Most of the time, processes in a company work just fine as they are.

However, sometimes, some people try to mess them up and then everything gets ruined.

This man shares his usual routine which is earlier than the regular shift of his colleagues.

However, when his new boss tried to change his shift, the schedule was ruined and nothing gets done.

Read below for the full details.

No one leaves til 5pm but no overtime? Bet.

Several years ago, I worked for an aerospace manufacturing company as a setup operator.

Meaning, my job was to arrive before shift starts, usually 3 or 4 hours early.

I make sure all the 5 axis mills were calibrated and the ATC (automatic tool changer) magazines were all loaded correctly.

I also make sure the tooling was in good condition—nothing dulled or broken.

This is what he does when there’s a damaged tool.

If there was damaged tooling, part of the process was remove the carrier, replace the cutter, and reset the cutter height with a gauge.

I make it this way so that the tip of every cutter is in the exact same position for that particular holder every time.

After some time, a new management comes in.

After being there for several years, the company eventually gets acquired and new management comes in.

I’m there from 3 or 4 in the morning until 1 or 2 pm, sometimes earlier if a new job gets added to the floor.

The schedule works fine for me.

I get to beat traffic both ways, and the pay is a bit higher due to the differential.

However, they noticed that this man leaves earlier than the rest every day.

After a few weeks, it gets noticed that I constantly leave “early,” and always run over on hours.

So they implement a new policy. Work starts at 9 am and runs til 5.

You have to be on the floor ready to go when the clock hits 9:00.

He tried to explain why, but they wouldn’t listen.

I try to explain to my new boss exactly why I leave early, but he’s more concerned about numbers and cash flow than what I actually do there.

So, fine! You want 9 to 5, I’ll work 9 to 5.

Instead of punching in at 4, I chill in my car until 8:45 and roll into the building, wait until it’s exactly 9, and punch.

He does all this at the start of his shift.

Then, I head to the floor.

Roll up to the first haas on the line and hit the e-Stop, which shuts the machine down instantly.

Tell the operator this hasn’t been set up yet, and they need to wait until its ready.

Head down the line and punch every one I pass telling them the same thing—not ready, go wait.

He spends about 40 minutes to do everything.

I start at the end of the line with my platten and gauges, and start calibrating the entire magazine, verifying everything in there is in spec and ready to be used.

Get the magazine done and home the probe so the machine knows where it is in 3D space and move to the next.

That was about 40 minutes since I took my time.

But nothing else gets done.

Meanwhile. the rest of the line is dead in the water.

Nobody can do any work until their deck passes calibration and is certified to use.

I’m part way through the 2nd unit when I have my new manager breathing down my neck.

“Why is nothing running? What’s going on?”

He explains why.

I sit back on my haunches and calmly explain to him.

“This is my job, the one that until today, I used to come in hours early to do as to not mess with the production schedule.”

“I need to get this done, should be ready to start the line in another 5 or 6 hours, boss.”

He said the line can’t get moving.

I’m told to unlock and get the line moving.

No can do, none of these machines are checked and I’m not signing off on the certification until I’m done.

Anything not certified is an instant QC reject.

The company lost a few days of profit.

Choose: run the line and reject a million dollars in parts or let me finish and lose a million dollars in production time, and I go back to my old schedule tomorrow.

The plant got a day paid to do nothing.

I got the new boss off my back and he got reamed all to hell for losing a days production.

Let’s see what others have to say about this story.

This user shares a lesson to all managers.

This one shares a similar experience.

Well played, says this one.

Here’s a valid point from this user.

Finally, let’s end it with this wise quote from this user.

I say it over and over again… if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.

Too many managers can’t figure this one out.

If you liked that story, check out this post about an oblivious CEO who tells a web developer to “act his wage”… and it results in 30% of the workforce being laid off.