What Work Moment Made You Go From Proud Employee To "I'm Just Here For The Paycheck."?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When my boss, after 2 years of him and a toxic coworker creating a terrible work environment, told me that “I didn’t do myself any favors” by not just giving the toxic bully coworker what he asked for in a meeting. For context, he asked for something totally not needed and out of the scope of his job involving a project I have worked on for 2 years in a meeting to embarrass me. This was documented after the meeting. When I pushed back professionally, my boss took his side. Jokes on them though- they both looked like fools.

Yup, same thing happened at my last place, except the coworker was my boss. Funny thing was management always treated us as if we were on the same level when it came to who should take responsibility for big projects because she sucked at what she did and they needed to protect her all the time. The head of our section supported every dumb thing she did because she was in with top management and someone would come down on his head if he upset princess. I loved the work but stopped caring and eventually quit. It wasn't worth the stress. She's still there and as useless as ever.

this is an interesting take. i am realizing that we have responsibility but not credit. it's annoying.

[Anonymous]

Most recently it's this older woman I work with that keeps trying to take credit for my work and thinks she's my boss (she's not my boss, she's a peer and I've seen her resume, I have the same amount of work experience than she does despite being probably 15 years younger). I've worked with people I don't like before, but this woman takes it to a whole other level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most recently it's this older woman I work with that keeps trying to take credit for my work and thinks she's my boss (she's not my boss, she's a peer and I've seen her resume, I have the same amount of work experience than she does despite being probably 15 years younger). I've worked with people I don't like before, but this woman takes it to a whole other level.

I had this, too. I am not white and my colleague was 20 years older and male.
Sorry, dude, it took you so long with all your advantages to get where you are but WE HAVE THE SAME JOB.

[Anonymous]

When my boss told us we were cowards for not taking on upper level management on his behalf — meanwhile, he was entertaining another job offer without telling most of the people in our section. He left soon after that debacle.

I pretty much tuned out... working for people who don’t have your back in any way is demoralizing.

[Anonymous]

Didn’t affect me directly but just pre-Covid our department manager was under investigation by HR and dept. employees had to be interviewed about this manager. Then afterwards the org let this same department manager push out everyone who had been interviewed by HR. Our department shrunk like 75% overnight. A few of us who the manager thought were loyal or had stayed quiet survived but we were all like Really??? Thank god for WFH as it means none of us survivors need to be around this manager.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most recently it's this older woman I work with that keeps trying to take credit for my work and thinks she's my boss (she's not my boss, she's a peer and I've seen her resume, I have the same amount of work experience than she does despite being probably 15 years younger). I've worked with people I don't like before, but this woman takes it to a whole other level.

I had this, too. I am not white and my colleague was 20 years older and male.
Sorry, dude, it took you so long with all your advantages to get where you are but WE HAVE THE SAME JOB.

Exactly! Not your problem that he squandered his privilege!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I worked at a big PR agency. When I came back after maternity leave and was given a daycare as a client, where a baby with my same due date passed away. After that I started spending full days figuring out how to launch my own firm. Best thing I ever did.

Are saying that they gave you a space for daycare and that the reason the space was available is that a baby had died? And that made you quit? Or you had problems with the day care?

I'm sorry for that familys loss.

I still am too. The client was a national chain of daycares. A baby in their care died. This was a crisis client for our PR firm and firm was hired to protect the day care and watch for potential lawsuits from the family. This was the project I was given right after I returned from having my own baby, who was the exact same age as the baby that passed away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I worked at a big PR agency. When I came back after maternity leave and was given a daycare as a client, where a baby with my same due date passed away. After that I started spending full days figuring out how to launch my own firm. Best thing I ever did.

Are saying that they gave you a space for daycare and that the reason the space was available is that a baby had died? And that made you quit? Or you had problems with the day care?

I'm sorry for that familys loss.

