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50 Of The Most Absurd Complaints To HR That They Didn’t Know How To React To
When you have a serious concern at work, like an inappropriate comment or unfair treatment, it’s natural to bring it up with your manager or HR. After all, that’s what they’re there for. But every now and then, people take complaints to a whole new level by reporting the most random, absurd things imaginable.
Today, we’ve compiled some of the most bizarre employee complaints shared on Reddit, and they’re nothing short of hilarious. From someone being “too honest” to typing “too fast,” these grievances are so ridiculous that you’ll wonder how HR kept a straight face.
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#1
Not the most ridiculous but one of my favs..
I had an employee try and fight her attendance point for being tardy because "she got lost in the beauty of the day and forgot to exit off the highway. I shouldn't penalize someone for admiring God's creation.".
RELATED:
#2
Had a manager pull me aside because I didn't talk about myself and no one really knew anything about me after working with me for 2 years. All they knew was that I lived in the area and per my manager "it's off-putting that you only want to talk about work"
A year later, that same manager pulled me aside and told me that I needed to keep things solely on a professional level and that I either shouldn't bring up my non-work life or I should lie so I would "fit in better and stop being so depressing to work around"
I was in a very different tax bracket than everyone else, so while their normal weekends were going to NYC in order to party or spending their weekend on a parent's yacht, my normal weekends were hand washing my laundry in my bathtub and working gig work or seasonal work so I'd have enough to afford groceries.
#3
In my first month at a new company an employee told me his title and pay were listed incorrectly and he had actually gotten a promotion 6 months back. Somehow the paperwork was missing from his file. I spoke with the entire leadership team and no, he was definitely not promoted—he was trying to pull a fast one on the new HR manager and has tried before.
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 5 months ago
I had an HR who did the exact opposite of this for me. I'm a bit of a space cadet and he told me I'd been passed over for multiple raises I should have gotten.
The Human Resources department handles its fair share of issues, and not all of them are easy to digest. While some are downright bizarre, like the odd complaints featured in this post, most fall into well-defined categories.
These recurring concerns paint a picture of what employees truly care about. From fairness to safety, workers expect more than just a paycheck. HR may see everything from typing complaints to actual red flags. But some patterns always rise to the top.
#4
Before I was in HR, I was a team lead at a large retail store. An employee came to me with a complaint:
Another team member was friending people on FB but wouldn’t friend him. He wanted me to tell her she had to be FB friends with him, or with no one.
#5
Got called "intimidating" asked what I had done to be accused of that.
It was the horrible crime of being tall.
#6
I had a coworker that complained I smelled like cigarette smoke. We worked in a comedy club which is basically a bar. 75 percent of the people that worked there smoked. The first time I went home washed my coat and my work uniform really good. She came up to me and said you still smell like smoke. That time I told her to quit smelling me and leave me alone. I did not want to hear it again. She never said it again.
One of the most common complaints? Managers playing favorites. Whether it’s giving choice assignments to a select few or casually inviting only certain team members to lunch, favoritism stirs up resentment fast.
Sometimes it’s subtle, other times it’s blatant. But either way, it makes other employees feel undervalued and ignored. It also chips away at team morale. And once that trust is gone, it’s hard to rebuild.
#7
Had several employees come in to report a hurt goose in the parking lot. I suggested that they call animal control, and they got salty that I didn't jump up and run outside.
They didn't understand why it wasn't HR's job to trap and give medical care to wild animals.
carelantz: I had an employee come tell me "Come quick! I need your help!!" I come running out to the parking lot and she's looking under and around cars. I ask what we are looking for and she says........"an angry racoon!" Middle of the day and she thought I needed to save a rabid racoon!!!
steal_the_beauty: This reminds me of the time the department of health showed up because someone complained that there was too much goose poop outside of the building.
Because we can control where the geese poop? (Geese are little assholes...they probably poop in inconvenient places in purpose anyway)
Damned_Cat 5 months ago (edited)
I used to get calls from employees reporting that there were "big, mean alligator lizards" right outside the door, and the employees were too afraid to walk past them to come into work. I had to go out and move these friendly foot-long lizards to the bushes so staff could pass.
#8
I got fired from a job for 'Breaking into conversations' and 'Inviting myself out to lunch with coworkers'.
when I was denied unemployment I appealed. Went to the appeal. They didn't even show up. Showed the guy my write up / term. He shook his head and walked out.
Got back pay a few days later.
#9
“Why do you guys have coffee and tea available but not organic coconut water?”
🙃.
Lack of transparency is another major issue that lands on HR’s desk. When leadership withholds information, employees feel left in the dark. Whether it’s about company direction, hiring decisions, or performance evaluations, silence can breed suspicion. Open communication fosters a sense of belonging and trust. Without it, employees start to disengage. And eventually, they start looking elsewhere.
