After decades of loyalty and hard work, sometimes it takes a push to realize you deserve better.

This story shows how a difficult work environment can lead to a much-needed change.

All in all, a happy ending – at least for the poster.

Let’s dive in!

A new start

I worked for a company for 20 years and was in lower management and the company had been taken over, so we went from a local company who cared for the staff to a big world wide one.

If I say so myself, I was good at my job, as I had been doing it since I left school and knew lots of people in the industry and also had a good memory for the product, so would get calls from other stores.

We did not get pay rises and they cut our bonuses so we went from the best paid to the worst paid.

Talk about a downgrade.

The company struggled to get staff but my department was fully staffed even though some they could have got paid more working for someone else.

They said they liked having me as a boss, and I would look after them with the odd lunch paid out of my own pocket.

The company made good profits and the upper management did well out of it, with bonuses more than my annual wage.

However, the pressure was increasing with more expected all the time, working long hours (up to 60 hours and some of those unpaid) and working in an outdated facility which would become unbearably hot during summer.

Unpaid overtime and poor conditions? No thanks.

If you complained about wages or conditions they often would tell the staff, if you don’t like it find another job.

Many did just that but I stayed out of some misguided loyalty.

I got furloughed for part of the Covid and my health and well-being had improved while I was not there, but started to go down hill when I returned.

Sometimes a break shows you what you really need.

I went for a few job interviews but within the same sort of job, but I realised I did not want to do that sort of work any more, even when I was offered the jobs.

People at other stores at the same level started to retire as they had enough to.

By chance a local job came up doing something with much less hours and the pay was slightly less but I would save on fuel, as I could walk to work.

Totally different to what I had done, but I had the skills they needed.

In the end I got the job and handed in my notice.

New opportunities sometimes come when you least expect them!

At first they tried to persuade me to stay and then work extra notice, but I said no and reminded them of all the times they had told staff, if you do not like it, leave.

I let it be known indirectly that if they made it difficult to leave, I would cause a fuss with HR, and none of the bosses wanted that.

They then decided to recruit a replacement for me, and I helped with the first interviews and found someone who could do the job, but the another manager did not want him, as he decided he wanted his friend to join.

My boss told one of the staff that they never thought I would leave even though I had said I had enough a few times, how wrong they were.

So I left and my replacement joined and since then the staff I trained have left too (causing them a lot of issues), and customers complain about the service and that he knows nothing about the products.

A few people had my mobile and were shocked when they rang up only for me to tell them I do not work there any more.

Sometimes the best way to show your worth is to leave.

I had a pay rise after 6 months at my new company, my mental health has been good and I am on more money than for all the hell I had to put up with before and I found out my replacement took the job on more money than me or he would not go there.

I wish I had done it sooner.

This guy stayed at his job out of loyalty only to find a much better opportunity later.

Realizing that you’re better than a dead-end job can lead to surprising and rewarding changes.

Redditors will have a field day with this one.

This person thinks sometimes, a little vindication goes a long way.

Tis person think it’s certainly ironic what happened.

This person thinks experience speaks volumes when it comes to corporate buyouts.

Sometimes, knowing your worth means walking away for good.

Most of the time it works out for the best!