Boss invents fake conversations to demand employee return to the office full-time, leaving the employee weighing HR complaints against quitting: ‘This isn’t the first time my boss changed his mind, and then blamed me for misunderstanding’

Author image for Etai Eshet
Etai Eshet • Editor
Apr 11, 2025 10:00 AM EDT

Working for a boss who invents conversations is like being the unwitting participant in their ongoing committee meeting with themselves. Imagine them sitting at their desk, nodding along, mumbling "uh-huh" and "good point," as they agree with three different versions of their inner monologue. Then, they stroll over with a smile, thanking you for agreeing to their imaginary terms while casually doubling your workload and conveniently forgetting to increase your pay.  

Take this masterpiece of delusion: you've agreed to a three-day-in-office-two-day-working-from-home arrangement. It's settled, done, a mutual handshake, except, apparently, only in your world. In your boss's personal multiverse, the deal only exists as a temporary test you were never told about, one that you've apparently failed.

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  • Despite no actual memory of this ever happening, your boss insists you need to prove your consistency by coming into the office full-time. And you stand there, bewildered, wondering if this isn’t actually a workplace but an elaborate piece of performance art you’ve accidentally joined.

     

  • "Boss rescinds WFH based on conversation we never had?"

    "The conversation he's referring to never happened"
    via shapecharge

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

  • This boss seems to thrive on rewriting history with imaginary conversations that always paint them as rational and you as the confused cookie. It’s not just gaslighting, it’s a full-blown solo production of Conversations That Never Happened.

  • Backstory: I've been with this company for well over a decade and never had issues. I'm always willing to do what's necessary. The only issue I've had is with my new boss. I had to report him to HR for physical harassment in December.
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  • I've been working from home since 2020 due to co id and our building being under construction. Now that construction is over, they are starting to bring people back into the office more often.
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  • Who are you talking to there boss?

    Cheezburger Image 10492678144
    via cyano66

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

  • I'm a designer and in charge of advertising, website, literature, etc.
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  • I went on (my very first) vacation for a week and the day after I got back, I got the RTO memo. HR told me 5 days a week in office. I asked my boss about it and asked
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  • if he would be willing to compromise to 3 days in so that I can still work from home 2 days a week. He agreed, and it's been working out pretty well.
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  • Pause for a second: he told me I'm essential to the team. So essential, my desk got put into a storage room that only has one plug clear across the room.
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  • Cheezburger Image 10492677632
    via bowie15

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

  • On Monday, we were talking about the storage room and what to do with it, how I want my desk configuration, etc. He told me an electrician will be in this week to
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  • add more plug outlets to the room, and o asked if he wants me to work from home for the rest of the week so I'm out of the
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  • electrician's way. He said no, and I said ok. We continued to talk about the storage room.
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  • Yesterday, I was working from home, and got an email and asked if I was in the office, I said no. I'm working at home so that I can get some videos done.
    via bree1818
  • Here's how the email string went:
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  • Him: I need you to work in the office full-time per our conversation. Please plan on bringing all your gear in this week. Me: You said I could do 3 days in the office and 2 days at
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  • home. Him: No what I said was for you to come in and start proving that you can be consistent before I would consider this option. It is an
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  • option but I told you that I need you to come in now. What I don't like is you took this as an opportunity to translate it to your needs. I recognize that we still
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  • need an electrician to run the power. However, I specifically told you that I need you here full time and consistently.
    via bree1818
  • The thing is, this conversation he's referring to never happened. He never once said anything about consistency or coming in 5 days a week. It's like he dreams conversations with me and then expects me to remember them.
    via bree1818
  • This isn't the first time my boss has done something like this. Or changed his mind. Or said something to someone and another thing to me, and then he blames me for misunderstanding.
    via bree1818
  • At this point, I have no idea what to do. I was really close to quitting yesterday over 'you took this as an opportunity to translate it to your needs.'
    via bree1818
  • Should I take this back to HR? Is it possible this is retaliation? Should I just quit? My husband is 100% behind me on whatever I do, but we won't last long with me
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  • unemployed and my job market currently s ks. I am job searching. It's just going really badly. This is affecting both my mental and physical health now.
    via bree1818

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