I still am too. The client was a national chain of daycares. A baby in their care died. This was a crisis client for our PR firm and firm was hired to protect the day care and watch for potential lawsuits from the family. This was the project I was given right after I returned from having my own baby, who was the exact same age as the baby that passed away.

I can see why that upset you but I don't understand why you expected them to know or anticipate that. They certainly wouldn't have made the connection on the dates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I worked at a big PR agency. When I came back after maternity leave and was given a daycare as a client, where a baby with my same due date passed away. After that I started spending full days figuring out how to launch my own firm. Best thing I ever did.

Are saying that they gave you a space for daycare and that the reason the space was available is that a baby had died? And that made you quit? Or you had problems with the day care?

I'm sorry for that familys loss.

I still am too. The client was a national chain of daycares. A baby in their care died. This was a crisis client for our PR firm and firm was hired to protect the day care and watch for potential lawsuits from the family. This was the project I was given right after I returned from having my own baby, who was the exact same age as the baby that passed away.

I can see why that upset you but I don't understand why you expected them to know or anticipate that. They certainly wouldn't have made the connection on the dates.

IDK, as a manager I think I would avoid giving that project to someone who just had a baby.

[Anonymous]

When I was passed over by someone over 20 years younger who has nowhere near my skill set. She does a masterful job of kissing up and tooting her own horn. Now report to her but am extremely passive aggressive. Not going to bust my ass to make her look good. Probably going to consult and build a start up in a few months so don't give a rat's ass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I was passed over by someone over 20 years younger who has nowhere near my skill set. She does a masterful job of kissing up and tooting her own horn. Now report to her but am extremely passive aggressive. Not going to bust my ass to make her look good. Probably going to consult and build a start up in a few months so don't give a rat's ass.

Very similar. I am not going out of my way to teach her the things that she thought it was beneath her to learn in the past. And plotting my escape.

[Anonymous]

When young staff members I mentored and grew didn't get the promotions I recommended for them, festered in their roles and eventually left the firm after their loyalty and hard work did not pay off. The senior leaders who didn't promote them were far from their work and only moved their direct reports forward, not those who were managed by middle managers. We let great talent walk out the door for a 10% raise and a new title. It made me realize I had a ton of responsibility (I manage a large team) but little authority. After a few rinse and repeats, I'm just here for the money. I continue to care about and train my staff, but I won't encourage them to look to my firm for growth.

[Anonymous]

18:41 you are describing me! Top performer year after year. “Promoted” with no title and no money but all the responsibility. Working 7 days a week... told I was “indispensable” and “irreplaceable” . But also I “don’t fit the profile to move from middle to upper management”. You can read between the lines on that one...

Looking for jobs...collecting a check while I bide my time...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:18:41 you are describing me! Top performer year after year. “Promoted” with no title and no money but all the responsibility. Working 7 days a week... told I was “indispensable” and “irreplaceable” . But also I “don’t fit the profile to move from middle to upper management”. You can read between the lines on that one...

Looking for jobs...collecting a check while I bide my time...

Top performer in an odd way shows me you are not a team player.

My best job I enjoyed when everyone worked together and we had no top performer but also no bottom performer.

My most draining team was to “top performers” also pushing for raises, bonus, wanting praise. It is exhausting just as much as the bottom performers you have to deal with to squeeze work out of

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:18:41 you are describing me! Top performer year after year. “Promoted” with no title and no money but all the responsibility. Working 7 days a week... told I was “indispensable” and “irreplaceable” . But also I “don’t fit the profile to move from middle to upper management”. You can read between the lines on that one...

Looking for jobs...collecting a check while I bide my time...

Top performer in an odd way shows me you are not a team player.

My best job I enjoyed when everyone worked together and we had no top performer but also no bottom performer.

My most draining team was to “top performers” also pushing for raises, bonus, wanting praise. It is exhausting just as much as the bottom performers you have to deal with to squeeze work out of

You’ve clearly not had true bottom performers. I’ll take a superstar who occasionally demands to be rewarded for it 100x before I take a pliant bag of useless.