So, I've been working at this high-end company, which provides trained security and logistics help to companies. Despite being in the industry from over 2 decades and have a staff of more than 40, the security team, which I'm part of, gets treated like we're invisible. There is the sales team, the logistics team, and the finance team. I have friends in all of these, and I have got a feeling that they all enjoy better salaries and perks than us. I started this gig back in April last year, so it's been a solid 14 months of me being the reliable guy, always punctual, covering shifts like a champ. At the time we were 9 people in the security team, including the Boss.
Now, my
boss is this character straight out of a bad sitcom. Changes the rules more
often than I change my socks. And don’t get me started on his tantrums when he
has to fill in for someone. Total nightmare.
In these 14
months, I’ve only missed work once. This one time, I come back from a weekend
hiking trip looking like I’d been in a fight with a solar flare – serious sun
poisoning. We're talking epic blisters, skin redder than a stop sign, and pain
like you wouldn’t believe. But hey, I'm no quitter, so I show up to work,
trying to tough it out.
Three hours
into my shift, it’s clear I need medical attention. So, I go to my boss,
explain the situation. I even offer to stick around till halfway through my
shift, but this guy laughs in my face. “A little sunburn?” he chuckles. I show
him the blisters, and he’s still unimpressed. You only hear stories of such
bosses and think that how such human beings would look like. Until you meet one
of them and see that they look and behave just like everyone else, until they
are in the position of power… this is when their true demeanor comes into
play.
So, I lose it, throw down my gear, and leave for the doctor. The journey to and from the doctor along with the diagnosis was around 2.5 hours, and I came back to the office. People have taken lunch breaks longer than this. Till I came back, the boss was already gone for the day. Next day, I bring in my doctor's note, playing by the book. But the boss? He doesn’t even glance at it. Typical.
Now, let’s
fast forward. The company is buzzing with activity, always launching some new
product, and the security team is stretched thin. My boss is still doing his
thing – making snide remarks, suspending co-workers over trivial stuff. Once,
he told me my a 15-minute break was too long. Can you believe it?
But here's
the juicy part: I've landed a new job at a rival tech firm. And my partner in
the security team, he's fed up too and plans to quit with me. To top it off,
one of our night shift guys is taking a two-month leave for knee surgery. That
leaves the team in a real bind.
Two days
before the night shift guy left for the knee surgery, four of the security
staff decided to hit a near-by club for a few beers. This is when I told the
guys that I will be leaving the job soon. One of them inquired if I already
have a new offer, to which I reluctantly said YES... I just did want anything
to go public before I make the big announcement. This also convinced the 2
other colleagues to may be look for a new job. Many of us like to stay inside
the shell and fear what if we won’t find a new job, but one should always try
to better his life.
I haven’t
handed in my notice yet since the boss is out with the flu. But when he’s back,
he’s in for a shock. It’s like setting off a time bomb and walking away. So,
the day I give my notice, the boss is surprisingly cool. Asks me to stay on a
bit longer, even throws in some flattery. But it’s too little, too late. My
mind's made up. Five more shifts, and I'm out of there. This was my tale… when
I look back, I never actually hated my job or the environment, not even the
boss for that matter. It was just that
you felt a sense of power imbalance in the presence of the boss, and you feel
as if your life is dependent on the Boss’s verdicts. I didn’t enjoy this and
that is why I seek a way out.
Update:
It has been
a few months since my last posts, and I wanted to have some solid news before
posting an update. So here goes …
At my new
job, the vibe is chill, the bosses actually listen, and hey, guess what? They
don’t scoff at sunburns :P
But you’re
probably wondering what went down at my old job after the mass exodus, right?
Well, grab some popcorn, because it’s a doozy.
Word on the
street is that after I left, along with my colleague and the night guy, things
at the old place went haywire. The boss, Mr. “I-Don’t-Need-Your-Doctor’s-Note”,
was left scrambling. They were so understaffed that he had to cover shifts
himself – imagine that! The guy who couldn’t stand filling in for an hour was now
clocking in night and day.
And it gets
better. The turnover rate, which was already sky-high, hit a new record. I
heard it climbed to a staggering 80% within a month of us leaving. The security
team was like a revolving door – people came in, got a taste of the boss’s
charming personality, and bolted.
Now, the
company's reputation took a hit too. Clients started to notice the constant
change in security personnel. Rumors started swirling about instability and
poor management. This wasn’t just a little internal drama anymore; it was
affecting the whole company image. And so, the bosses’ butts are also on the
line. The old boss? Last I heard, he was on thin ice with upper management.
Turns out, when your management style causes a mass staff to quit and jeopardizes
client relationships, even the higher-ups start to question your methods. Who
would've thought, right?
I am still
in good talks with 2 of my x-colleagues.
One of them had already switched to a new job. His company is probably
going to get some or the majority of the clients from my last company. So, the
word on the street is that my old company might lose the security contract
because of the rising turnover rate and the inability of the management to give
proper answers as to why is that. My leaving? That’s just adding fuel to the
fire. It’s the perfect time to jump ship before everything goes under.
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