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Original poster

What's the strangest thing you have been told off for at work?

444 replies

NoEffingWay · 07/10/2021 18:08

I once got told off for leaving on time, I had done my contracted hours, all of my work was done but apparently leaving on time was frowned upon Hmm.

The same job told me off when I left 'for only working my 4 weeks notice'. I think they genuinely expected me to stay even after leaving Grin.

OP posts:
julieca · 07/10/2021 21:20

When I was a nanny because the child was too close to me. Mother felt threatened and I think jealous of our close relationship. Although I can understand that, was I really supposed to be not as nice to the child so she didn't really like me?

CurryLover55 · 07/10/2021 21:21

My hair colour was too bright & I was told to wear a wig or lose my job!

Coffeeanddarkchoc · 07/10/2021 21:21

@Mixitupalot

I got told of just last week for not clocking up enough hours. I had done 67 hours. I get paid for 40!! They can do one now am on the search for a new job.
It was called out on a call today that I hadn't gone through a non urgent document with the people who report into me. September was extremely busy with 60+ hour weeks so I planned to go through this in the next week. Its no wonder the staff turnover is so high when you do 60+ hour weeks but they still want more Angry
Bogofftosomewherehot · 07/10/2021 21:24

Pre mobile phones...... pulled into bosses bosses office for making about 15 personal phone calls in a month on the works phone. Every call was made at about 7-8pm to say to OH that yes, I WAS still at work (meant to finish at 530pm) as there was so much to sort out as no-one had covered this particular department in about 9months. I handed in my notice after 4-5 months and they begged me to stay. It was a firm NO from me,. (Large company that everyone would know).

MrsMoastyToasty · 07/10/2021 21:24

I got threatened with the sack for refusing to work xmas day. (24/7/365 industry).
I hadn't refused to work xmas day.
I had grumbled about xmas day 2 years on the trot, while the boss's favourites had been excused.
My boss didn't believe me.

I handed my notice in the next day.
My notice period finished a week before xmas.

WeatherwaxLives · 07/10/2021 21:27

Told off for not making my boss tea when I made myself one.

Completely reasonable - except I don't drink hot drinks and didn't set foot in the canteen from one end of the day to another.

Apparently the fact I hadn't been to the canteen, or made myself tea, was 'irrelevant'.

AlternativePerspective · 07/10/2021 21:27

For telling my manager in front of the team not to feed my guide dog haribo.

For assuming I could bring my guide dog to a team lunch, I should leave her in the office instead. (I didn’t bother to go.)

For looking for another job, in my own time, and not telling her about it.

For thinking that I had the right to have any kind of conversation with the team.

For wanting a promotion, I wouldn’t be promoted because I have a disability.

She was a complete bitch to everyone. Just after I left she moved to a different company, and ended up being made redundant after 6 months. Karma’s a bitch innit?

ThatsAllFolks · 07/10/2021 21:28

My smile was uneven

HighlandCowbag · 07/10/2021 21:31

I got a phonecall one day from a line manager, absolutely fuming that a sicknote had been submitted and suggesting it would be in my best interests to get it sorted.

It wasn't my line manager,I didn't even work for the company, was my best mates line manager and I was down as an emergency contact. They knew it was me, not bf, but company policy not to call the sick employer because potential harassment case.

EKGEMS · 07/10/2021 21:33

My nursing shoes were making noises on the floor of the critical care unit and a patient complained-he had a very long list of complaints and management kowtowed to him until they realized he would NEVER be satisfied or happy. We were relieved when he transferred to a lower acuity ward

wishingchair1 · 07/10/2021 21:35

Crikey.. I once called into the managers office years ago to be told all he sees me doing is getting my head down and working. Apparently, I should have been conversing with an open plan office with gossip. I'd never worked in an open plan before. The organisation was great but I just didn't get it. Saying that, I was also told to slow down on some of my qualifications as I was completing them too quickly. Literally not a brag but people just dithered about.

cricketmum84 · 07/10/2021 21:36

I was managed out of a large very well known company as I had developed a panic disorder and had constant panic attacks in an open plan office so had asked if I could WFH part of the week to reduce my anxiety levels. I was very good at my job.

