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The two things I vividly recall from working in retail are the customers and the managers. But not because they were good. No no, because they taught me how to smile while my mind was repeating "Fu** you."

Of course, there was the cleaning of the floor, the stocking of the shelves, and the ringing of the register but these responsibilities were the easy part. The human factor was where the misery was usually at. And if it wasn't for my colleagues, I don't know if I would have lasted for as long as I did.

So I was very glad to come across r/RetailHell. The subreddit acts like an online support center where workers from the industry come together to both vent and celebrate their painful and proud moments on the job. Sometimes, just the fact that someone is listening is enough.

#2

Dutch Supermarket Chain Opens Slower 'Chat Checkouts' In An Effort To Combat Loneliness Among The Elderly

Dutch Supermarket Chain Opens Slower 'Chat Checkouts' In An Effort To Combat Loneliness Among The Elderly

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We managed to get in touch with the mods of r/RetailHell and they were kind enough to have a little chat with us about it.

"This subreddit is very easy to mod," one of them told Bored Panda. "The community is really supportive and very little policing needs to be done, that's probably because the majority of members work retail, and anything insulting or rude to employees will be downvoted to oblivion, so it's largely self-governing."

"That said, we pretty much just ban people for breaking the rules," another mod added. "None of that negotiating a timeframe and then having to ban them again in a month. If you're [a jerk], we just ban you."

#5

Too Accurate

Too Accurate

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Steffen Rehm
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Hey! What costs this???" *Proceeds to stay in front of that little paper, all alone over the product. Name, price and everything* "Is that the price for this???" Happens surprisingly often.

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"The community itself is really positive, funny, and insightful about working in retail," the first mod continued. "Lots of people letting their internal monologues out where in work they have to keep a smile on even behind a mask."

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"The most popular themes are humorous — we have a good sense of humor here. In retail, you have to or you just wouldn't survive." 

However, it's not just sunshine and days off. As the second mod explained, if you dig a little deeper, you realize it's a bunch of tired people trying to get a break from life.

#8

On The Front Door Of A Local Liquor Store

On The Front Door Of A Local Liquor Store

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Steffen Rehm
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wish we had security, so i have not to deal with these not so smart as they think people.

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A large part of this emotional exhaustion comes from indifferent bosses. Zeynep Ton, a Professor of the Practice at the MIT Sloan School of Management, whose research focuses on how organizations can design and manage their operations in a way that satisfies employees, customers, and investors simultaneously, thinks the main reason why retailers underinvest in labor is that it's often their largest controllable expense.

"[Labor] can account for more than 10% of revenues—a considerable level in an industry with low profit margins," Ton explained in Harvard Business Review. "In addition, many retailers see labor as a cost driver rather than a sales driver and therefore focus on minimizing its costs. Accordingly, they often evaluate store managers on whether they meet monthly (or weekly) targets for payroll as a percentage of sales. These managers don't have much control over sales (they almost never make decisions on merchandise mix, layout, price, or promotions), but they do have a fair amount of control over payroll. So when sales decrease, they immediately reduce staffing levels. The pressure to reduce payroll expenses is so high that store managers at several large chains, including Walmart, have been widely reported to have forced employees to work off-the-clock, paying them for fewer hours than they put in."

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#9

"You Are Not At A Level Of Skill That Deserves This Wage"

"You Are Not At A Level Of Skill That Deserves This Wage"

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WilvanderHeijden
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The people who call them unskilled jobs aren't even capable of working them.

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#11

I Love How Customer Actually Think We Care

I Love How Customer Actually Think We Care

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However, according to a new analysis of more than 1.4 million Glassdoor reviews, a toxic culture is 10.4 times more likely to contribute to an employee leaving than compensation. That culture includes failing to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion; unethical behavior; and workers feeling disrespected, the report said.

"Compensation is at best a moderate predictor of attrition," Donald Sull, a co-founder of analytics firm CultureX, which performed the analysis, told Bloomberg.

The research focused on reviews posted between April and September 2021 for large for-profit companies that employ roughly 25% of private-sector workers.

