38 Bosses Who Wrote Awful Notes And The Employees Who Exposed Them (We Can’t Stop Chuckling)
Let's be clear—it’s totally okay to say "no" when someone asks for a favor, even if that someone is your manager. Judging by the tone of this note, it’s no wonder people aren’t exactly lining up to help.
Wondering why it feels so off-putting? Keep reading, and you’ll understand why this kind of request is more likely to get eye-rolls than genuine support.
An important slideshow from corporate
These "Tips For Not Getting Fired" are so glaringly obvious they border on satire—but they're genuine.
Apparently, holding onto a job here means delivering "unbelievably amazing work all the time, every day."
Mop and sweep for free!
The caption on this photo reveals that the manager who wrote the note "has been making all his employees clock out early."
Asking employees to mop is one thing, but expecting them to do it without pay is downright unreasonable.
What the heck is a vacation blackout period?
What a lovely post-work email to get from your boss—basically banning any holiday social plans this year!
I'm sure a vacation blackout like that does wonders for company morale.
Nothing to lose at this point
This man decided to stand on the street and shine a light on a serious injustice from his former job.
He's showing that getting fired doesn’t mean being silenced.
Breakfast is forbidden
This hotel seems dedicated to ensuring guests have a great stay, but when it comes to their staff's experience, it’s a different story.
They not only misspelled "allowed," but they also don’t actually have the authority to prohibit their employees from eating.
Lowe's cares... Just not about your health
The user who posted this photo said "Lowe's says it can't afford to pay us more. They also know some of us can't make rent and feed ourselves so they ask for donations. Here are ours."
Lowe's can definitely afford to pay them more or at the very least provide a bit more than 99-cent noodles and Poptarts.
Orange is the new black
A customer noticed this unsettling sign at a local department store and just had to take a photo.
Though the store likely intended it for a fundraising effort, the wording came across poorly. The person who saw it said the whole message felt "degrading"—and it's easy to understand why.
Just start looking for another job (it's in the rules)
This brutally straightforward list of demands definitely doesn't make this workplace look appealing.
At minimum, employees deserve access to water, yet this boss acts like they have the right to control even that—like the other rules weren’t harsh enough already!
Revenge is best printed on 8X10"
A crafty former employee took a jab at their boss by altering a sign about staff quitting.
They highlighted the management problems and displayed the edited sign right at the restaurant's entrance.
Update on rules
This workplace seems to have more rules than a typical prison sentence.
One employee grew tired of the passive-aggressive reminders and decided to snap a photo to share online.
Charity is a confusing concept
This boss could really use a lesson on the true meaning of "charity," since they're pushing employees to pressure customers into donating.
Not everyone can afford to give, so this tactic is bound to backfire and put unnecessary stress on the staff.
No fainting on company time
A USPS delivery driver shared a Corporate Communication they received while on the job.
In typical big-corporation fashion, the message politely reminded employees to avoid acting like actual human beings—like, say, having a medical emergency during a heatwave.
Due to lazy workers...
Reading between the lines, this posted notice might as well say, "Thanks to toxic, erratic, and disrespectful management, our team walked out. So now we're hiking up prices because it’s convenient and saves us from owning up to our mistakes."
“Oh, and by the way—we’re hiring, but don’t expect fair pay!”
No friends, no fun, no freedom
This baffling sign declares, "Work is not meant to be fun," and outright bans forming friendships on the job.
You've got to wonder what the morale is like in a place with rules like that. And if fun is off the table, who thought adding a Minion meme was a good idea?
A slight typo and a correction
One of the employees at this workplace decided to update their boss's sign to better show the actual reality.
Now, there’s no mistaking what really happened here.
Notice this notice!
If you missed it, this notice repeats the word "notice" five times—so definitely take notice!
The original poster wondered if this is even legal, and in most areas, it definitely isn't.
"Must be 'bout that life"
Ah yes, this workplace definitely seems like a calm, supportive environment... said no one ever.
If the boss is seriously looking for someone who can "take a joke" and "won't cry every day on the floor," maybe the first step should be rethinking their entire management style.
Don't forget you're poor!
This sign starts off sounding almost motivational—then takes a sharp, brutal turn.
Nothing quite says "workplace morale" like a dark reminder that you're stuck living paycheck-to-paycheck. Honestly, the boss might as well just hang a banner that says, "Happy Monday, your life kinda sucks!"
