'[Boss] lasted maybe 10 minutes before he couldn't take it anymore': Manager forces employee to run machines constantly, employee maliciously complies and lets hundreds of orders pile up

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Dec 6, 2024 5:00 PM EST

The best way to comply with your boss's silliest orders is to do things exactly as they insist. It almost allows you, as their employee, to allow them to see the errors of their ways, without actually getting any flack for it. 

In many cases, working for a bad boss can totally be a double-edged sword. There are plenty of managerial types who want it both ways: the employee had better do things exactly as they say, and the work had better be completed at any cost. It runs employees ragged to be worked so hard, because a lot of them will stay for unpaid overtime in order to compensate for their boss's bad instructions. At least this person, u/allgoodnamestaken98, decided to just do as their boss said, and watch as things fell to pieces in the meantime. 

It was awfully bold of this person to do this, however. As they shared in this awesome malicious compliance story below, they basically caused a multi-week delay in operations by following their manager's instructions. A lot of bosses just want employees to read their minds and still get things right even when they're misled. Oh well… it's far too late for this boss to make things right. 

Next, check out these home renovations that went… less than excellently, like one person who admitted, "I redid my kitchen countertops with brown paper bags." 

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  • 01
    AKSAN OTOMATİK SIF PRESTIGRADE TS 20M-50 LUNATI SECO
    via Alev Takil on Unsplash+

