Bored Panda works better on our iPhone app
Continue in app Continue in browser

The Bored Panda iOS app is live! Fight boredom with iPhones and iPads here.

Office Karen Bullies Coworkers For Years Until A New Employee Comes And She Gets Herself Fired
An older woman, an Office Karen, with blonde hair and red lipstick, looking seriously at the camera.

Office Karen Bullies Coworkers For Years Until A New Employee Comes And She Gets Herself Fired

37

ADVERTISEMENT

Working in a hotel isn’t for the faint of heart. Along with dealing with entitled guests and overbearing employers, you might be stuck with colleagues that you can’t stand. And in one hotel, the woman in charge of the breakfast buffet decided that because she was much older than the rest of the staff, she got to call the shots.

But eventually, justice was served. Below, you’ll find the full story of how this Boomer finally lost her job after 15 years of terrorizing her coworkers, as well as some of the reactions invested readers had to the story.

RELATED:

    This boomer had been making life hell for her coworkers for 15 years

    Image credits: Kindel Media (not the actual photo)

    But everything changed with the arrival of a new employee

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Image credits: Ketut Subiyanto (not the actual photo)

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Image source: PM_ur_SWIMSUIT

    Working in hospitality can be a real challenge

    Image credits: Liliana Drew (not the actual photo)

    Having a job in hospitality, or any role involving lots of people interaction, is notoriously tough. To get a better sense of what it’s really like, Bored Panda spoke with the original poster (OP) of the Reddit story, who has years of experience in the industry.

    According to OP, conflicts between hotel employees are usually manageable and not as extreme as what happened with ‘Bessie the Boomer.’ “It’s just basic interpersonal conflict, personalities that don’t blend. The most professional staff can keep those issues aside and be personable,” they explain.

    The real challenges often come from dealing with guests. “They can be incredibly entitled, no matter who they are or what they do,” says OP. “Older guests, like ‘boomers,’ may have outdated expectations based on outmoded commercial models. For example, they might become genuinely outraged if a hotel is cash-free.”

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Unfortunately, this kind of behavior is becoming increasingly common. A 2022 Harvard Business Review survey revealed that 76% of frontline service workers face rude behavior every month, and 78% believe it’s more prevalent than it was five years ago.

    The survey revealed some startling examples of customer rudeness. One retail worker reported that a customer responded to a simple “Good morning” with, “I do not need you for anything. Leave me alone. If I need you, I will call you. You are here to serve, not to talk with me.” In another case, a restaurant visitor described how their sister disrespected a waitress: “She berated a waitress to the point of making her cry. Why? Because the waitress didn’t bring her salad just the way she ordered it.”

    Despite this, OP still enjoys their job, especially because it lets them observe people in their most authentic moments. “After 1 am, a strange honesty takes over,” they note. “Between alcohol, substances, stress, and lack of sleep, bluntness becomes the norm. You get to learn about people and who they are from the oddest angles.”

    No doubt, this line of work isn’t for everyone. But it certainly makes for some fascinating stories.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    People in the comments were happy that ‘Bessie the Boomer’ finally got what she deserved

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Poll Question

    Total votes ·

    Thanks! Check out the results:

    Total votes ·
    Share on Facebook
    Adelaide May Ross

    Adelaide May Ross

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    Read more »

    Howdy, I'm Adelaide! I'm originally from Texas, but after graduating from university with an acting degree, I relocated to sunny Los Angeles for a while. I then got a serious bite from the travel bug and found myself moving to Sweden and England before settling in Lithuania about three years ago. I'm passionate about animal welfare, sustainability and eating delicious food. But as you can see, I cover a wide range of topics including drama, internet trends and hilarious memes. I can easily be won over with a Seinfeld reference, vegan pastry or glass of fresh cold brew. And during my free time, I can usually be seen strolling through a park, playing tennis or baking something tasty.

    Read less »
    Adelaide May Ross

    Adelaide May Ross

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    Howdy, I'm Adelaide! I'm originally from Texas, but after graduating from university with an acting degree, I relocated to sunny Los Angeles for a while. I then got a serious bite from the travel bug and found myself moving to Sweden and England before settling in Lithuania about three years ago. I'm passionate about animal welfare, sustainability and eating delicious food. But as you can see, I cover a wide range of topics including drama, internet trends and hilarious memes. I can easily be won over with a Seinfeld reference, vegan pastry or glass of fresh cold brew. And during my free time, I can usually be seen strolling through a park, playing tennis or baking something tasty.

    What do you think ?
    Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Think this is a repeat on here, I have read this story before.

    Ace
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Yeah, I thought so too, but it's hardly unique in that respect. Just like the last time, it's the usual mix of something that maybe did happen - the initial breakfast setup part - exaggerated and extrapolated to turn it into a 'boomers behaving badly' story, all of which seem to require an insider source of knowledge or influence and the worst possible outcome for the entitled boomer.

    Load More Replies...
    nottheactualphoto
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's official: "boomer" means "stupid obnoxious old person." When a broad brush is the only tool you have...

    Vinnie
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    On the other hand, the OP mentioned working with other older employees (also "boomers") who were good employees.

    Load More Replies...
    Scott Rackley
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I did NA for Wingate way way way back when. I'd defrost stuff, move from freezer to fridge, make coffee (we had coffee ready 24/7) but that was it.

    Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Think this is a repeat on here, I have read this story before.

    Ace
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Yeah, I thought so too, but it's hardly unique in that respect. Just like the last time, it's the usual mix of something that maybe did happen - the initial breakfast setup part - exaggerated and extrapolated to turn it into a 'boomers behaving badly' story, all of which seem to require an insider source of knowledge or influence and the worst possible outcome for the entitled boomer.

    Load More Replies...
    nottheactualphoto
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's official: "boomer" means "stupid obnoxious old person." When a broad brush is the only tool you have...

    Vinnie
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    On the other hand, the OP mentioned working with other older employees (also "boomers") who were good employees.

    Load More Replies...
    ADVERTISEMENT
    Scott Rackley
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I did NA for Wingate way way way back when. I'd defrost stuff, move from freezer to fridge, make coffee (we had coffee ready 24/7) but that was it.

    Related on Bored Panda
    Popular on Bored Panda
    Trending on Bored Panda
    Also on Bored Panda
    ADVERTISEMENT