#10
I do construction and maintenance. And we installed all new LED lights and my coworker told me his light was emitting so much heat that he was going to have a heat stroke.
I told him over the weekend we swapped out the light but we didn’t and the following week he said thank you so much that he could tell a major difference.
#11
My supervisor pulled me aside one time, apologized to me for what he was about to say. He proceeded to tell me that my wall mate (low cubicle walls) complained to him that I “meow”. Um, yes, I am a cat lover but I do NOT meow.
What this nit was actually hearing was me saying “OW” when I moved the wrong way and aggravated my newly torn ligament in my shoulder.
Had a coworker complain that I “drank too much water”. Had to explain to HR that I have neuropathy and I’m usually always dehydrated.
#12
In the break room, one woman was showing her co-workers the dating profile of a guy she had been talking to online. Guy happened to be the husband of one of the co-workers she was showing. The supervisor came to me panicked & didn't find me very helpful when I informed him this was not a work issue & they just need to keep it out the workplace.
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 5 months ago
OOF! Yeah it's not a problem until it becomes a problem. I hope they both dumped the creep.
Then there’s the issue of bullying or hostile work environments. No one wants to come to work dreading how they’ll be treated. From snide remarks and passive-aggressive behavior to outright harassment, a toxic culture can crush even the best teams. HR departments are often tasked with navigating these sensitive situations. But without real action from leadership, nothing changes. And the damage only spreads.
Another popular complaint? Not enough paid time off. As work-life balance becomes more important than ever, employees are speaking up about the need for rest. PTO isn't just a luxury; it’s a basic necessity for mental health. Unfortunately, some employers still act as if time off is a reward, not a right. But burnt-out teams don’t perform well. And the resentment that builds can quietly poison company culture.
#13
I had a (male) boss tell my department (full of ladies) that we needed to look more pleasant while we were working. As designers, we’re on computers drawing all day trying to concentrate. Sorry that we’re not smiling and trying to be pleasant-looking for you while we’re deep in thought.
#14
That I parked in a handicapped parking spot without there being a handicapped plate on my car, and went right past the office manager, past HR, and straight to the 'Big Boss' in an explitive-laden email.
'Big Boss' made a personal trip to our building, (15 miles from his own work location), and explained the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) to the complaintent, and some of the extras required by it like parking, doorways, restroom access, ramps for wheelchair access, and the like.
Complaintent failed to see the valid handicapped placard hanging from my rear view mirror.
#15
Had an employee quit and was very, very angry because another employee smiled at them.
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 5 months ago
Was that employee a gorilla? I've heard you aren't supposed to smile at them.
Difficult managers are a universal workplace headache. Whether it’s poor communication, micromanagement, or a lack of empathy, a bad boss can ruin a great job. People often don’t quit companies; they quit managers. HR hears this one again and again. Strong leadership requires training, feedback, and self-awareness. Without it, turnover stays high, and trust stays low.
#16
I had a female employee complain that another female employee dressed too provocatively and made her feel uncomfortable. In reality, they both dressed about the same but they didn’t like each other.
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 5 months ago
"Jane, you ignorant s**t!" Dan Aykroyd on SNL circa 1975. IYKYK.
#17
"why'd you park in my parking spot I've been parking there for 17 years" followed by " it must be a gen z thing to not think about things like that". Mind you we have a single row for parking and no assigned spots lol.
#18
This was abput 10 years ago, a guy in accounts pretended his wife had died.
He faked her funeral, took compassionate leave (quite a lot of extra leave, as the wife was Indian and he claimed he had to go to India to sort out her estate), was given £500ish from an office collection.
Unfortunately he hadn't let his wife in on the scam, and she phoned the office looking for him one afternoon.
I believe the complaint that came in from his supervisor was 'You know X's wife died, well I just had a phone call from the afterlife'.
He was fired on the spot, sued for his extra leave, and is the reason we ask grieving workers for death certificates before we allow any extra PTO.
Missed promotions are another sore spot that sparks frustration. When hard work isn’t recognized or rewarded, employees feel invisible. Especially when they see less qualified colleagues moving ahead. HR is often pulled into these conversations, trying to explain decisions that lack clarity. Clear criteria and fair reviews matter. Otherwise, ambition turns into disappointment.
#19
That I'm too close with my bosses boss and I shouldn't be so friendly at work. Bosses boss is my best friend of over 20 years, my ex husband, we share dogs together. Yeah- we are going to act friendly. Who was the complaint from? My boss. Voiced to? His boss, my ex. It was an awkward but funny conversation between us.
#20
A coworker complained to HR because in a conversation about birthdays, someone asked, "When's your birthday?"
Never quite got past that.