The numbers revealed that apparel retailers are losing the highest number of workers. Retail employees had an average attrition rate of 19% during that six-month period, and retail employees quit at a rate three times higher than airline workers, medical device makers, and health insurance employees.

#12

It Said "Call Center" Previously, I Believe It Also Applies

It Said "Call Center" Previously, I Believe It Also Applies

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#13

Not Oc But Worth A Share

Not Oc But Worth A Share

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KJ
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wonder if you could make a career of being hired by shop workers to tell the annoying customers to go f themselves while just appearing to be an ordinary shopper.

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The first moderator of r/RetailHell believes this toxicity is so abundant because "current culture allows it."

"Retail and other front line workers have not benefited yet from the change in cultural behavior that we have seen over the last 20 years, and part of that cultural problem comes from retail itself. It allows customers a lot of room to abuse employees because, at the end of the day, the customer spends money," the mod said. "These are my views only ... but I'm 21 years in retail."

The second mod said they don't think that customers are mindfully misbehaving. "It's not that they want to be [jerks] to the workers, it's that they literally can't see outside their bubble and recognize that it's another human being stocking those shelves. I really think they often don't take the time to mention that. You'll see that in stories from here. A customer is being a complete a***ole, but the worker shows emotion like crying, and suddenly they realize what they've done. I've seen workers talk about de-escalation methods that speak to this very issue. When you get them to realize that you're a human, rather than simply a conduit to donuts, their attitude often changes."

"This isn't always the case, and some people just suck," the mod highlighted. "I'm willing to bet most of those people suck outside of a retail setting, too. Sometimes retail is simply society's first line of defense against [jerks]."

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#15

Every Night At Closing Time

Every Night At Closing Time

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#16

Sad That This Even Exists

Sad That This Even Exists

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Kira Okah
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's a sign, the text is going to be explicitly ignored and/or contradicted jut for being on a sign =.=

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#17

Upvote If You Would Not Fix This

Upvote If You Would Not Fix This

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Sarah
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Can anyone help me? I don't know what the word should be because BP has censored it so well.

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#19

We've Had These Kind Of Karens Right

We've Had These Kind Of Karens Right

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Willem Groenewald
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ha, Sunday after church service was always the worst. Was* because I waitered 20 years ago.

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#20

When Those Certain Customers Are Walking Towards The Door...

When Those Certain Customers Are Walking Towards The Door...

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#21

Lmboo

Lmboo

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#22

These People Are The Worst

These People Are The Worst

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StormWolf
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you don't supervise your children *any* place outside your own home (where they should also be supervised, of course) you're a neglectful piece of excrement

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Agnes Jekyll
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

especially when that child leaves some excrement on the floor and the parent hightails it out of there without a word or an attempt to clean it up.

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Mama Panda
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I used to work as an assistant manager for Walmart some years back and I had a family with 3 kids who would run around the store destroying everything. I asked the parents twice to control their kids and they refused so I called the cops on them and they were arrested for disorderly conduct. Mama ain't got no time for that s**t!

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Joanna Jamil
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was once yelled at by an woman because I kindly asked her child to come out from under the round revolving clothes rack that was full & he was tugging on the clothes from below causing the whole thing to wobble. This was around 1995 in Columbus, Ohio. I sincerely hope when he became a teen he gave her conniption fits!!

veryjoyful avatar
Victoria Kimball
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Had a woman come into my computer store with two young kids who ran around, kicked the walls, and tried to climb shelving. ME (kindly): I really need you to control your children. HER (bewildered): How am I supposed to do that? ME (slightly less kindly): Uhhh... hold their hands? [SIDEBAR: She ended up buying an $1,800 computer package, which was directly paid for by a government assistance vocational program, and then tried to return it for cash.]

sherryboom57 avatar
Sherry Allison
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not only WOW but I want an $1800. computer too. What's this government program?? Lol.

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Dre Mosley
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Agreed. I really dislike parents who just let their kids run wild in public.

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anthony moring
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Some dad chased his son around my store and yelled at me for the placement of my shelf because his son whacked his head on the corner of it.

