$1.5 million quote goes unfinished thanks to a bad office internet connection and rigid remote work policy: 'Ah, well. If only I could go home to use my working internet'

Author image for Brad Dickson
Brad Dickson • Managing Editor
Feb 11, 2025 12:00 PM EST

When you etch something into stone, you ensure its fastness and reliability, but the stability and security might feel reassuring, but the structure you've built is doomed to its own rigidity and inability to adapt to change and unanticipated circumstances. After all, stone too can crumble under enough force and pressure.

Of course, this is the same when you're building a building as it is working in that building. Strictness for strictness's sake is always going to end up being self-defeating. Flexibility begets flexibility and flexibility breeds creativity and creative solutions to process problems.

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    "The quote for approximately 1.5m worth of stock is due in 2 hours..."
    via Diana Light For Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • An inflexible rule about remote work—intended to keep staff toeing the line—resulted in a situation where this team, who worked to fulfill IT contracts supplying equipment, were unable to fulfill a massive order that totaled $1.5M in equipment. All that they needed to be able to do was leave the office in order to work from home after the office's internet connection went out, but there was no way that the workplace was going to break their rule that staff could only work from home on specific days of the week, preferring instead to suffer the consequences of their own steadfastness. 

    See how things played out in this post that was shared with this online community detailing the events, prompting response from the community.

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    Cheezburger Image 10466595584
    via Diana Light For Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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    "Work from Home on Thursdays And Fridays only."

    There's not much to say here. I work for a tech company that sells Macbooks and chromebooks and miscellaneous things to schools. There is a rule in place that says we are NOT allowed to work from home under any circumstances, with the exception of Thursdays and Fridays if you don't have any meetings or the such.
    via ThrowawayNumber9272
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    Yesterday we got a bunch of quotes from one of our distributors and the aim of today was to get all the SKU's and codes into our system for one of the bigwig expensive catholic schools and these codes came - in EXTREMELY last minute -like, we have 6 working hours to fill out everything. I did what I could yesterday, and told my manager that I would have to do the rest tomorrow since it was late notice.
    via ThrowawayNumber9272
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    Today, the internet is down at work. The quote for approximately 1.5m worth of stock is due in 2 hours, and to be honest I'd be more inclined to - hotspot my phone to get this work done if they paid me more than the bare minimum, and gave me a phone allowance. My previous pay evaluations were all rejected, and if I'm contributing 5-10% gross profit margins on literal millions you'd think there was at least commission.
    via ThrowawayNumber9272
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    Ah well. If only I could go home to use my working internet, or got $5-10 a month for my month bill so that I could get this done via hotspot. Oh well.
    via ThrowawayNumber9272
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    Edit: just got a scathing phone call that the deadline was missed and was asked for an explanation. I told them straight that I couldn't access our systems. They asked why I didn't hotspot and told them I don't have a company phone nor do they give any money to my phone bill. It's also a data risk if my phone is compromised. I've never felt so powerful sticking up to the in a new BMW every year. Kinda feels nice.
    via ThrowawayNumber9272
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    Top-Put2038 · 2h ago • Boom. That's these sound of management shooting themselves in the foot.
    via ThrowawayNumber9272
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    • Apprehensive_Ha... 2h ago My previous pay evaluations were all rejected, and if I'm contributing 5-10% gross profit margins on literal millions you'd think there was at least commission. With all that knowledge, maybe it's time to go into business for yourself.
    via ThrowawayNumber9272
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    Illuminatus-Prime • 2h ago Similar story. Tasked with ordering a high six-figure amount of security tech for a new install. Some idiot on a back- cut through our fiber line about 1km down the road (we were in a rural location). Use a mobile phone as a hotspot? No, it's a security risk. . Work from our satellite office? No, it doesn't have the bandwidth.
    via ThrowawayNumber9272
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    • Work from home? No, you'll just play games and sleep on the company's dime. • Sit here and wait for the fiber break to be located and spliced? Sure! It'll be up soon. "Soon" was 2 days later. We nearly lost the contract and had to make concessions that cut into our profits. In the meantime, I made do with busywork and minesweeper.
    via ThrowawayNumber9272
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    tanbrit • 2h ago Wow, I'm surprised none of the higher ups have told you to go wfh! What a shame you have a 2 hour commute...
    via ThrowawayNumber9272
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    CoderJoe1 2h ago . Sorry boss, it's not my responsibility for planning for the most obvious contingency you failed to plan for.
    via ThrowawayNumber9272
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    virgilreality • 48m ago Always reintroduce people to the true cost of their own assholery.
    via ThrowawayNumber9272
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    wololocopter • 46m ago you obviously can't use your personal device for work just ask IT
    via ThrowawayNumber9272

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workplace discussion workplace-stories jobs employee job malicious compliance work workplace workplace malicious compliance employment in the workplace
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