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 5 months ago (edited)
Asking how old a co-worker is can be problematic because of ageism but asking about their birthday? Were they an alien who was hatched from an egg? BTW if we hatched from eggs, would we celebrate the day our mom laid the egg or the day we hatched? 🤔
#21
I had a coworker complain that I was « unfriendly » because I didn’t want to spend 20mins discussing my weekend each Monday morning. Let me do my work g*****n it 😆.
Nathan Lewis 5 months ago (edited)
Same. I keep to myself, don't speak unless spoken to, and only talk about work. Big man, who made sure to constantly remind us that he has thick skin and doesn't hold a grudge, was complaining multiple times per week that I didn't talk to him. My dude, your skin is so thin I wouldn't use it to wipe my a*s.
Inadequate professional development is a quieter complaint, but just as critical. Employees want to grow, learn, and feel challenged. When companies don’t offer mentorship, learning programs, or a clear path forward, people get stuck. HR teams hear this when engagement starts to drop. Investing in growth isn’t just good for morale, it’s good for business. Because nobody wants to stay stagnant forever.
#22
That i didnt share the food that i bought for myself.
#23
I had a supervisor tell me that I’m too honest. In a job handling other people’s money.
#24
That I type too fast and it made ppl feel uncomfortable like they felt it made them seem less productive and felt rushed to complete their tasks.
And then there are extreme cases, situations involving harassment or deeply harmful behavior. These require swift, serious action from HR and leadership. From inappropriate comments to discrimination or worse, these are the complaints that can’t be ignored. Mishandling them can damage reputations and ruin lives. However, handling them with care can protect the culture and help people heal.
#25
I work in the automotive field, had a coworker complain to manager that I wouldn’t let him use my tools, to make him money, seriously!!! I purchased those tools to make me a faster/ better technician, he can buy his own tools!!!! Later the same month, manager actually told me I need to teach coworker how to perform my job, so he can make money/ take work from me, told them both to hire a new tech, I’m quitting,,,,,,,,,.
#26
I had an employee complain when her supervisor said good morning.
#27
We were expecting a huge snowstorm (not unusual - this is snow country) so I sent a note to all the staff to plan accordingly and work from home the next day so we could all stay safe.
One of our cloud architects said that if we were expected to work from home, the company should reimburse us for our internet costs. I calculated that 8 hours of internet use would cost at most $1.07, told him if it bothered him so much that I would personally reimburse him, and to please be patient as I went to my car to dig spare change out of the seat. He then told me it was "just an idea".
While the serious issues definitely require the time and attention of HR and managers, these posts shine a light on the ones that really don’t. From outrageously petty to hilariously absurd, some complaints are more comedy than crisis. Which one had you laughing or shaking your head in disbelief? Have you ever heard something this ridiculous at your own workplace? We’d love to hear your wildest office stories. Drop them in the comments!
#28
On day number one at the naval supply center engineering branch, someone told me i should work slower, as i'm making the rest of them look bad.
Ace 5 months ago (edited)
This sort of behaviour has been used as a comedic plot basis in loads of TV and movies over the years, but actually has a much less ridiculous-sounding basis. In many jobs it might be technically possible to work faster by putting more physical effort in but potentially at the expense of one's health. Being completely exhausted at the end of each day should not be the objective, nor putting oneself and others at risk by running instead of walking all the time, for example.
#29
That I used hyperbole which made me untrustworthy- the specific example they gave was me saying “I’m so hungry I could eat a million pancakes” when we were having breakfast catered. They had one other similar example I don’t remember. It wasn’t anything related to our work. Truly baffling still tickles me to this day to think about 😂.
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 5 months ago
My favorite is to threaten to eat someone's face! On my last day at that job they got a cake with my face on it and because I had bloodwork the next day, everyone ate it but me.
#30
I had a coworker complain I don’t speak English.
I’m a Brit and have been in the USA for 32 years.
#31
Was told by my manager that we were not supposed to work any overtime that wasn’t approved of in advance. At that point my only overtime was generally staying an extra 15-30 minutes on occasion (others were a***ing it) to finish something I didn’t want to waste time trying to remember where I was at when I came back to it the next day. I followed the request and started clocking out right at 8 hours and after a few months got a complaint that I wasn’t willing to stay late even though I had been specifically told not to.
Dragon mama 5 months ago
So what they really wanted was for you to stay late and NOT take overtime pay. No surprise there.
#32
One of my favourites from the other half who is in HR.
So Mr Blue and Ms. Pink work together for some time. At some point their inter office flirting becomes too much for Ms. Pink, and she goes to HR.
Apparently Mr Blue has been sending her texts and making overtures that the married Ms. Pink does not want and needs to stop.
