In the typical workplace scenario, employees succeed when obeying their boss’s guidance, but what happens when an employee knows better than the boss?

Sometimes, wrong decisions happen not because someone on the staff doesn’t know the correct way but because they don’t have the power to change it.

Let’s read this Reddit post below to find out what happens.

Boss lost her bonus

The incident happened about 2 months ago, but I just learned of the fallout.

A little backstory: I’m a home hemodialysis nurse. I train patients and arrange for all their supplies.

Beginning of June, I was told to admit a patient ASAP who was moving from out of state, already trained, [and] “only” needed a home visit, machine, water and drain installation and supplies delivered.

Plumber was on vacation = no water installation possible for 2 weeks. Water is essential for preparing dialysate that in the end cleans the blood.

Interesting. There’s gotta be another alternative for when situations like this arise.

There is an emergency workaround by buying pre-made dialysate, no water required.

Patient needed 8x 5 liter bags each treatment. They come 2 to a box.

Patient dialysis 5 days a week, that’s 4 boxes each treatment x 5 = 20 boxes per week.

I know nothing about this industry, but 20 boxes sounds like a lot of boxes…

Boss says order them as quickly as possible for 2 weeks.

That’s 40 boxes of 10 kg (22 lbs).

Why does the boss feel like all the boxes need to arrive ASAP when the patient doesn’t even go through that many in a week?

I tell her the shipping cost will be outrageous; let’s order 8 boxes express and the rest regular. Nope, she knows better.

Ok, I order 40 boxes overnight by air. $1,500 just for shipping.

Supplier thinks that’s crazy, I think that’s crazy; boss says do it.

$1500?! The company can’t be okay with that, especially if it’s not necessary.

[Come the] end of July, they’re checking the budget and lo and behold we spent way too much.

Less than a third left for the rest of the year. Boss’s bonus depends on smart budgeting.

She didn’t get her bonus this quarter.

She was LIVID.

I feel so vindicated.

Most workplaces require a team effort. But pride can often cloud judgment, and when that prideful person is in a managerial position, all bets are off.

Let’s see what the comments had to say.

One Redditor had heard a similar story on this subreddit before.

Another Redditor has experienced this but has become meticulous about keeping receipts.

This user had some wise words to share on certainty.

And this user echoes those sentiments. Advice to remember when “Are you sure?” is asked.

Serves ’em right!

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