November 16, 2025 at 1:46 am

A Worker Was Told Not to Do Things Specific Things on the Job, But Their Manager Got Mad at Them When They Followed the Rules and Asked For Help

by Matthew Gilligan

man in a factory

Shutterstock/Reddit

Rules are important in life and they’re especially important at work.

But if the rules aren’t going to be followed, then what’s the point of having them in the first place?

That’s the big question of the day, folks!

Check out what this Reddit user had to say about what went down at their job.

Rules are important.

“I recently started working in a very large packaging facility.

Beginning there I was excited for the opportunities I would have working for such a major company. Early on I noticed a lot of placating/patronizing things that sent a message of “you should be grateful you work here”.

Hmmm…

It was overly obnoxious implementation too . Keeping my rosy colored glassed on I am working as hard as I can despite everyday equipment not working correctly, conveyer belts not running, etc.

Now there are a lot of rules “for our safety and the company’s”. One of the major rules is that if you are not officially trained for it do NOT do it, even if a manager tells you to.

Recently they have become draconian with their rules, at least for the lower rung workers, not so much for management. So you are getting “coached” (why I’m tattling on you) frequently.

This guy…

Now there is a manager that should not have any leadership position whatsoever. He has zero interpersonal communication skills, anytime has has to talk to you he is demeaning, condescending and his voice/body language let you know how inconvenienced he is and can’t believe he has to do it.

Yesterday I had enough…cue malicious compliance….

I’m packing items into boxes and putting them on the conveyer belt. I run out of a few sizes of boxes. So per protocol I turn on the help Light above my station and wait because I need those boxes. Manager (M) comes by:

M: what’s up?

Me: I need these boxes

M: Well do you know where they are? Or you can go get them from another station?

Me: I was told not to do that.

Come on, man..

M: What do you mean? You can’t go get boxes? Ok I’m asking to go get boxes.

Me: I am not supposed to leave my station and that is “this person’s” job that I’m not trained for.

M: Fine.

The look on his face was blank but turning slightly red and I thought I could see steaming rage come out of his ears. In a few minutes I get my boxes(delivered by M) and continue work. Shortly after I see him showing around the person responsible for stocking our boxes.

Not much time passes and the conveyer belt stops running and it fills up so we can’t place packages on them. Before today I would stack them around my station and keep working/find a manager and find a solution. Our work area is not supposed to be cluttered and I’m not supposed to leave my station. So I turn the light on and stop working.

Here we go again…

M: Hey what’s going on

Me: I have no place to set my packages.

M: What do you mean, put them right here.

Points at the floor next to my station

Me: I was told to not put anything on the floor it’s a tripping hazard.

M: I can’t believe…..stammer…who told you that?! When I worked at XX location…stammer……..

Me: I had three trainers on separate occasions and situations tell me this.

M: Stares at me for a solid 3 seconds and looks around that station over there, walk over and stack the packet there. I’ll put them on the conveyor belt when I get back.

The station is about fifty feet away and I’m on the end nearest it so i start jamming out walking packages over. I hear him telling the rest of the station to do the same.

In the fifteen minutes it takes for the belt to run again there is at least 75 packages piled up in their other station. All various sizes and weights.

Manager walks by and stops dramatically, staring at the dragons hoard before him mouth open incredulous.

The first package he picks up must have been heavy cause he stumbles a lil picking it up. The only place to put them on the line is right next to me. He proceeds to slam each and every one down on the belt huffing and puffing.

I don’t even acknowledge his existence but inside laughing my *** off.”

Here’s what readers had to say.

This person asked a question.

Screenshot 2025 10 29 at 1.43.29 PM A Worker Was Told Not to Do Things Specific Things on the Job, But Their Manager Got Mad at Them When They Followed the Rules and Asked For Help

Another Reddit user weighed in.

Screenshot 2025 10 29 at 1.43.37 PM A Worker Was Told Not to Do Things Specific Things on the Job, But Their Manager Got Mad at Them When They Followed the Rules and Asked For Help

This individual had a lot to say.

Screenshot 2025 10 29 at 1.43.52 PM A Worker Was Told Not to Do Things Specific Things on the Job, But Their Manager Got Mad at Them When They Followed the Rules and Asked For Help

It sounds like this worker’s manager probably shouldn’t be in a management position…

If you liked this post, check out this story about an employee who got revenge on a co-worker who kept grading their work suspiciously low.