Mr Blue is pulled into HR, and the go over his behaviour. He's going to be suspended while they determine if he'll be terminated. This is inappropriate and boarders on harassment. He seems to understand, but something is off with him. The he asks "Is she saying she didn't *want* me to do this?".
"Yes" comes the answer, "this wasn't something co-workers do. You're single and dont understand the full scope of what's going on.".
"Hold on a sec". Mr Blue pulls out his phone and shows a text of Ms. Pink with her naked, spread eagle along with a steamy note. Then another, and another. "I'll send them to you for your research.".
HR regroups, ends the meeting and does more investigation.
Turns out they'd been screwing for months, hubby was getting suspicious and she needed an out. They both got disciplined by HR, though her marriage fell apart and she had to carry the knowledge with her that most of HR had seen her naughty bits.
GalPalAl 5 months ago
Again, not embarrassed by being caught after lying and trying to really get someone in real trouble? I cannot wrap my hear around this logic but have to ask are these cases of worms eating people's brains or maybe a brain tumor? How can so many people be so obtuse and out of touch with reality?
#33
I have a presentation on our health and wellness programs throughout the organization. afterwards one of the VPs comes to me saying that they felt disrespected because I didn’t mention their health and wellness programs.
I said I was unaware of them. what are they. She admitted to not having any.
I then said that over the last decade I have tried to bring programs to your clients and you have never shown any interest.
She then mumbled something about my presentations being more inclusive.
so next time I guess i will call out that her program does not have any wellness programs so that she feels included.
#34
My small company acquired another even smaller company last year which came with two new direct reports for me. The whole acquisition was so poorly planned and nothing went smoothly.
Because of this, there was a lot of aggravating things getting in the way of those two new employees daily workflows. As their manager, I did my best to try and fix these situations for them since it wasn’t at all their fault the transition was so messy. They were both very happy with me throughout the year because of this.
At the end of the year when it came time for my review, my boss, who really had nothing to ding me for because I had a pretty great year, dinged me for “making the transition too easy for them” …what?? She suggested I should have made them solve more problems themselves. It was so stupid.
geezeronthehill 5 months ago
Did she want them to be productive sooner, or just suffer? Boss ain't management material.
#35
I had an employee report that her orchid, which she had left in a common area, had been stolen. For some reason we looked into this and security managed to see on camera who had taken it. I spoke with the guy and he said the orchid was not in great shape so he decided to take it home to nurse it back to health... I asked him to bring it back to work. Biggest waste of time ever.
#36
Not sure if I would call this a complaint, but a few months ago I had an employee come tell me someone sneezed in the employee cafeteria and "wanted to make me aware.".
#37
I have two favorites from the same job:
First was someone complaining to another “I feel like they just keep focusing on my mistakes!” and the other goes, “then stop making mistakes!”
Second, a coworker had a little Christmas tree with three bears holding hands around it (think beanie babies or something) and someone went to HR to make her take it down because it “looked like the bears were doing witchcraft.”.
#38
I had one employee who walked out in the middle of his shift after getting into an argument with a coworker . When I called him into my office to explain his situation, he denied the argument (even though we have footage), but insisted he left work because he was experiencing extreme hemmoroid ruptures and bleeding from his a*s.
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 5 months ago (edited)
He lost the argument so bad he was literally butt hurt.
#39
A tenured employee quit, tearfully stating during an exit interview that we could have kept her talents on board had we simply offered more food days/catered pizza lunches.
This was an employee already on the radar for FMLA a***e. She was back re-applying in about 6 months. She was not rehired.
#41
Some staff wanted me to arrange an exorcism because they were convinced their work building was haunted.
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 5 months ago
Sounds like a good excuse for a team building exercise to me. I'd definitely bring in one of my Wiccan friends to do it.
#42
I had some Asian-style flip flop sandals that had a straw-like substance on the footbed. They would slap against the sole of my foot and make noise when I walked. A coworker (whom I didn’t really get along with) complained to me about the noise they made.
After that, I wore them nearly every day, all summer long.
#43
Letter complaint: "The Doctor called me fat!".
Looked up patient weight, patient unambiguously fat. BMI 50+, Doctor was giving results of positive test for non-alcohol related fatty liver disease and corresponding dietary advice.
Wrote the patient a non-pology letter, gently hinting that choice of words was not ideal but perhaps some of the doctor's advice was good.
#44
Being told I looked unprofessional for using sticky notes, while she would leave me mean notes written on sticky notes at my desk.
#45
Had an employee who was already on a final for attendance leave for lunch. 2 hours later he still wasn’t back. When it was addressed we asked where he went. He said he had to go to the bank to deposit money and the line was really long. Asked why he didn’t call when he knew he wasn’t going to be back within the 30 min allotted time or answer any of our calls and he said his phone was lost in his car and not charged. He was let go and still didn’t understand where he went wrong.
