Manager monitors employees' electricity usage, demands they turn off lights every time they leave their offices, employee claims: ‘It's driving me crazy’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Sep 25, 2026 9:45 AM EDT

If your company can't even afford to turn on the lights, how doomed are you?

When you work for a cheap business owner, it's difficult to determine whether their unreasonable need to save the company money comes from an actual financial necessity or just because they hate to see their money waste away.

But regardless of whether you're working on a sinking ship or simply working for a cheap person, they make it almost impossible to get the job done. When every single step you make in the office is measured, and almost every action you do is wasting money in their eyes, you find yourself unable to complete the easiest tasks. Your existence in the office becomes almost unbearable.

Imagine that every time you step out of your office, your boss is there to demand that you turn off the lights, even if it's only for a 30-second stop at the water cooler. Or, think about how difficult it would be to do your job if charging your phone in the office is frowned upon and printing documents must be accompanied by proof of why it's needed.

That is what the employee below is currently dealing with. Like many others in similar situations, the employee is having a hard time determining whether the business is actually financially struggling or if the owner is simply that obsessed with how much electricity is being wasted when someone walks out of their office to go use the bathroom.

Honestly, at this point, it doesn't even matter which of the two it is, this employee should run as fast as they can. It's clear that the owner doesn't really care whether the job gets done or not, and working someplace where, sooner or later, your toilet paper is going to be monitored doesn't sound like a business anyone should work at.

Would you stay working for a micromanager who complains about lights being turned on? Scroll down to read the full story before you decide!

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  • 01
    Boss is mad about the lights.
    via g-stockstudio

    Boss is mad about the lights.

    Model pictured are not representative.

  • 02

    Manager is behind me to switch off the lights everytime I leave the room and its driving me crazy.

    My manager (who also owns the company) is constantly behind everyone about switching off lights the second we leave a room.
    via floofykiwiness
  • 03
    And I get it for meeting rooms, washrooms, pantry, whatever. If nobody is using the room, obviously switch it off.
    via floofykiwiness
  • 04
    But he expects us to switch off the lights in our own office rooms/cubicle areas even if we're literally just going to the washroom for 3
    via floofykiwiness
  • 05
    minutes or stepping out for a meeting and coming back. If he walks past and sees an empty room with the lights on, you're going to hear about it.
    via floofykiwiness
  • 06
    At some point I'm like... you run an office. Electricity is an operating expense. If keeping the lights on while someone goes to pee is
    via floofykiwiness
  • 07
    breaking the budget, maybe get an office with bigger windows and natural light??
    via floofykiwiness
  • 08
    Today I watched him berate another colleague for charging his PHONE at work. His phone. How much electricity can that possibly be costing the company
    via floofykiwiness
  • 09
    Turning off light switch in the office.
    via Sarutnuwat

    Turning off light switch in the office.

    Still frame for contextual reference only.

  • 10
    Printer usage is monitored too. If you cross a certain limit you have to send proof/explain what you printed and why, which
    via floofykiwiness
  • 11
    honestly feels like it wastes more employee time than whatever they're saving on paper and toner.
    via floofykiwiness
  • 12
    I'm waiting for the next policy to be a spreadsheet tracking how many times we flush the toilet and how many tissues everyone uses.
    via floofykiwiness
  • 13
    I understand avoiding waste. I really do. But there's a point where cost-cutting turns into micromanaging every tiny thing employees do, and this feels like we crossed that line a while ago.
    via floofykiwiness
  • 14
    selinda123 So, your company literally can't afford to keep the lights. on? Time to jump ship.
    via selinda123
  • 15
    onlyforfun- Ask him to invest in motion sensing lights
    via onlyforfun-
  • 16
    nsa_k Unplug his computer when hes not using it. Monitor too. Those led lights use electricity.
    via nsa_k
  • 17
    getridofwires So how's the new job search going?
    via getridofwires
  • 18
    codguy231998409489 I'd be worried the company is losing money and may go under if he's that worried about electricity costs
    via codguy231998409489

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Tags

boss workplace-stories micromanager employee manager job tales-from-the-workplace ceo workplace electricity company
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