For some reason, adventure books, movies, and TV shows mostly focus on the survival of heroes in the ocean and h**h mountains, impenetrable jungles, and deserts. Surrounded by bears, scorpions, sharks, and piranhas… Skyscrapers made of glass, steel, and concrete, a ruthless corporate world – this is where true survival stories happen nowadays!
Well, the story we’ll tell you today, from the user u/SwitchSCEtoAux , happened almost three decades ago, but it clearly illustrates how difficult it can be to survive in the corporate world. If Mr. Beast isn’t already planning to launch an office survival show, it’s definitely time to think about it.
More info: Reddit
The corporate world is a tough place to live in, and sometimes you have to become a true shark yourself to survive
Diverse employees collaborate intensely around a table with charts and data, highlighting top employee record results.
The author of the post was a promising finance professional three decades ago, and he expected to get promoted to Business Development Director soon
Top employee delivers record results but receives excuses instead of a bonus, planning his exit from the company.
Text on a plain white background about working in a European financial firm with U.S. offices managed by Europeans in the 90s.
Text discussing younger employees being underpaid and overworked before promised promotions and bonuses kick in.
Text excerpt about junior associates receiving vacation time, relating to top employee delivering record results and plotting exit.
Office setup showing business development directors and junior associates networking and meeting clients in their territories.
Employee delivers record results while planning exit as boss offers excuses instead of bonus in office setting.
Text excerpt from a story about a top employee delivering record results and planning his exit after excuses replace a bonus.
Employee reflects on being transferred and promoted after delivering record results but facing excuses instead of a bonus.
Text excerpt about employee planning career move after delivering record results, facing excuses instead of bonus.
Text on white background reading After celebrating New Year’s with my family in CA, I packed up my car and drove across the country.
Employee delivers record results facing excuses from boss instead of a bonus, plotting his exit from the company.
Text on screen showing an employee expressing frustration after delivering record results but receiving excuses instead of a bonus.
Text on a white background about disliking a new boss flaunting perks while top employee delivers record results and plans exit
Employee delivering record results looks frustrated as boss offers excuses instead of a bonus in workplace setting
Top employee with record results frustrated as boss gives excuses instead of a well-deserved bonus and recognition.
Text excerpt showing a top employee discussing accounts with a junior associate while facing workplace challenges without a bonus.
Two men in business suits having a serious discussion in an office, highlighting top employee delivering record results.
However, the author’s new boss was a real slacker and had acquaintatces in the board, so any reports and complaints would’ve come in vain
Text on a white background describing traveling to meet clients and prospects, managing business leads, and handling paperwork.
Text excerpt about a top employee quitting after being passed over for a promotion despite delivering record results.
Text on a white background about a manager hesitating to hire backup despite a growing client portfolio and dual roles.
Text excerpt about challenges faced by a top employee planning exit after receiving excuses instead of a bonus.
Text showing a person reflecting on working hard before email and internet made executing business on the road difficult.
Employee delivers record results using company laptop late nights, plotting exit as boss gives excuses instead of a bonus.
Alt text: Frustrated employee handling client issues alone, planning exit after being denied bonus despite record results.
Alt text: Employee delivers record results while planning exit after receiving excuses instead of a bonus from boss.
Text excerpt showing employee gaining serious momentum from big clients and referrals through hard work and luck.
Employee delivers record results working weekends and late nights handling paperwork without help or associates.
Text image showing a quote about being busy at work and missing mandatory vacation time while delivering record results.
Text excerpt about new clients and vacation waiver, illustrating top employee delivering record results despite excuses instead of bonus.
Text on a white background reading about an employee producing new business while facing HR processing hassles from management.
Text excerpt about an employee hoping for a bonus after delivering record results but facing excuses from the boss instead.
Top employee delivering record results planning exit after boss offers excuses instead of a bonus in a corporate setting.
Text passage describing a top employee delivering record results by leading in sales goals and overall production.
Man with glasses and beard working on a tablet inside a train, symbolizing top employee delivering record results.
