With AI creeping into everybody’s workflow, it’s no surprise that this boss tried to replace his employees’ work with a computer program.

But the employees weren’t having it and set out to prove their worth.

Let’s see how it went down.

The software does all that now. OK boss.

Many moons ago, before the ’08 recession, I, manager of the records department (among other things), worked in an industry where record keeping is super critical.

Bad records meant no more business, because one of the many government agencies would shut you down, sometimes permanently.

Seems like this was a job where paperwork was pretty crucial.

My direct boss, who reported to the CEO, was a good enough person but was overworked and would grab onto any idea as long as it kicked the can down the road – at which point the problem was worse.

He needed to go, but the CEO liked the results despite how negatively they impacted production and morale. In short, my boss had to go away and I needed to be the one reporting to the CEO.

So I waited until he grabbed onto an idea so terrible that it had to exploited.

How bad could this idea really be?

My boss came in and told me to stop the recordkeeping – all of it. He told me the salesperson for our software provider informed him that the software could do all of it.

My boss was even kind enough to send me a direct email stating all of this. I called my team in and told them the news. We were all horrified and knew this would come back to bite us all.

Yeah, OK, not keeping any records seems pretty bad.

The software in question could do the job but it was never set up or configured to meet the requirements. I had already spoken to legal and our government contacts a few months earlier about having software to do this.

We are required to inform them and submit samples of it prior to going live. None of that was ever done.

In a job where paperwork is everything, sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.

So we kept doing our job, as normal, and strangely no one asked any questions – until the quarterly meetings.

My boss apparently had not informed the CEO of his plan and instead decided to show the cost savings he had implemented at the quarterly meeting. Thankfully, our accountant was a sharp-eyed person and she immediately started questioning things.

Yikes, now the employees are playing twenty questions.

From the information I received from other folks who were in the meeting at that point, the accountant asked how it was possible and my boss confidently told them he stopped the recordkeeping requirements and the software was taking care of it all now.

The IT people, who knew what was required to be compliant, apparently created a sound akin to a record needle scratch. IT stated we were months from implementation.

Legal chimed in and pointed out that we were now in a seriously bad legal position. The CEO turned white before assuming a wondrous red tinge.

Not super reassuring when your boss turns tomato red from rage.

Much shouting was then heard. Apparently “the sales person told me it would work” was not a good excuse.

Suddenly my phone rings and it is the CEO. I am ordered to the conference room. I smile, grab my folder of evidence, inform my team I might not be back and it’s been fun, and walk towards my fate.

I walk into a scene I would like to have taken a picture of. The CEO, Legal, and IT are up in arms. My boss looks defeated because he understands how big the issue is now.

I grab a seat, and listen to the lamenting of the masses. When it is my turn to talk, I calmly explain my side of things.

This employee stayed cool as a cucumber amidst the chaos.

The CEO loved the direct email from my boss telling me to stop recordkeeping. After letting that sink in I calmly told them of my insubordination for the good of the company, the uninterrupted status of the recordkeeping, and how we were not in a pile of trouble but in fact were 100% compliant.

There was a collective sigh of relief. I then told them moving forward, I would like to be out from under my boss’ management and would prefer to report directly to the CEO.

Mission, accomplished.

To my surprise they agreed and within the week my boss was moved to places he could inflict less damage while having more eyes on his actions.

Look at me – I’m the boss now.

This was a boss move from a soon-to-be boss. But it was pretty bold…

Let’s see how commenters feel about it.

This person hopes the malicious compliance came with a pay raise.

This person says the defiance is mild but effective.

This person has a logistical question.

Another commenter says maybe this is the wrong thread but loves it anyway.

Finally, this commenter says, you had me at, “Hello, Malicious Compliance!”

This poster proves, computers can’t do it all just yet.

If you enjoyed that story, read this one about a mom who was forced to bring her three kids with her to apply for government benefits, but ended up getting the job of her dreams.