Navigating a tough job market often means making compromises that don’t always align with your needs.

When this candidate received an offer from a strict “work from office only” policy, they discovered how to turn their rigid stance to their advantage with a little malicious compliance.

Read on for the full story!

Strictly Work from Office

Back in 2014-15, I was looking for a job. 5 years had passed in my 1st job, and I was looking for a better opportunity.

At the time, I was working as a Java developer at a company that is known as a Telecom service provider.

I was finding several opportunities, but none had a good WFH policy, and I had grown quite accustomed to the policy my 1st company had.

This was years before Covid normalized WFH, and it was hard to find a good WFH policy at most companies.

But like most candidates, they needed to compromise on their ideals.

Eventually, I had to forego of my requirements.

I was about to join a company, and I asked the HR about WFH and received the most strict response that I had received of all the companies before – it is a strictly WFO opportunity.

The pay was really good, almost twice what I was making, so I tried my best to look at that bright side.

Although, they had the foresight to get it in writing, which will become important later.

I also ask HR to add this “strictly WFO only” in my contract. Thinking they have got the better of me, they oblige.

This additional clause would later lead me to the MC in question.

Quickly the company’s culture came into focus.

After joining and getting inducted into the project team, I found out that the team was short at least 4 people.

Due to this, everyone was overworked, and people were working 60-70 hours’ weeks while getting no OT.

I was the only one with my area of expertise, and I was taken as a replacement of someone who was about to leave.

Employees weren’t being properly compensated for their hard work.

Beginning of the second week, and there is a meeting where the domain lead comes up and congratulates the team regarding their latest success, explains how the project has made the company a hefty profit and how we are going to get a pizza party soon.

I realize right then and there the toxic culture the company has, where people overworking without additional pay or promotion/bonus when it makes the company money.

At first, it’s easy to not take their work home with them.

I make sure to get a locker at the office and start leaving my laptop at the office locker at the end of the day.

For the first 3 weeks, this poses no problem, as I am getting training (knowledge transfer).

Once my training is completed and the person training me leaves, I get my first batch of work.

But things quickly start to change once they understand the full scope of the role.

The work volume will easily take 80 hours – that’s 2 business weeks. I am given 6 days to complete it. I work at my normal pace.

At the end of the 6th day, lead asks me for the delivery of my part, and I say that I am only 60% done, and it will take me another 4 days to complete.

The company wasn’t going to stand for that.

Apparently that’s not gonna cut it, and I am pulled into a meeting with the project manager.

He wants to know what the problem is. I tell him – this requires 80 hours, I have done about 6 days of work, which is 48 hours. I need additional 4 days.

He says, and I quote: “Work at home, that’s why you have a laptop that you can take home.”

Cue MC.

This is where that foresight starts to come in handy.

I politely apologize and say that I am unable to do so as my contract says that I am prohibited to work from home.

Manager is not convinced. He schedules a new meeting the next day with me and HR to go through my contract.

There it is, in black and white: Working from Office only, Working from home not permitted.

The company higher-ups can barely believe their eyes.

I mention that I had tried my best to get WFH before joining, and was vehemently denied the opportunity to.

Manager is at a loss of words, HR is also dumbfounded.

Long story short, for the next 8 months, I worked at my normal pace.

Their clever idea gives other employees leverage too.

During end of year salary review discussion, I am given the opportunity to work from home. I ask them to add OT clause that would pay me additional for every hour worked after 8 hours everyday.

They disagreed, I disagreed to take WFH.

Every other team mate refused WFH in their salary review and asked for OT clause as well.

We stopped getting pizza parties.

As the old adage goes: “Work smarter, not harder”.

What did Reddit think of this satisfying act of malicious compliance?

Corporate logic be like:

This redditor is quite familiar with the cruelties of corporate culture.

Ah yes, the “ol’ pizza party instead of a raise” move again.

If you can’t laugh, you’ll cry!

Who knew sticking to the contract could be the best way to push back against unreasonable demands?

Always get it in writing, folks.

If you liked that story, check out this post about a group of employees who got together and why working from home was a good financial decision.