The boss didn’t hire any assistants for the author, so he had to work hard the whole year on his own
Alt text: Top employee delivers record results but receives excuses from boss instead of expected bonus during review.
Text excerpt showing employee delivering record results but receiving excuses instead of a bonus from his boss.
Man in shock questioning why his boss cheated him on his bonus after delivering record results at work
Excerpt showing a top employee delivering record results while facing excuses from his boss instead of a bonus.
Text on a white background describing an employee crushed but asking for promotion after delivering record results.
Alt text: Frustrated employee reacts after boss offers excuses instead of a bonus despite record results and top performance.
Text excerpt highlighting a top employee’s performance review mentioning flaws and teamwork issues despite delivering record results.
Text on a white background describing a top employee realizing he was unfairly treated with excuses instead of a bonus.
Text describing an employee feeling ill, taking sick days, and co-workers noticing his pale appearance as signs something was wrong.
Text on white background about forwarding calls and packing papers, illustrating top employee’s exit after receiving excuses instead of bonus.
Text on white background describing an employee planning a vacation after delivering record results and facing excuses instead of a bonus.
Text excerpt showing frustration as top employee handles irate clients and workload with no bonus, planning exit strategy.
Text excerpt discussing a top employee seeking new job opportunities after poor recognition and excuses from the boss.
Text excerpt describing an employee reviewing HR data and company milestone during a conference call.
Top employee delivers record results with extra vacation and management training but plans exit due to lack of bonus rewards.
Text excerpt on a white background about looking at different vacation options over a blur of months.
Top employee with glasses and beige blazer delivers record results, appearing stressed while discussing work with colleague.
Anyway, the man did a great job, became the company’s top performer, and expected a hefty bonus and a promotion as a result
Text excerpt showing an employee discussing accrued hotel and rental car points while minimizing client work.
Text excerpt about submission of vacation requests by top employee plotting exit after delivering record results.
Text excerpt about submitting forms to HR and boss discussing schedule as employee plans extended time off around holidays.
Text showing an employee rejecting a vacation schedule and requesting HR involvement amid work coverage issues.
Text showing a top employee explaining HR supported his legal right to vacation despite boss’s rejection and excuses instead of a bonus.
ALT text: Top employee delivering record results discusses forwarding work phone while planning exit amid boss excuses.
Text excerpt showing an employee explaining his plans and frustrations with lack of promotion and company support.
Text excerpt about business development and client meetings representing a top employee delivering record results in challenging locations.
Top employee delivers record results while planning exit after receiving excuses instead of a bonus from his boss
Text excerpt describing a top employee delivering record results but facing excuses instead of a bonus from his boss.
Text on a plain white background explaining being underpaid and learning to save money while still having fun during trips.
Text excerpt showing frustration of employee as boss refuses to hire assistant despite increasing workload and customer calls.
Employee delivers record results but receives excuses instead of a bonus, planning his exit from the company.
Screenshot of text describing a top employee commended for h**h production but facing criticism over declining client numbers.
Text excerpt highlighting a top employee delivering record results while planning his exit amid excuses from the boss instead of a bonus.
Man in white shirt raising hands, symbolizing top employee delivering record results amid excuses instead of bonus discussion.
During the meeting, however, the boss claimed that the author’s bonus would be 90% less than he expected, and he passed him up for a promotion as well
Text excerpt discussing a top employee securing a job offer after delivering record results and facing excuses from his boss.
Text on white background showing a resignation notice explaining use of vacation leave for immediate exit from job.
Text excerpt about employee deciding to leave early after delivering record results but being denied a bonus and given excuses instead.
Text excerpt showing a top employee refusing to stay longer as the boss delays hiring a replacement.
Employee delivering record results packing up office while HR conducts exit interview with candid feedback shared.
Text excerpt describing an employee telling HR that his boss denied his bonus, claiming no money was in the budget.
Alt text: HR counterpart laughs at excuses from boss as top employee plans exit despite delivering record results.
Text on a white background stating a top employee feels cheated by his boss who gave excuses instead of a bonus for record results.