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Sami Rezler
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Or the ones who supervise them, but let them throw tantrums, which is all fine and good, until they are being dragged to the front by mom and they fekkin pull a bunch of crap off the shelves onto the floor.

dcloud1943 avatar
Dorothy Cloud
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh, please!! Even we customers would like to chase you & your kids out the door!!!!!!

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Roberta Bray-Enhus
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I worked retail many years ago. But as a customer this grates on me. Hate to point fingers but it’s usually the Puerto Rican’ kids.And the young mothers with 4 baby daddy kids and a newborn. They are all yelling. And the newborn is screaming and wailing,not being paid attention to, while the mom is talking on her phone loudly with a guy. I need to leave the store now!

spectra22 avatar
Taryn Sanders
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was a fitting room attendant at a Ross store for a little while, and one day a woman--she looked to be Hispanic--came back to try on an armful of clothes. She had three kids with her, one about 6, one 4, and a toddler. She told them to wait outside while she tried on her things, and I'm thinking, "Great, here we go." Well, you won't believe what those kids did... The oldest one sat on a chair right by the door, while the two younger kids looked around at the nearby aisles. They didn't touch a thing, they didn't run around, they weren't loud or destructive, they didn't wander across the store... They waited patiently until mom came out about 5 minutes later, even the little one. I was stunned; it was like seeing some rare, mythical creature, like a unicorn. I told her, awe in my voice, "I just have to say, ma'am, you have the most well-behaved kids I've *ever* seen." I sincerely wish parents of all ethnicities could raise kids half as well as this woman raised hers, just sayin'.

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Jack Evans
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

“I’ve already taught my own kids to behave, what makes you think it’s my job to teach yours too?”

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Jazmine Conway
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's not on the employees or the other customers to control and supervise your f*****g kid(s)!!!

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Ryan Deschanel
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Or else, you are a very good parents whose children already know how to behave properly.

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Vicky Z
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have no intention to change your mind cause you are absolutely right

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Spike Matthews
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh gods, yes. I was eating at a pizza place and at the next table there was a woman with two little kids. Both kids were running around the place, almost tripping up the servers as they ferried drinks and food. At one point, one of the kids bumped into me, so I asked the woman to take charge of her kids. She snapped at me, "this is a family restaurant!" I just replied, "yes, but the key word here is 'restaurant,' not 'playground.'"

kaching12 avatar
Yort
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

One of the many times some children were destroying the toy section in Goodwill, someone mentioned it to an employee. The employee got this dead-eyed look and said something like “I know, we can’t stand it either, but if we confront the parents they always just throw a fit and it makes everything worse.”

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Seri McGee
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I could change his mind. I spanked my kids and so did my mom and my kids plus me and my brothers were very well behaved or we would get it right there in front of God and everybody.

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Ivan Petrov
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A kid died in a construction store, in my country, because a model sink cabinet fell on top of him, while he was climbing it. Parents were asking the store to take responsibility for the unsafe instalation. That's a CONSTRUCTION store, not a playground. The fact, that a kid died is horrible, but his parents were irresponsible.

spectra22 avatar
Taryn Sanders
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The real kicker is when some little Hellian is about to knock over a display, so you gently lead them away, saying "Oh no, honey, please don't do that," and rather than apologize for their kid's bad behavior, the belligerent parent storms over and yells, "Hey! Don't you DARE lay a hand on my child!" or "How dare you tell MY kid what to do?!"

chipfitz1 avatar
Michael Fitzgerald
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes, but don’t try to correct the bad behavior by saying anything. Because their parents will become absolutely indignant that you mentioned the bad behavior. Thus proving why the children act like that

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Jessica Julian
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Which is worse: They do watch them, but do nothing to correct their behavior, or they let them run wild, unsupervised?

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Jaguarundi
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah, blame me because YOUR unsupervised little cherub opened and tried to ingest a toxic substance! Or tried to eat the artificial fruit.