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

  • 02
    make parts non stop but never get them shipped? ok boss. I still have nightmares from working in this company, so I thought I would share one of my stories.
    via u/allgoodnamestaken98
  • 03
    Background: I worked at a factory that I absolutely loved, loved the boss, my manager (now) called HEAD AH), really knew his work and would teach anyone that showed enthusiasm.
    via u/allgoodnamestaken98
  • 04
    But then the company merged, and we suddenly had in my section, 3 managers trying to prove their worth, who all turned into massive AH's.
    via u/allgoodnamestaken98
  • 05
    The place quickly turned into every man for himself. For example. The 10mins I spent patching up a coworker before he went to hospital, came at the cost of being screamed at then forced to stay back to make up for my timesheets being out.(can tell more tales of this another time)
    via u/allgoodnamestaken98
  • 06
    And while my section needed 5 people to run, the way they managed it, people walked out, and it came down to me alone. I would have 3 different managers come to yell at me but not help or hire people to do the work, seriously, it would be like a drive by shoting how fast they would come in, scream and run out. I was desperate to quit but living paycheck to paycheck, things were brutally hard.
    via u/allgoodnamestaken98
  • 07
    My role was to run a CNC router, (but had to run 2 of them as im now alone), complete the parts, and get it ready to send to the customer. Often from start to ship, my parts are only handled by me. This is not normal, normally you would someone to help complete the parts.
    via u/allgoodnamestaken98
  • 08
    As i am alone, I have to keep up with the machine, it makes sense to have the machine off at times during the day, while I get things completed. You could expect a screaming if the place was messy at the end of the day. Like I mean, ballistic screaming.
    via u/allgoodnamestaken98
  • 09
    Now for the story (keep in mind this is 15+ years ago so might not be 100% accurate): I had machined a stack of parts and there was no way I could in my right mind make more parts until I had done the post processing and had these parts ready to be shipped. There were things that HAD TO be sent that day.
    via u/allgoodnamestaken98
  • 10
    HEAD AH: "Why arent the machines running?!" Me: "Im really behind in this and..." HEAD AH: "WHY ARENT THE MACHINES RUNNING!"
    via u/allgoodnamestaken98
  • 11
    Me: "this is really urgent, let me get this part sent and I can run the machines after I finish this" now absolutely screaming and throwing sh, "GET THE MACHINES RUNNING ANON!" He starts berating me and saying that the post processing wasnt important and running the machines was the most important and
    via u/allgoodnamestaken98
  • 12
    that I had to keep the machines running no matter what and that post processing can be done by anyone in the factory but im the only one who can run the machines, so I have to run them and keep them running no matter what.
    via u/allgoodnamestaken98
  • 13
    Cue malicious compliance. For the entire week, I did exactly what he asked. I ran both machines. I would load the programs for the next job while the machine was still running its existing job. Tool holders were lined up and ready to go. While the machines are running, I would sprint from the machines to the material racks to get materials I needed for the next job ready.
    via u/allgoodnamestaken98
  • 14
    I ran those machines non stop. I did ZERO post processing as I did not have a spare minute, NOTHING was finished to stage where it could be shipped, there wasnt even time for breaks. I made sure those machines ran without a minute of downtime.
    via u/allgoodnamestaken98
  • 15
    By end of the week, I had machined soo many parts, that I had filled up 3 massive workbenches, these benches were something like 3m x 1.5m long, and I just kept stacking the piles as high as I could.
    via u/allgoodnamestaken98
  • 16
    The best thing is that the urgent work is now on the bottom of this pile, and the work due next week was on top. This is literally 100's of different customers orders.
    via u/allgoodnamestaken98
  • 17
    (I dont remember the hours I pulled at this exact time, but I have done shifts such as 6am to 10pm, and 7am to 11pm. 80hour weeks without overtime pay were usual for me.)
    via u/allgoodnamestaken98
  • 18
    When sh finally hit the fan about work not being sent out, HEAD AH had to come and talk to me, and you could see something snap in his head while he was trying to talk to me. HEAD AH "ANON..."
    via u/allgoodnamestaken98
  • 19
    Me: "Sorry not now, I have to run the machine", (i just ignored him and kept setting up the next job). HEAD AH:"stop. just stop." He starts by trying to ask where job is and im just like gesturing, "its under there man". I swear you could see him dying inside.
    via u/allgoodnamestaken98
  • 20
    He starts berating me on how there is no point turning the machines on at all unless the work is completed all the way and sent. He really got stuck into me, but then hes like, "just leave the machine off for now and start completing these jobs". But then we both start on completing different parts and within a minute, he sees me and instantly: "GET THE
    via u/allgoodnamestaken98
  • 21
    MACHINES RUNNING ANON" and I think its here when he realised that its all his fault, and as im walking back to the machine I swear he looks up at the roof, screams FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF KKKKKKKKKKK and its as if his soul left his body, (and im laughing hard remembering this), he yells at me "LEAVE IT OFF", and as I start
    via u/allgoodnamestaken98
  • 22
    finishing parts again, he looks at me and hes about to say the line again, but instead looks up at the roof and screams again. It was like everytime he saw me, he wanted to say it. He lasted maybe 10 mins before he couldnt take it anymore, he storms off, and sent someone over to help.
    via u/allgoodnamestaken98
  • 23
    But all the urgent work was buried deep. We had to complete non-urgent work first to get it out of the way, so that we could find it. And guess who suddenly left work on time everyday and stopped working weekends....
    via u/allgoodnamestaken98
  • 24
    In short, with people helping me, it took over 2 weeks to catch up and clear the backlog. Those urgent parts were at least 2 weeks late, it took alot longer for the schedule to return to normal. TL/DR: AH manager insists I run machines non-stop, and results in all work being severely delayed.
    via u/allgoodnamestaken98
  • 25
    MyMomSaysIAmCool it would be like a drive by shooting how fast they would come in, scream and run out. This is known as a "seagull manager." They fly in, make a lot of noise, sh all over everything, and fly away.
    via u/MyMomSaysIAmCool
  • 26
    Ariliescbk The only way people will learn is if you beat them at their own game.
    via u/Ariliescbk
  • 27
    nuez_jr What are you doing posting on Reddit; get the machines running!
    via u/nuez_jr

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boss workplace-stories jobs job malicious compliance bosses work malicious-compliance-reddit workplace malicious compliance reddit
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