There's no denying it, we all work too much these days. As it's gotten so much easier to take our job home and on holiday with us, the temptation to do a little extra here and there and never fully switch off is real and has even become an expectation in some companies. (Facebook cover image: Kai Hendry)
Image credits: Scott Atwood (Not the actual photo)
This kind of presenteeism doesn't help anyone and can even be harmful, with even sickness not being enough to keep people away from their desks and bosses becoming ever more demanding. This story, told on the subreddit r/MaliciousCompliance, is a perfect example of a pushy manager refusing to respect his employees' boundaries, to the point of ridiculousness. Marketing manager benisaboringname was left literally speechless by his boss's request and decided to comply maliciously (not that he had much choice), to teach him a lesson.
Ben's voice has thankfully returned and he's doing well, although not much has changed at the company. "I think presenteeism is definitely an issue in a lot of modern workplaces, especially those that are business services related," he explained to us here at Bored Panda. "It's that inability to fully switch off from work. As a shareholder, I would argue it's upon my own volition should I wish to work. Being ill presented me with a day where there were no distractions (or so I thought!) meaning I could work on things I wouldn't normally get the chance to do. If it were any of my subordinates, I would advise them against working and we do have contract clauses that state that employees shouldn't work outside of their contracted hours."
And what about the Managing Director? Has he learned any humility from the experience? "Unfortunately, he's a stubborn individual, no matter how in the wrong he is I doubt he sees the full extent of that - if he does, he hasn't made it clear...or apologized."
Here's what people had to say about the situation
In today's demanding work environment, the concept of 'turning off' from work seems like a distant memory for many. Employees are often pressured, either overtly or implicitly, to remain connected to their duties regardless of their circumstances. This brings to mind an instance where a woman had to face an unreasonable manager who forced her to come to work while she was unwell.
To see how one employee cleverly addressed a similar issue, explore the consequences faced by a manager who underestimated their employee's tenacity.