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Patrick O'Harris
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, if a child gets burried under a bunch of beer packages because its stupid enough to pull lots of them from the bottom... Things happen. Seen it once. Is funny afterwards because the child didnt actually get hurt but Mom was terrified after running three isles to their child.

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Harri Ellis
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

" unsupervised children will be sold to the circus" I was in the circus because it was impossible to supervise me. True story.

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Todd
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Anybody know what that sign really says? Looks really photoshopped. But I’m sure I’ve seen it a number of times with different things out on it

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Kelsey Taylor
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Haha love this. Now I want to just set up a booth like this on random issues

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Mary Panasewicz
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Someone already does it. He's the Republican in the meme. His name is Steven Crowder. It'll never be any less funny when I see left-leaning sites use this image as a meme without realising who he is.

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Viviane
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've seen this one: "Any child that is not supervised will be given a free puppy and a cappuccino."

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Rod Egret
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I refuse to supervise my kids in a store!!!! That's why I don't have kids....

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Rijkærd
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not gonna argue...do you have enough coffee for two? I wanna wait to hear them Karens .....

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WilvanderHeijden
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Perhaps setting up a kid's corner in your place where kids can entertain themselves? A lot of Dutch places do this.

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#23

Anyone Else Starting To Reach Their Emotional Limit?

Anyone Else Starting To Reach Their Emotional Limit?

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#24

Mcliving-Wage

Mcliving-Wage

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#25

How I Wish This Wasn't True

How I Wish This Wasn't True

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WilvanderHeijden
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Some Dutch shops have adopted this ridiculous rite of shouting "Welcome" when customers enter the store. I've heard many people yell back "Act normal!!!"

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#26

Cough Cough At My Entire Management

Cough Cough At My Entire Management

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WilvanderHeijden
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What a bad attitude! Is that the thanks company gets for employing you and giving you a chance to become rich if you work hard and long enough? /S

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#27

Hits Home Doesn't It

Hits Home Doesn't It

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A B C
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don't call them baboons. I'm pretty sure baboons would be better at following rules than these dumbfúcks.

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#28

Haha True

Haha True

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#31

I Never Related So Hard To A Meme Before

I Never Related So Hard To A Meme Before

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#32

Every. Single. Time

Every. Single. Time

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Truth Monster
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I used to say, "Now its actually going to cost double, as I've now done double the work. But just because you're a SPECIAL VALUED customer, it'll be 100% off so its now only (regular price).

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#33

Customer: Is This Cash Only?

Customer: Is This Cash Only?

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Truth Monster
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Walmart circa 2015 made you click "I understand" when it said that it didn't accept cash/card. About 1 in 5 got to the end of the transaction and then were completely dumbfounded that it didn.t take cash/card. I used to joke that customers would agree to selling their kidneys on those self checkouts and never know.

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#34

My Boss Volunteered Me For A Golf Event That I Hated Every Second Of, So I Gave Her A Golf Themed Resignation Letter

My Boss Volunteered Me For A Golf Event That I Hated Every Second Of, So I Gave Her A Golf Themed Resignation Letter

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#36

Manager Put These Up 3 Days Ago Not Going So Well

Manager Put These Up 3 Days Ago Not Going So Well

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Steffen Rehm
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Maybe you should mention a Bonus for that time like, let´s say, tripple the salary for that time?

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#37

I’m... Concerned

I’m... Concerned

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Hannah Edwards
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The people working to keep us in food and loo rolls during the pandemic are heroes!

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#38

It Do Be Like That, True Or Nah?

It Do Be Like That, True Or Nah?

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#39

I Clock On My Brain Clocks Off

I Clock On My Brain Clocks Off

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WilvanderHeijden
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Because every customer is just another shadow in the long lines of shadows that they see passing by each day, with the exception of that one friendly and polite customer that stands out every 2 weeks or so.

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#40

I Have No Words...

I Have No Words...

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Jo Choto
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This looks bad, but in my head, I'm trying to see how you could possibly fit all those shoes on the little racks, and I'm thinking everything was so overcrowded that this result was pretty much inevitable.

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Note: this post originally had 90 images. It’s been shortened to the top 40 images based on user votes.