Not an employee but had a customer pissed off a drone was flying around. He said it violated his privacy. Marketing was taking aerial shots of the building. 🙄.
#46
I got told by my manager that I was too introvert after being hired. We worked from home….
Anthony Elmore 5 months ago
Been there. I work mostly isolated from the other members of my team, aside from emails that I send in submitting dimensional reports. Most of the other portion of the team is on the floor doing inspection work. Was offered the suggestion by my boss that I should come out to chat with the team more. He's not wrong that I could be more sociable, but this is the first time I've been told I spend too much time doing my job instead of talking.
#47
I was told that I was too detailed by my former boss, who owns a company that does inventory of stores for audits and such.
David Morgan 5 months ago
"Let's see...you got some of that, bit of this, couple of the other. Nice. Right, next client..."
#48
Employee complaining that their manager was constantly hassling them about how long he took to p*o. Went into detail about bowel issues, way too much information.
Another lazy team member complaining that they had to walk upstairs to use the bathroom. They wanted me take one of the two toilets downstairs and make it female only and expected 13 males to use the other single toilet. No dice sorry.
I worked with some whingers, glad I don't do it anymore lol.
#49
Not HR, but in my office there was a HUGE deal of who kept finishing the pot of coffee without starting a new one. Lemme tell you, some office workers had to go 4-5 minutes without coffee, which caused chaos.
Lost Panda 5 months ago
I mean their reaction might have been over the top, but it is common courtesy to start a new pot when you finish the shared pot. This was probably because it was the same person over and over again.
#50
One coworker was always friendly and approchable. he got pulled by HR because a new employee said she felt he was trying hard to approach her.
#51
A manager said she was sad I was always at my desk and then told my manager's manager that I was unmotivated. I have a desk job...
#52
I have food allergies and constantly have coworkers make complaints that I don't eat during the multiple, unnecessary shared lunches we have (even though this would make me so sick I'd have to miss 2 days of work and then they would complain about me missing work).
Michael Largey 5 months ago
"Ok, I'll eat that stuff. Just tell me in advance which of you I should vomit on."
#53
This just happened today. Our coffee station worker was hanging out by the grill at work. The manager from the maintenance dept. comes to order something and walked up wearing tennis shoes. She has the audacity to ask the grill cook to ask him why he’s not wearing steel toed boots. He asks. And the mngr responds with no I don’t have to wear steel toes boots. She then proceeds called HR to complain about him not wearing the boots and they told her he doesn’t have to. And if she makes another false complaint she will be written up for subordination. LOL.
#54
Coworker once said I was making them look bad to upper management because I was doing too much. In reality I was doing the bare minimum.
#55
This complaint is so dumb it requires A LOT of backstory otherwise it doesn’t make sense.
TLDR: I didn’t change the schedule that I’m not allowed to change.
I’m in a leadership position but I don’t make the schedule. Everyone’s shifts are determined by a different department to keep things fair. If someone wants a different shift than they are assigned; then they have to work that out with their teammates.
I was assigned to lead a huge blood drive (the biggest one our region sponsors). I had 15+ staff to manage on an out of town and approximately 300 units of blood to collect over the course of two days. I had to manage their vehicle assignments, break schedules, start times, donor flow, equipment set up, etc. However, everyone’s assignments were determined by a different department.
First day went great! Everyone was safe and we set the record for the most blood ever collected in this location. While the team went out to celebrate, I stayed late finishing my paperwork, preparing for the next day.
When I sent out the information for equipment set up in the morning, one of the team members (let’s call her A) responds with an angry drunk text.
A: Why are you kicking me off powers?! Did I do something wrong?
Me: I’m not taking you off apheresis. You just weren’t assigned to that by scheduling. The only reason B got to have the shift for two days is because she traded with someone.
A: But I told our boss I wanted powers for the whole trip!
Me: No one relayed that to me. I just double checked my emails and there is nothing indicating that you were supposed to have C’s shift. I’m sure that they were just trying to give you a break.
A: Our boss told me he’d fix it for me! You can’t just take it away from me!
Me: I’m not taking it away from you. It’s C’s shift. If he wants to trade with you, you can do apheresis tomorrow. But I’m not allowed to kick people off the shift they’re scheduled for. I don’t have that kind of power.
A proceded to complain about this situation to anyone who would listen for the next TWO MONTHS. She escalated the complaint to our supervisors and tried to say I was abusing my authority. Thankfully my supervisor shut it down immediately and pointed out that: I had no authority to alter the schedule; had no way of even knowing she wanted to trade shifts, and that she had no grounds for this ridiculous complaint.