I was told that it would be impossible to do my role from home and unless I attended the office every day they would go to disciplinary action and I would be dismissed. I was in tears at my first disciplinary and was told x number of days not in the office in the next 4 weeks would lead to a final warning.

I gave them my notice.

3 years later and contacts are constantly posting on LinkedIn about how amazing and flexible this well known company is! Oh it's raining today? I will work from home! Aren't company X an amazing employer!! Oh I feel a bit under the weather? I will work from home! X employer are so thoughtful and kind! Oh x company are giving the whole company a mental health day because supporting our employees mental health is sooooooo important!

My replacement works from home 4 days a week.

(I'm not bitter at all)

Grenlei · 07/10/2021 21:38

Hmm, take your pick from (all different, former, employers):

  • because I took a week's holiday after my dad died (I'm an only child, he was my only surviving parent/ family. I got no compassionate leave)
  • for working too quickly and 'showing other people up'
  • for handing in my notice (I gave 3 month's notice. I'd been there 10 months. Boss then refused to speak to me for the entire 3 month's even though there were only 5 of us in the office, wouldn't sign my leaving card and then the fucker never paid me for my last month either).
Cherrysoup · 07/10/2021 21:45

The deputy head called me into his office to tell me my skirt was too short and the boys were ‘glancing at my legs’. It was knee length.

Underthestairsbears · 07/10/2021 21:45

Getting my class to assembly too promptly... our classroom was the closest to the hall, we went as soon as they'd registered and they were quiet!

Hexagonalblock · 07/10/2021 21:46

For not meeting the client booked for an 1130 meeting before 0830
Apparently my time management skills were substandard

KeyLimePies · 07/10/2021 21:48

I worked in a women's homeless shelter for a large LA.. One of the residents was kicking off a bit and I offered to make her a cup of tea to calm her down and we could discuss what was bothering her.

I was told off by another support worker for offering the tea, apparently it wasn’t “a fucking popularity contest Lets”

Nope, but I was one of the most popular members of staff.

Waitwhat23 · 07/10/2021 21:48

For querying her demand that I contact our suppliers to insist that they bank the cheques we had sent them to settle our outstanding invoices within the same month they had been sent out, to make our ledgers 'make sense'.

LukeDogWalker · 07/10/2021 21:49

@bloodywhitecat

I was told off for talking to a body. I used to work in a children's hospice and we sometimes cared for children who had died, I was checking on a little one before the family came to spend time with them and was telling the child what I was doing. The nurse in charge told me off for doing it because it was unnecessary and "freaky". The nurse in charge didn't last long in a hospice role and I continued to talk to the children whether they were alive or not.
Just thanks x
KeyLimePies · 07/10/2021 21:50

Same LA, different role. I was told off for working too quickly and showing my line manager up. I was on about £12k and she was on £36k

Crinkle77 · 07/10/2021 21:51

@Lizzie523

I was once accused of sighing over the phone. The incident became known as sigh-gate as I was forced to apologise to the sigh-ee in person and everything. It was my first graduate job and I left after a year.
I was once told off for wearing my work fleece during Summer. Apparently they were only to be worn in Winter when it was cold 🙄 I have termed that incident fleece-gate!
KeyLimePies · 07/10/2021 21:51

@KeyLimePies

Same LA, different role. I was told off for working too quickly and showing my line manager up. I was on about £12k and she was on £36k
… and I was doing a lot of her work, while she read the paper and browsed the web
agedmother · 07/10/2021 21:56

Getting (biro) ink on my hands.

My mate was told off for being too northern,

Mushypeasandchipstogo · 07/10/2021 21:57

I got reprimanded by my line manager at school for taking time off during the school day for a midwife appointment - evidently it was unprofessional. You could only get to see the midwife one afternoon a week at my GP’s practice.

nordicnorth · 07/10/2021 21:59

Wearing face masks at the start of covid. I work in a hospital 'frontline'...