The least welcoming HR office
The caption on this photo reads, "Great sign to see outside your HR department," and honestly, it's hard to imagine a worse message for that spot.
Hopefully, whoever took the picture didn’t actually need to have a serious, professional conversation—because judging by that tacky little decorative sign, getting real help clearly isn’t on the table.
Actual person or robot?
The person who shared this online said they found it posted right in upper management's office.
Talk about some sky-high expectations! At this point, it’s hard to tell if they’re looking for a "talented" employee or just a perfectly obedient robot they can program to do whatever they want.
You break it, you buy it and that goes for staff too
This boss is taking "if you break it, you buy it" to a whole new level by making the staff agree to the policy.
It certainly puts extra pressure on the staff to take their sweet time with moving stock.
Just a casual invasion of privacy
Any time that someone tells you, "do not do any research on this," it is a good indicator that you should definitely do some research.
This is because there is usually a good chance that they are trying to get away with something they shouldn't be.
How do you abuse water?
The management that wrote this note is apparently cutting back costs by no longer providing water.
The note confusingly says that "We have abused our privilege" by providing water to teams. Make it make sense!
New office rule
Good news rarely follows a posted note titled "NEW OFFICE RULE."
In this case, the employer had decided they were able to penalize staff by cutting into their personal time without pay. Ah, the beauty of corporate!
Pay attention to everything
If you highlight everything as though it's important, is anything really important? This boss clearly seems to think the extra highlighter will help get the message across.
Adding "We cannot let the state of the world bring us down!" to the end of the letter doesn't make it any better.
Pay to stay cool
Leave it to a corporation to turn an Arizona heat wave into a fundraising opportunity.
Instead of just letting staff wear summer clothing, employees are required to pay a donation to wear "dress code approved shorts."
Don't quit or get fired (you have to stay forever)
Starting a new job is exciting unless, of course, you find a clause like this one in your hiring contract.
If you happen to quit from this establishment, "you will automatically forfeit any tip money that you may have earned." This sounds like a legal issue.
Thanks for nothing
You can tell this is one of those cards that was bought in bulk by a secretary, signed rushedly on the envelope by the CEO, and distributed to staff before someone took the time to check whether anything had been written inside.
The card may say thank you, but the gesture says "you're not important."
No phones ever!
A customer saw this sign at a local restaurant and asked, "Is this even legal? Servers make $3 an hour in this area, and you can take their tips."
Banning cell phones is a losing battle at this point.
Don't be late or you'll pay
Someone spotted this sign at a local Hawaiian BBW spot.
The boss clearly wants everyone to know that they have no patience for tardiness, so much so that they will take an employee's tips away. Ouch.
Do our job for us - Management
The caption on this post reads, "This sign is posted right above the scheduling board at my new job. I won't be staying here long."
It's no wonder that employees are on their way out the door before they're even in it!
Attention! The boss is scamming you
It looks like a staff member at this establishment had enough of their boss skimming all of their tips.
In a true rebellious fashion, they made this sign to display to customers.
Do better Ronald McDonald
A hungry guest saw this sign at a local McDonald's location and snapped a picture.
This note, riddled with typos, blames employees for customer behavior and puts them in the line of fire of both angry customers and angry management. They're probably hiring too!
Procrastination is for the weak
How insensitive can one note be? This boss decided to try and find out.
The second "afterthought" memo that says "PROCRASTINATION IS FOR THE WEAK" is equally un-motivating. Read the room, people.
We Cerealsly Appreciate You!
The caption on this photo explains: "A competing company is offering us 20% more to work for them."
The management team's response was to put out this sparse mini-cereal spread.
Step it up McDonald's
Someone spotted this concerning note in a binder at a local McDonald's restaurant.
The note from management threatens employees who discuss their salary with other employees— a classic tactic to keep wages low.
This water ain't free yo
Apparently, even the water cooler water at this workplace is not free.
People can't ask for too much these days! It looks like that sign has been there for a hot minute also.
"We can't turn off harsh lights anymore"
The caption on this picture explains that the office has a built-in lighting system over the desks. Employees were finding it harsh and turned it off now and then.
But it appears their manager had a problem with them controlling the lighting and went to extreme measures to stop it.