Robert Beveridge 5 months ago
"donor flow" sounds dirty enough that I'm certain the third-party censor app will eventually get round to it
#56
I'd be here all day if I listed petty complaints from my coworker, so I'll just go with the latest. My coworker complained to the assistant manager that i was in the washroom when she wanted me to go have a smoke with her. I don't even smoke, and she was supposed to be helping a new client at the time.
#57
Not HR, but a friend who owned his own company told me about having to fire a guy for picking up a p********e in the marked company vehicle.
David Morgan 5 months ago (edited)
Well, you shouldn't pick up a periwinkle AT ALL, let alone in company vehicles...
#58
I had a new employee who had ongoing transportation issues who accused us of discrimination because we would not allow another clocked-in employee to use a company vehicle to drive him to and from work.
The location he worked was about two miles north of town. He literally complained that he might get attacked by a cougar if he walked. Then he admitted that he skipped out on paying his *taxi* fare one time when being dropped off at work.
K Barnes 5 months ago
I was at a friend's house as a teen when someone from school showed up uninvited. Weird but ok. A few minutes later the doorbell rang and a taxi driver was there asking for payment. This girl had taken a cab uninvited to my friend's house then said she was going in to get money. She told friend to just shut the door and ignore the driver, he would eventually just go away, she did this all the time. My friend's dad paid the poor man and suggested the uninvited girl go home, but she had no way to get home (no money for a cab/her parents weren't around). People are wild.
#59
I was once told my personality isn't "corporate" enough. I have no idea what that means.
On another occasion, at another company, a manager told me the expression in my eyes was "too witchy". That's when I gave up trying to understand corporate culture.
David Morgan 5 months ago
They were telling you to rent 'Wall Street', then do everything Michael Douglas did in the film.
#60
That I looked rude in my glasses.
#61
I burped. I said excuse me. It just slipped, y'know? Not like I'm going around soiling my drawers.
#62
Not HR, but I used to help my HR team in organizing a summer event for families. Nothing special, just a grill party for employees with some extra events for children. This was a large company of around 300 employees.
A week before the event, one guy rose apes**t hell because we chose the date when his daughter was on summer camp...
#63
Obligatory not HR. But I once lightly tossed the keys to a fellow employee. It’s something I often do, but this particular employee didn’t like me. Later on I was asked by my manager why I threw the keys at my coworker. Apparently my coworker told them that I got angry and huffed and chucked the keys at his chest. I was utterly flabbergasted that I was considered to be the one in the wrong. When asked the standard “what should you do next time to make sure this doesn’t happen again?” I didn’t know what to answer. I considered answering that maybe my coworker shouldn’t be such a puss-a*s b***h. Luckily my Team Lead stepped in and told me the right answer was “not to toss the keys next time”. After the meeting I busted up laughing. It became something of a running joke with my other coworkers whenever we tossed the keys to each other.
#64
Not in HR but when I was a waitress there was this married couple that found something new to complain about every time they came in. The one that got me was 'Your booths are too tall, you need to lower them for us.' Not only were these the same exact booths that they had sat in several dozen times previously without any issue, but also were permanently bolted to the wall, because, you know, they're booths...
Oerff On Tour 5 months ago (edited)
OP should tell them not to come back till they lost some weight. The booth's not getting smaller, they are getting bigger.
#65
LOL “my break started two minutes later than originally scheduled. I’m calling OSHA”.
Toasted Applesauce 5 months ago
Please. Last week my 5:00 break didn't start until 6:30 because we were busy
#66
Had a very, very bad employee years ago. He once went to HR and his union rep to complain that I had no right to tell him what to do. He further explained that as a black man you couldn’t expect him to listen to a woman. There were many, many amazing statements that came from him.
Stephanie Did It 5 months ago
I was interested in an internal job posting in a department that I felt more qualified for. A coworker in my office also applied. The next day he came to my desk to tell me he had gotten the position. I congratulated him and he said, "I knew it would be either you or me, so I played the race card." I had no idea how to respond to that.
#67
Not HR, but had someone submit a complaint about me. I was doing temp work at a heating/ac/plumbing company, answer the phones and stuff, but there was this one girl that just *hated* me, I guess I was too happy to be employed? Anyway, I go in one day and the owner pulls me into the office, I have to get a d**g test done because I'm too energetic, and I blow my nose "frequently". I am a morning person, and I have allergies. The results come back negative, the owner apologizes, and I quit on the spot.
#68
Just had a formal complaint from someone who said his supervisor was refusing to help him with his training and development.
Upon investigation, it's turned out he requested the training around 7 months ago. Its training in another department, which will help on the 2/3 occasions he's asked to help out in that area. Well.... we've been a little preoccupied these last 7 months... Sorry, buddy, that non-essential training which requires an external trainer to come on-site during a pandemic is not our priority.
