Incompetent boss accidentally reveals massive pay gap while trying to relate with employee about wanting more money: ‘I'm just dumbfounded and honestly thinking about looking for a new job’

Author image for Etai Eshet
Etai Eshet • Editor
Feb 22, 2025 9:00 AM EST

It's a special kind of tone-deaf performance when supervisors attempt to connect with their underpaid workers. It's like watching a millionaire complain about yacht maintenance to someone living paycheck to paycheck—technically they're both talking about expenses, but something's getting lost in translation when one profits at the expense of the other.

Welcome to Corporate Reality 101, where one bright-eyed employee just discovered the shocking truth that compensation often increases in inverse proportion to actual work done. Gather 'round, children, for the tale of an innocent soul who actually believed merit determined salary! During what should have been a celebration of their stellar performance review, their supervisor, who acquired his position through that age-old qualification of "knowing people," casually mentioned making triple their salary. 

The less you sweat, the less you debt, and no pain - more gain or however these sayings go; just basic corporate semantics.

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  • "My supervisor told me what he makes, and I'm dumbfounded"

    A Ο "I struggle to pay the bills. Meanwhile, this guy is telling me he makes 3 times as much"
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    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • Our hard-working manufacturer's reward for exceptional performance? A promised $2 raise in six months if they keep working hard enough. Boss just knows what we ants want to hear huh?  Meanwhile, their supervisor, whose main qualification appears to be having gone to school with the right person, continues earning three times more for mastering the art of looking busy in meetings

    Welcome to the real world, kiddo, where excellence is just a funny word used in motivational posters, and the harder you work, the more your boss gets paid.

  • I work in a manufacturing environment. Recently I was given a performance review, which I did really well on. I mean, extremely well. However, since I'm within my first year, I don't get a pay bump yet, it's just a formal conversation to see how I'm fitting into my role so far.
    via ItsJustRedditMom
  • After my review, I mentioned that I wanted to keep pushing, and learn everything I can so that I can secure my pay raise at the end of the summer (which is a measley $2 an hour). My
    via ItsJustRedditMom
  • Supervisor assured me I'm on the right track and that "everyone wants to make more money obviously". He then says "I mean | make x amount, and even I want to make more money". Now. This
    via ItsJustRedditMom
  • supervisor makes 3 times what I do. Not figuratively, I mean he literally makes 3 times what I make an hour, for less work being done.
    via ItsJustRedditMom
  • I'm just dumbfounded and honestly thinking about looking for a new job even though I've only been here 6 months. I come in every day and bust my a,to struggle to pay the bills.
    via ItsJustRedditMom
  • 107 100
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    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • Meanwhile, this guy is telling me he makes 3 times as much, and the most I can get in my first 2 years is a 20% increase. This is on top of the fact that my supervisor
    via ItsJustRedditMom
  • is incredibly immature, and has absolutely no idea how to lead a team. He was given this job because our higher up was a friend he went to school with.
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  • Anyone else ever dealt with your boss telling you how much he or she makes?
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    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • Spreaderoflies I had the opposite happen once found out the lead who worked with the company for 20 years was getting paid 2 dollars more than me who started a year ago.
    via Spreaderoflies
  • Calm Panic402 Had a boss mention people couldn't live on X dollars and I was all too happy to inform them that was exactly what I was making. It got awkward.
    via CalmPanic402
  • DrHugh Wait until you hear what CEOs make, and what they do. ;-)
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  • The theory is supposed to be that management is paid because of their decision- making skills and responsibility. But it has more to do with the culture at a company: If managers
    via DrHugh
  • are supposed to value the workers, it can feel like a good place. But if managers are expected to make workers "do more" while keeping costs down, it can be pretty nasty.
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  • I've worked a corporate IT job for over thirty years, and I'm effectively management (though only over contrast workers). To some extent, my knowledge and experience are still of value.
    via DrHugh
  • But I don't even make double what the workers get (based on what I saw several years ago). Fortunately, I'm low-level enough that I straddle the "leader" and "contributor" border, anyway.
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  • gertonwheels I had the opposite experience got hired 2 years ago at current job. In the negotiating phase, i got 1 bump, asked why not more... response was "you
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  • can't make more than your boss". Made me feel bummed for him, but evidence that job hopping pays!
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  • sebwiers And his supervisor makes 3 times what he does, and the executive above that guy makes 3 times that. How do you think it reaches 300x by the time you get to the CEO??
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  • humanasset I worked at a public university. You can look up what everyone makes. If you're getting good performance reviews and no raises, it's time to job hunt and bounce.
    via humanasset
  • I left my previous job, made almost 50% more at the new place with less responsibilities. I get a 3-5% COL bump an year with a raise, and a bonus I'm happy with. The jobs are few and out there, but worth finding your gems in a pile of turds.
    via humanasset
  • Took me a year almost to find my new gig, and literally hundreds of applications with little callbacks because the market was terrible right
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  • Do it, OP. Find a new job and leave. Don't stay if they offer to match, you've showed your hand and they'll be looking to do you over first chance they get
    via humanasset
  • since you've shown you're not willing to debase yourself and remain beholden to them.
    via humanasset

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management boss workplace-stories hr toxic-workplace manager bosses work PTO managers supervisor workplace Horrible Bosses work-life balance
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