Text excerpt on a white background describing moving back to California and starting a new job in January.
Text on a white background about HR from New York interviewing former co-workers after an employee left.
Text on a plain white background describing a rising star employee’s sudden departure after delivering record results.
Employee delivers record results but faces excuses from boss instead of a bonus, planning his exit from the company.
Text excerpt showing a boss reassigned with no perks after a top employee delivers record results at work
Text excerpt reflecting a top employee delivering record results while facing excuses instead of a bonus from the boss.
Text on a white background about being grateful for an eye-opening experience and how not to treat employees.
Text image with a hopeful message about learning from experience and wishing a Happy New Year.
Text about top employee delivering record results but receiving excuses instead of a bonus from boss leading to exit plans.
So the next year, the author just took all his accumulated vacations and then quit on the spot, leaving the boss empty-handed and angry
So, the Original poster (OP) has had his own company in finance for many years, but back then, three decades ago, he was a promising employee of a large international company. Our hero worked extremely hard, often carrying over his vacation weeks to the following year, so by the time of the events described, he had accumulated over three months of vacation.
The boss, under whose supervision the OP was assigned at the new branch, was a protégé of one of the board members, so he felt at ease. He refused to give our hero an assistant, so the author was forced to work hard alone for a whole year. He became the company’s best performer and rightfully expected a hefty bonus and a well-deserved promotion.
However, the boss’s speech was a chilling blow to our hero. He stated that without a director’s status, his bonus would be around 90% less than he expected. As for the promotion – well, that would have to wait until next year to ensure that the current numbers weren’t just a fluke. Okay, at this point, the author’s patience snapped, and he moved on to executing his revenge plan…
The events described took place in April, so our hero consistently took vacations for the following months, thereby forcing his boss to take over most of his work. The branch’s performance, of course, dwindled, and the icing on the cake for the author was his resignation, which he submitted with two weeks left on his vacation. In other words, he effectively quit on the spot.
Our hero recalls that the strange dismissal of the company’s “rising star” was bound to attract the close attention of the board. Well, the author’s hapless ex-boss wasn’t fired, but he was transferred somewhere to the backwater, which he was clearly unhappy about. As for the OP, he found a new job, and a couple of years later, founded his own company… but that’s a whole other story.
Employee delivering record results, writing plans on whiteboard, plotting exit after boss offers excuses, not a bonus.
In fact, unfortunately, such cases are far from isolated in the corporate world, and in the three decades since the original poster’s time, the situation has improved only slightly, if at all. For example, this dedicated article at Forbes quite reasonably notes that people don’t leave jobs; they actually leave managers.
Many bad bosses are quite similar. “They lack both empathy and often self-awareness,” the BBC quotes Ann Francke, chief executive of the Chartered Management Institute. “They can actively undermine their team, take credit for others’ work, or rule by fear and have unrealistic expectations.” So, recognizing these signs and leaving isn’t an admission of weakness; it’s just wisdom.
Another article , published in Forbes, urges employees who find their higher-ups blocking their career growth to just focus on what they can actually control. That is, try to put their best foot forward, and if that doesn’t produce the desired results, well, a decent professional will likely always be in demand.
Many commenters really c*****d up at this story and recalled their similar cases from work experiences, too
Screenshot of a Reddit thread where users discuss a story about a top employee delivering record results but facing excuses instead of a bonus.
Commenter shares experience of delivering record results but denied a raise, leading to exit and higher future earnings.
Employee delivering record results discusses planning exit after boss offers excuses instead of a bonus.
Screenshot of a forum conversation praising a top employee delivering record results amid boss excuses instead of a bonus.
Screenshot of a job forum discussion where an employee explains being 26 when experiencing workplace issues.
Screenshot of a forum discussion about employee record results, management issues, and workplace culture problems.
Reddit conversation showing an employee discussing business challenges and recovery amid Covid disruptions.
Top employee delivers record results in office, plotting exit while boss offers excuses instead of bonus rewards.
Screenshot of an online comment thread discussing a top employee delivering record results and facing excuses from the boss.
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