We also gave a bonus to those who went above and beyond these past 7 months, aimed at the key workers who were in work throughout and the number of complaints from people who didn't qualify just made us wish we didn't bother.
#69
The manager hired the sister of a co-worker, which is against store policy of not hiring family. That was because the co-worker was a real b*********r to the manager.
So, sister comes in acting like she's above us all, and won't reply to greetings in the morning. Okay, so I stop greeting her in the morning.
One day, she starts loading a food warmer, that I had already put a few items into, and it didn't need to be that full, or else that could waste food.
So, I ask her if the manager told her to do that. No reply.
I ask her again, if the manager told her to do that. Nothing.
My next question was, "Do you speak English?"
"Yes!", She snapped.
So, I repeated; "Did the manager tell you to do that?"
"Yes!", She answered angrily.
The next day, the manager took me aside and asked if I had a problem with working with the sister. I said, no and went back to work while still not talking to the sister, since she didn't want to reply to me.
A few days later, I got written up for bad teamwork. Not being a team player.
Multa Nocte 5 months ago
Is the blanked out word "bullshitter"? I hate this stupid censorship guessing game.
#70
One time a girl went to HR because a guy scraped the snow and ice off her windshield after work. She said it made her feel uncomfortable lol.
#71
The one that made me facepalm…hard? So it’s late November and I jokingly tell a customer BOO. I don’t jump out and I don’t hide I just say BOO. Next day I’m told by my manager I can’t say boo. I reply you’re kidding me right? No. I said it’s October…ya know Halloween…so boo is appropriate. “Well you scared…and she thought you might have a gun.” I don’t regret looking at her like are you trying to look stupid? I told her again…Halloween besides when the hell have I brought a gun to work much less have a need to?
#73
I have two.
Back in the day, I worked for a guy from Puerto Rico. His English was perfect, but his accent was deplorable.
In my review, he proceeded to sing my praises and tell me what a great job I was doing, and the only negative he could find was that he could not understand when I was joking. I tend to be a little on the sarcastic side.
Later on, maybe 5 years ago, I was told in a review that it would be nice to see me at more company social events. Note that these events are not paid, I have social anxiety, I don't drink, and I leave work an hour before everybody else.
I responded to the first complaint by telling him that if that's the worst he's got I can cope with it.
I chose not to respond to the second one.
GalPalAl 5 months ago
I am with you on the comment about social events and same about no drinking and social anxiety (introvert-hate crowds). Again like I mentioned in another reply, I often tell people to think of me as having asberger syndrome so they will leave me alone and not be able to use it against me if I am undiagnosed.
#74
I had a colleague go to our manager to say that when she didn't explain things clearly in the morning meeting, I asked her questions, and she didn't like being asked questions. The manager suggested that when she didn't explain clearly I should wait and ask him later. FFS. Or maybe just don't let incompetent people lead meetings.
#75
Not hr but my company has had some serious wtf moments:
Take down the pictures of ww2 airplanes because our German customers might take offence
Had a phantom p*o'er who wrote 'f**k you' on the wall in s**t and pooped in a newly installed toilet... it wasn't even plumbed in yet they just shat in a waterless toilet and left it for someone else to sort out.
Had a guy who got caught sleeping at work for the 3rd time. When the shift leader gave him a talking to, the guy complained to HR that we was being victimized. During the subsequent investigation it was found via CCTV that the worker was going to his car and shooting h****n. This was confirmed in a positive d**g test.
These are just the ones that jump out at me. Not what you would expect in a multi-billion dollar aerospace engineering company.
Multa Nocte 5 months ago
Sorry, but that's EXACTLY what I would expect in a multi-billion dollar aerospace engineering company.
#76
Talking to an employee about underperformance and she complains because I wasn't telling her how great she is after every text she sent.
#77
I work as an intern in an office of 30 people. A couple days ago I received a complaint to my manager because an employee said "The intern complained that the company doesn't buy enough muffins for the employess". What actually happened was I walked to the table for a muffin, didn't see any, and said "Aww man I wish there were more muffins".
#78
I used to sit near the HR office and I got to overhear a lot of stupid conversations between the HR manager and staff. There was two complaints the day after the company hosted a tail gating party and reserved a bunch of seats at a famous baseball Park. Both complaints were from women, one had been drinking a ton of beers got angry at a chatty coworker left early and drove 45+ minutes home. The other complaint was from someone who brought in about 6 non employees to the event and was upset about being followed into the baseball park by a fellow employee on their way up to the group seats. HR was very patient but firm about the purpose of the event was to get to know and network with fellow employees and not bad mouth or insult them which both had done. I always wondered why the HR people never last more than 6 months part of it must have been the constant complaints and management not following the rules.
