Kate Hackett
Economists have been sounding the “recession!” alarm for a few months now, but you’d be forgiven for not following quite how that works with the Great Recession banging on. People are still leaving crappy workplaces and trying very hard to maintain some degree of power over companies and corporations.
Including u/littlemiss_no, who quit her job … over a sandwich.
Here’s her story:
I just quit my job of 3 years over a sandwich.
And I don’t regret it.
OP has been working at a consumer goods company as a writer, but hasn’t been happy since people had to return to the office after COVID.
I (27f) have worked for a consumer goods company in the UK as a writer for almost 3 years. I don’t hate the work that I do, but I’ve been slowly disengaging since management mandated all staff return to the office full time after covid (with zero flexibility to work from home despite proving we are just as efficient).
As an American, I have to wonder just how bad this place is, but OP says the sick pay policy is terrible, the office culture is bad, and management wouldn’t cover a 12-month maternity leave (HAHAHA *SOBS IN USA*) so OP and her team have been doing even MORE work lately.
The management styles in this place are diabolical. The sick pay policy is quite frankly cruel. And office culture is well… not something I’m interested in. Management also decided they would not source cover for my colleague’s 12-month maternity stint, so my team of 3 has been doing the work of 4 people for the last few months.
But what was the straw that broke my back? Half a BLT sandwich.
None of that broke her, though. What broke her was half a sandwich.
For context, employees are allowed to snack at our desks, but meals are forbidden.
Workers are not allowed to eat meals at their desks. Why? It’s a mystery for us. Snacks are fine. Meals, no. *SHRUG*
Just days earlier my manager bought in cakes, crisps and ice cream for us all to enjoy. And for a colleague’s birthday last week we ate sausage rolls, pork pies and cupcakes.
But back to the story: I’m over worked, under paid, stressed and hungry while sat at my desk, typing away.
OP is at the end of her tether; overworked, under paid, and hungry. She grabs half a sandwich to help coast to lunch.
I reach into my bag to retrieve half a BLT sandwich, thinking “this will get me through until lunch time and I will finally complete the mammoth task I’ve been working on”.
I take a bite when suddenly my manager meets my eye as she happens to walk by.
She managed to take a bite when a manager spotted her. And REAMED her. For a sandwich.
“What’s that?!” she asks with a horrified expression. “A sandwich” I say. “Oh no no no, you know the rules.”
This manager cannot appreciate the fine line between “sausage roll” and “half a BLT” and apparently it’s the most important infraction that ever infracted.
“I’m stressed and hungry and I can’t wait until lunch break.” At this point she demands I get up from my desk and starts lording over me like I’m a child in detention. She’s acting like the arbitrary difference between a sausage roll and half a BLT is the be all and end all of office life and her despotic rules.
So OP quit. Boom. Bye.
So I quit. I told her I didn’t want to work for her anymore because it’s making me miserable. I said I would work my notice period but that then I’m gone. And I’m so proud of myself. I truly believe I’ll find another, better job easily.
TLDR: My manager allows us to eat snacks but not meals at our desks. I quit over the arbitrary difference between a sausage roll and half a BLT.
Ahh, what a satisfying ending, right?! The fine folks of Reddit also loved it.
“Keep eating sandwiches at your desk during your notice period,” wrote in one user who has giant f-you energy.
Another spotted the policy genius: “Doesn’t want people to eat at their desks and wants them to eat in a break room. Overloads them with work, so they can’t take a break. Genius. Good luck with your new job!”
And my personal pet peeve was called out by a third Redditor. “Treats full grown adults like children for no reason. That’s the number one reason to leave. Cool, we have a difference in definitions, I get that. But I am also a grown up and competent human being. Treating me like a child is unacceptable and says a lot about the manager and how they view their staff.”
