Things like team building, work retreats, business trips and training programs are amazing opportunities for employees to get together and become better as an organization. And think about all of the personal and professional growth!
Well, that is, if it’s done properly.
One Redditor shared how a work retreat can be handled horribly when you introduce a toxic boss, an idea for a retreat that’s not only unpaid but also mandatory, and then, as an added bit of spice, force employees to share beds (not even just rooms).
You know a corporate retreat’s “going to go well” when it’s unpaid, forced, and poorly planned
Image credits: Kenny Eliason (not the actual photo)
But then there’s a new low and the boss threatens anyone not coming, which is what happened to this teacher
Image credits: Kingofcryo
Image credits: Vojtech Bruzek (not the actual photo)
Sure enough, the teacher was shunned for not attending the retreat, even though it got even worse with shared bed accommodations
A story popped up on r/antiwork, Reddit’s go-to subreddit on all things “I hate work”.
The story goes that a woman used to work for a Montessori school where the boss was just the worst. How? Well, the boss decided to organize a retreat for the teachers. But, you know, in the worst way possible.
The retreat turned out to be not only mandatory, but the teachers would not be paid for their time there and, plot twist, the teachers had to share beds. No, not rooms, but beds. Granted, it was an all-female group, but you can see the issue there, right?
The cherry on the cake was the very blunt threat that the boss threw at the teacher because she decided against going. The boss essentially said that if she doesn’t go, she’ll make work very uncomfortable for her.
Folks also got an update on the story, which, provided the context, seems to make things worse. Imagine working for a specialized discipline school with a certification that is hard to get and folks are already poorly paid. Nothing about this spells out worth it.
Immediately, folks online pointed out a bunch of red flags in this whole situation
People were quick to note that this lowkey sounds like a cult. And if not that, then there had to be some labor or any other law violations regarding the shared beds, the lack of pay, and the threats.
Others praised the woman for not being a sheep. Turns out, 26 of 28 teachers went along with it, and, in the end, both the teachers and the boss were upset with the woman, saying she’s not “a team-player”.
Some suggested reporting the employer for all of her shenanigans. But the hero of our story isn’t a confrontational person and simply took the high road by quitting without a walking away from an explosion moment.
If push came to shove, though, some commenters suggested lying about having night terrors and that they’re a sleep screamer or something. Immediately, you’d have a room to yourself.
For context, there are no laws prohibiting employers from requiring employees to share rooms during business travel
The rule can very easily be skewed to apply to corporate retreats and other field trip sort of endeavors. However, employers should do it at their own risk because, in the long run, that might cause employee relation issues, affecting their morale, leading to higher turnover and the employer suffering in the end.
There are ways to mitigate the situation, though. Employers who have no choice but to book shared rooms can at the very least allow employees to choose roommates or offer a chance to pay the difference for a private room.
Reddit actually also has a dedicated space for asking HRs a variety of issues and this very one popped up in the past. One HR explained that sharing rooms is more common than one might think, despite the liabilities. But, oftentimes, HR don’t have the power to do anything about it considering that costs can increase significantly. And it can be in part due to issues with corporate culture too.
Whatever the case, faking medical issues is not the way to go. Instead, prompting for having a backup plan, like booking a different hotel, could be a solution, though there is doubt an employer might want to go that route, causing more issues along the way.
So, what are your thoughts on any of this? Do you care if you have to share a bed with a coworker, or is that an absolute deal-breaker? Share your takes and stories in the comment section below!
The author of the post answered some of the questions and comments that Redditors had
Here are the other reactions that folks in the post had
