Boss says "no overtime," employee leaves right at 5 pm when their shift is over, even though it's in the middle of a company emergency: 'Sorry, I’d love to help, but I really don’t want to violate company policy.'

Middle managers and sweeping policies that ban overtime (or at least the reporting of it) are a dynamic duo. Seriously, is it in some default handbook that comes with every dubiously awarded promotion? 

The first rumblings that come of "no overtime" policies are usually when vacancies have been left on the team for a suspiciously long period of time, forcing the remaining members to work overtime just to keep up. The most dedicated on the team continue to work overtime anyway, desperate to keep up with the workload. But consistent pushback from management eventually leads to these team members giving up, turning instead to voicing the fact that projects are falling behind. 

When management still ignores their warnings, the only thing left to really do is to do exactly what they want and drop everything right when their scheduled shift is finished. Deadlines begin to get missed, and clients and customers are unhappy. Management starts to take it out on those same workers, blaming them for not doing their jobs, despite the fact that they've been communicating the lack of staffing and resources the entire time. Now, suddenly, the overtime is ok, management begins to act like the workers aren't being "team players" for staying to help finish.

It's a classic scene that has played out time and time again in many a workplace. A classic logical fallacy, right up there with firing most of the IT team because "Everything is going well, so what are we paying them for anyway?"

Like what you see? Follow our WhatsApp channel for more.

Author image for Brad Dickson Brad Dickson
Advertisement

Stay up to date by following us on Facebook!

Tags

workplace discussion workplace-stories jobs employee job malicious compliance work workplace workplace malicious compliance employment in the workplace
Scroll Down For The Next Article

Also From FAIL Blog

15+ Employees who had coworkers with bizarre personalities: 'By the time he was fired everyone in the office was being driven up the wall'

15+ Employees who had coworkers with bizarre personalities: 'By the time he was fired everyone in the office was being driven up the wall'

Trending Now

'[He] asked HR to prove it': 15-year employee in his late 50s saves himself from getting fired when company doesn't want to pay his pension

'[He] asked HR to prove it': 15-year employee in his late 50s saves himself from getting fired when company doesn't want to pay his pension

01
28-year-old gets promoted, roommate finds out and demands that she pay 80% of the rent: 'she saw my bank account and [...] confronted me immediately'

28-year-old gets promoted, roommate finds out and demands that she pay 80% of the rent: 'she saw my bank account and [...] confronted me immediately'

02
20-year-old cancels vacation after 21-year-old "bestie" assumes she'll pay for all the expenses herself: 'This trip was her idea!'

20-year-old cancels vacation after 21-year-old "bestie" assumes she'll pay for all the expenses herself: 'This trip was her idea!'

03
Teacher told to "work contracted hours" when he's been helping kids in the gym after school, he stops forcing the district to hire someone: ‘I was told to work my contractual hours, I’m only paid until 2:22. I did this for fun, and it was unofficial’

Teacher told to "work contracted hours" when he's been helping kids in the gym after school, he stops forcing the district to hire someone: ‘I was told to work my contractual hours, I’m only paid until 2:22. I did this for fun, and it was unofficial’

04
Renter stops paying rent after homeowner refuses her demands to give her home equity for ‘helping with house payments’, homeowner kicks her out: ‘That's not how this works’

Renter stops paying rent after homeowner refuses her demands to give her home equity for ‘helping with house payments’, homeowner kicks her out: ‘That's not how this works’

05
‘I brought the company to a standstill to make a point': Manufacturing comes to a halt when an engineer weaponizes a software flaw he had been trying to fix for months, ends up getting updates fast-tracked by the VP himself

‘I brought the company to a standstill to make a point': Manufacturing comes to a halt when an engineer weaponizes a software flaw he had been trying to fix for months, ends up getting updates fast-tracked by the VP himself

06
Advertisement