Boss says employee is 'replaceable' they maliciously comply and say, 'replace me.'

Employers want you to think that you need them more than they need you, but without your hard work, they don't have a business. Remember your value whenever your employer tries to scare you into thinking you have none.

On a popular Reddit thread in the Malicious Compliance Subreddit, a graphic designer gets told they're replaceable, so they put that theory to the test.

They write:

I used to work as the sole graphic designer and shift support for an overpriced crystal shop. The owner was heavily spiritual and made big business decisions on whatever the universe told her, along with whatever psychedelic drug she decided to take that morning. In my town, jobs are few and far between. I had wanted to quit for a while but couldn't because of the economy.

My former boss had moved her shop to a more prominent location, and she started implementing rules that made the business seem more professional. She said she didn't want me to hang out in her office anymore because if a customer saw, they'll start 'judging.'

Nothing was particularly wrong with that, so I said I would only show up when she requested since I cover for her and don't need to be on sight for graphic design work.

A couple of weeks go by, and I reach out via text. Asking if she needs anything or any design work, and I get no response. I figured she'd reach out when she needed me and left it at that. In the meantime, I took up babysitting to cover everything until I heard back from the boss.

About a month passed, and I decided to show up at the store and see what was happening. I walked in to see my boss, and she looked pissed to see me.

She grabbed my arm, pulled me into the office, and started reflecting on how unprofessional I was for abandoning her. She demanded to know where I was and why I hadn't reached out. I calmly pulled up my phone and showed her the texts. That seemed to set her off, and she started getting louder.

She told me I should've tried harder to contact her, that she has ADHD, and that the store needs to be my top priority. My boss followed it up with, 'I need you to be 100% committed to the shop, and if not, I can just find some other girl to doodle for me!' That pissed me off, so cue malicious compliance. I told her I didn't think this job was working out and I wouldn't be returning.

My former boss didn't seem to care at the moment, but here we are three months later. She had difficulty finding a graphic designer who was as affordable as mine. The stress of not having someone to edit the website and design labels for candles for a reasonable price was too much, and she sold her business to a mutual friend of ours.

This mutual friend contacted me recently and asked if I would take my old position under her leadership, and I immediately accepted it. Now we've rebranded the business, changed everything I previously designed, and now I can charge double for my work since passing a few online classes. I haven't heard much from my former boss, but she works as a bartender now and hates all the noise there.

The internet has some words.

Whodamanyoudaman says:

Can't she use a phone? How could she not just ring or message....' Hey! I need some work done. Come see me.’ Was she waiting for the stars to align?

asteroid_b_612 says:

Well, it’s too bad the universe didn’t warn her about that.

Legitimate_Monkey37 says:

Isn't it weird how we're easily replaceable until we aren't?

Zoreb1 says:

You should stop by for a drink and let her know how the business is doing.

Congrats, OP, the stars seem to be on your side.