It’s a tale as old as time: someone is happy with their job and their employer, then one day, something changes and all of that no longer applies.

Usually, that thing is a manager trying to prove something and just mucking everything up instead.

OP’s friend was happy at work and his managers were happy he was such a team player.

My buddy Steve has worked at a small business for over 10 years. Most of his time there has been pretty alright but recently it has become a remarkably worse place to work.

Steve is the most senior employee outside of management and by far the most productive. He’s always training new hires, working extra hours, helping other departments, you name it.

Pretty often, Steve will come in for a couple hours on his day off to take care of backed up paperwork and general housekeeping of his department.

This does wonders for keeping the department running smoothly, especially when they are busy. Management knows about this and approves.

At least, all but one of them were.

Going into the holidays this year, they are absolutely slammed, as usual. Orders are backing up and it’s all hands on deck, extra hours, full tilt.

After another 60 hour work week, Steve has a couple days off. On his 2nd day off, he decides to go into work for a few hours.

He knows his coworkers are likely too busy to be taking care of the side stuff, so he’s being a team player and helping out.

While he’s finishing up and about to leave, Steve’s manager comes up to him and they have the following conversation.

“Hey Steve, quit messing around, get back out there and do your job”

Steve replies “Hey Manager, sorry, its my day off, I’m not scheduled to work this shift. I’m just helping out, leaving in like 5 min.”

Manager replies “The hell you are, get your rear out there.”

Steve says, “Nope, not happening. I’m going home.”

That one did not have all of the relevant details.

The next day, Steve is predictably brought into the office, dressed down, and written up for insubordination.

But there’s a few things about Steve that you should know, that his employers knew but either forgot or didn’t care about.

Steve has been getting fed up with his employer for a while now.

Steve is quite financially stable, as he works in a high-demand industry, and his wife also has a fantastic well paying job.

Steve is about to become a dad. In fact, he is very very close to becoming a dad, right after the holidays most likely.

When that one tried to write him up, he replied with a “write up” of his own.

So, Steve is in the manager’s office, just finished getting talked down to, and handed his write up to sign. Steve signs his write up, and hands it back, along with an envelope with a short letter inside.

“What’s this?” manager asks.

“My two weeks notice.”

Cue the backpeddling. Manager is apologetic, asks for Steve to at least finish the holiday rush, big boss comes in and offers a raise if he stays, the whole shebang. Steve turns it all down.

As usual, the employee in this situation is the one that wins.

Now Steve’s former employer has to get through the holidays without their most reliable worker, which will take at least 2 or 3 new hires to cover.

Meanwhile, Steve can enjoy the holidays without stress, help prepare for the arrival of their baby, and start looking for work again when they’re good and ready.

The top commenter knows how walking out on your own terms feels.

It definitely doesn’t make you feel good.

At most places, there’s an order of action.

It really shouldn’t be so hard.

Managers just have to make thing so complicated.

Why are managers like this?

Something inside of them knows they’re wrong, or they wouldn’t backpedal so fast.

If you liked that post, check out this one about an employee that got revenge on HR when they refused to reimburse his travel.