10 desperate texts sent from bosses to employees this weekend.
The Reddit community Antiwork has seen a major boost over the last year or so, and it's perhaps the best place on the internet for an x-ray into actual interactions between employers and their employees on a day-to-day basis.
This weekend, a significant amount of text message screenshots have surfaced of employers desperate to reach employees on their weekends off — all with hundreds of comments and upvotes.
Some of these posts include fantastic responses from an empowered employee. Others exhibit a heart-wrenching back and forth. Either way, it's a real look into the workforce around the country and the world — and a real way to start a conversations about work and boundaries.
Not to mention — it's dramatic and gloriously snarky. There's a reason this community has over two million subscribers.
1.) The boss who demands his employees be ready, always, for a change in their shift time.
The top comment is a suggested response from user andIisaorange:
“No problem. I’ll bill you my standby charge.”
2.) The employee who instant-quit after a Friday announcement that read: no more cell phones.
The top comment is a response from user blidesdale:
At $10 an hour, management should be kissing their employees' feet. Management is extremely fortunate to find any functional human being willing to work for that pay in this economy.
They're about to learn that the labor shortage is real.
Also, why is it always the lowest paying jobs that have the most rules?
3.) This truly desperate, decade late follow-up.
The top comment is a response from user Unusual-Brilliant146:
'Increased competitive pay' at f*cking UP TO $15/hr....
4.) From the boss who doesn't understand how being sick works:
The top comment is a response from user whatta_maroon:
I wouldn't give them details like this. 'Hey I'm sick, can provide doctors note if needed.' They're not your owner, don't apologize for engaging in the process of being a human.
5.) This boss isn't sympathetic.
The top comment is a response from user t8rclause:
Kindof cold, but I think he knew that. he asked, and he apologized for asking. Better than most tbh
6.) This boss asked for 2 week notice but quietly fired (took off the schedule) the employee before it happened.
The top comment is a response from user antiwork34:
They just want a paper trail saying you quit. so you can't say you was fired
7.) This upsetting back and forth.
The top comment is a response from user cgauth910:
Sounds like you shouldn’t go, they screwed themselves
8.) A text from the church boss.
The top comment is a response from user theghostofboom:
Wait… so you had to go buy workplace supplies yourself… to create essentially a begging letter for a pastor… who is paid by an org that doesn’t pay taxes?
Quit your job, my dude.
In a post full of f*cked up, that’s maybe the most f*cked up.
No pun intended, but Jesus f*cking Christ!
9.) This group chat from a manager who defines desperate.
The top comment is a response from user mikelieman:
Why would I care if the store doesn't 'make headcount'? (whatever the f*ck that is...)
10.) The manager who doesn't trust an employee.
The top comment is a response from user Comrade_Jessica:
I love when people don't understand that a migraine is PAINFUL to go to the hospital with becaue the bright lights, cold temperatures, and loud noises.
I get chronic migraines and am medicated for them, I have still yet to go to the er for a single one of them because I know it'll be a waste of time and just make them worse.