.
    via u/OtterWars0321

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