#79
We have a little staff office for us teachers. There’s ten of us. I’m in the toddler room, and there’s two preschool rooms. Keep in mind, this office seats six people. Three on one side and three on the other. At any given time there’s only four of us in there at a time. Toddler teachers are really never in there when the preschool teachers are. When I first started, I put some stuff at one of the areas. Not taking over or anything, but I would sit there and do work there. A couple of months later one of the preschool teachers comes in to get something while I’m in there. She tells me that she’s been meaning to tell me that’s her spot. I apologized and got the couple of items and moved. She got what she needed and left. I’ve never sat there again. It was very bizarre. .
#80
I have 2 stories for you.
i worked at a shop in central illinois for a year, or was it 2? anyhow, when i left, clint, who was in his mid-20's, came up to me and shook my hand, pretty much like everyone else did, but he had this to say to me, "yew kno, when aye first metcha i wuzn't shure whut to make a ya, but i got to admit yer as gud az eny white man i ever met." clint wasn't racist and he wasn't stupid, unlike some of the others. he was the absolute definition of ignorant, he simply had no experience outside of small town life, and i mean small, the population of the town was only 350 at the time. he didn't watch tv. wasn't interested in the news or what was going on in the world or even the next town over, not cars, or anything. he was the son of the town drunk and he married the prettiest girl in school because neither one had managed to pair up with anyone else. all he wanted to do was hunt, fish, work, and make sure he provided for his wife, in that order.
the other one i have is being told i was like switzerland, i could get along with anyone. i didn't realize it but i started right after two guys got in an actual donnybrook on the shop floor, busted lips, torn clothes, black eyes, the whole deal. i didn't know this and bounced back and forth between the two factions like nothing had happened because i didn't know that something *had* happened.
#81
My mom (who works for the state) had to deal with an employee who was catching pigeons on work property then taking them home to bbq them.
Nuku Nyara 5 months ago
Eeewww a lot of wild pigeons have diseases that can contaminate the kitchen area and make you sick. 🤢🤢🤢
#82
Not in HR but used to manage people. Had an employee get upset about a Harambe meme another employee had in his cubicle. It was the “take a shot for Harambe, because he took one for you”.
Robert Beveridge 5 months ago
Now if it had been D***s Out for Harambe he might have had a point...
What do you think ?
LouLou Bella 5 months ago
In my current job we have a girl about 27 who weaponizies her religion and uses it go try get special treatment. We are in Ireland, Irish people curse, a lot its very common, this girl is not from here but has lived here for over ten years. She went to HR and tried to have cursing banned in the break room. I mean what the fudge ?? We also have a TV in there that has a music station on with no sound that shows the current videos in the charts. She also went to HR to get that changed because there were girls on the TV in bikinis and it was inappropriate !!
Alex Martin 5 months ago
Created a big dramatic scene because I threw out her yogurt and a cup of pudding while cleaning the work fridge. Both items had been in the fridge for months. The yogurt had expired 18 months prior. The cup had no visible dates. I figured an employee who had quit had brought them. She bitched to HR. I have hiring/firing authority and HR is only advisory. I was livid at her antics. She was one more passive aggressive comment away from unemployment.
Richienotsorich 4 months ago
Subscribe now to read a load more copy and paste posts about whiny employees...49 was more than enough, thank you.
Quinn Goforth 5 months ago
My first job ever, I used to work for big box pet store. Came in on my day off wearing a "colorful" shirt (black with f*****g fabulous in pink glitter). My next shift, I had stern warning from the assistant manager, saying someone might recognize me and be offended :)
LouLou Bella 5 months ago
In my current job we have a girl about 27 who weaponizies her religion and uses it go try get special treatment. We are in Ireland, Irish people curse, a lot its very common, this girl is not from here but has lived here for over ten years. She went to HR and tried to have cursing banned in the break room. I mean what the fudge ?? We also have a TV in there that has a music station on with no sound that shows the current videos in the charts. She also went to HR to get that changed because there were girls on the TV in bikinis and it was inappropriate !!
Alex Martin 5 months ago
Created a big dramatic scene because I threw out her yogurt and a cup of pudding while cleaning the work fridge. Both items had been in the fridge for months. The yogurt had expired 18 months prior. The cup had no visible dates. I figured an employee who had quit had brought them. She bitched to HR. I have hiring/firing authority and HR is only advisory. I was livid at her antics. She was one more passive aggressive comment away from unemployment.
Richienotsorich 4 months ago
Subscribe now to read a load more copy and paste posts about whiny employees...49 was more than enough, thank you.
Quinn Goforth 5 months ago
My first job ever, I used to work for big box pet store. Came in on my day off wearing a "colorful" shirt (black with f*****g fabulous in pink glitter). My next shift, I had stern warning from the assistant manager, saying someone might recognize me and be offended :)
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