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Fed Up With His Boss’s Demands, He Quit Helping Other Departments And Watched Their Numbers Plummet

by Leona Pham
November 14, 2025
in Social Issues

Ever been told to “just do your job and shut up”? Well, this Redditor took that advice a little too literally, and the results were… disastrous. After working for a software company that had been acquired and reorganized, he found himself taking on more and more roles without any recognition. When his efforts were ignored, he finally snapped and the company paid for it.

This is the story of how a company with one key employee failed to recognize his value and lost millions in the process. Buckle up, because this one’s a wild ride.

Employee quits after being overworked, causing performance to plummet and chaos in departments

Fed Up With His Boss’s Demands, He Quit Helping Other Departments And Watched Their Numbers Plummet
not the actual photo

'"Just do your job and shut up!" Noooooo problem?'

The software company I worked for got acquired. Some people were let go, some were added, and some teams and functions were restructured.

Prior to acquisition, we had a "multiple hats" situation where you basically did whatever was in your capacity, teams played to each other's strengths,

and one person would generally take a client from the first demo right through the configuration, implementing, and training phases of the software.

Some of us had strengths in technical areas, others had a decade+ in the clients' subject matter. Clients would give us some feedback or wish lists.

We'd talk amongst the team about how the functionality could be added or changed, make a functional mock-up,

and then bring that to the Development team for polish and integration into the production code. It worked wonderfully.

Like, 100% positive feedback and nothing broken when it went to production.

We had a good rapport with the Dev guys and some of us were able to write queries or code portions

that would save them from having to ask a billion subject matter questions.

When we weren't dedicated to a task, we'd handle support calls.

Clients would call up, receptionist learned who to pass things to based on clients and the nature of issues,

and resolution was typically instantaneous unless the problem required research.

Clients loved that and had the understanding that if we couldn't resolve their problem right away, it was because we needed to look into it.

After the acquisition, the parent company reorganized things into a much more rigid "you have one job" type of scenario.

The trouble was, with the people they let go, I was the singular remaining source of a lot of the capacities we provided.

It left me working with the Sales, Product Improvement/Concept, Product Evangelism, Implementation, Development, Data Conversion, and Support teams.

Initially, I didn't mind. Wasn't any different than my previous role.

Things started nicely enough with the company CEO genuinely asking, "Would you mind helping X team with Y project?",

and he'd pick up my travel bar tabs and toss me a day off here and there.

It was a fair exchange and he treated it as though I was doing him a favor.

But at some point all these other departments expected then demanded my time.

Instead of people asking when I could help them on a project, I would just find time blocks added to my schedule for various things.

A couple of times I was supposed to be chairing these meetings and having things prepared and no one even bothered to tell me.

Around this same time, I noticed a lot of recommendations I made when asked for input were being overturned

by people in new roles who had no idea what they were talking about.

As in literally had no exposure to the subject matter and had never even seen the software, plus no programming/logic or database experience.

So my input is demanded but also ignored. And this was causing more demands on my time when things were broken or didn't meet client expectation.

Plus, the new Dev team I was working with made every excuse not to act unless someone went and confirmed and fetched everything they needed.

The external demands on my time had increased and I had coincidentally hit a few walls with my actual job in that clients were unresponsive

and couldn't get me the data or access I needed to complete tasks.

But that didn't stop my boss from demanding documentation and results and documentation about the results.

There was no such thing as "waiting", it's your duty to call and harass the powerless client until whatever third party involved enables whatever we need.

I was really unhappy in a job I had previously loved. Every day was worse than the last.

And then I got my employee review. It was top notch and yet I got the same "cost of living" raise as everyone else.

It particularly burned my ass that the Sales guys were getting commission on sales that I F__KING MADE and I was just shafted.

At the original company, effort above and beyond was WELL-rewarded.

I doubled my starting salary in a few years' time for hard work.

Now, I was miserable, overdrawn, AND got nothing for it.

I was having daily arguments with my boss who was completely indifferent to all my commitments

and refused to understand that I couldn't compel third party companies to do my timely bidding to get client data or access.

Out of nowhere I get a call from the head of the Data Conversions department.

He says a few of his people have noticed some high-level solutions to Dev or data problems in the Teams chats

"come out of some random guy from Implementations in no-time."

Then he was talking to a preexisting client about converting a set of financial data from a legacy system

I had converted some Building, Code, Fire, Planning, and Police data from and they asked if

they could have me do it specifically because my conversion of their other data was "flawless"

and I granted them some change requests on the way through to make their lives easier

(simple changes to record type names for easier identification, clip leading spaces or extra zeroes so they could put reports in Excel...stuff like that).

He said the client, "wouldn't stop f__king gushing" about me and he was floored to hear that I had done the whole thing myself

where his team typically breaks the responsibilities between 5 or more people.

He offered me a position on the spot and I told him I was interested and I'd think about it.

He told me I could start doing some part time stuff with him a few hours a week if I wanted it that way.

Then he told me he "saw the b__lshit I was dealing with" and said he'd "get the other departments off my f__king plate." I liked him right away.

My current boss then interrupted our call seeing me talking to that guy on our in-house phone app

and demanded to know what I was wasting my time on. Then she proceeded to berate me about open orders

and my lack of documentation about their lack of progress. "You got time to b__lshit with him but you can't call a client."

I tried to tell her for the millionth time about all the expectations from the other departments,

the obligations they leave beyond their allotted timeframes, the inability I have to force other companies to do things

for us no matter how many times I tell the client...

She told me, "I'm done with your excuses. Just do your job and shut up."

I called the Conversions head right back and asked how soon I could transfer to his Department full time.

He said, "F**kin....YESTERDAY, man, this is such good news!

I was just talking to [Assistant Department Manager] and he 'bout s__t his pants when I said I think I got you part time!

Take the rest of the day off, have a beer to celebrate, I'll handle the transfer and we'll see you in the morning." And that was that.

I did as my new boss commanded and had a beer to celebrate. A wave of relief came over me after months of tension.

The following day I told the vampire departments and my previous boss in no uncertain terms that I was done helping them.

It went unacknowledged and they continued adding things to my calendar. So I deleted them, did MY job, and shut up.

THINGS. GOT. UGLY. I'm not super-talented or anything but I was literally the only person they had for a lot of things and things went to s__t.

Most of it requires institutional knowledge I had spent years acquiring so they couldn't even hire someone to do the things.

And rather than come ask me for help, people made demands and attacks! And I got flat out beligerant about it.

In an email with the CEO cced, the Support manager asked why I "couldn't be bothered" to help them anymore.

I said, "for the same reason you can't 'be bothered' to clean the toilets or recable the building.

Not my job. [Previous Boss] told me to 'just do my job and shut up.' Take it up with her."

The Sales/Evangelist guys tried to go over my head and asked my new boss if I could do some of their demos.

He said, "sure, if you come over here and do some of his conversions."

Numbers tanked for the departments I was previously involved with. Support in particular.

They went from a 2 hour avg resolution time to EIGHT DAYS.

Sales for my product line went down from 85% success to less than 25%(CEO reported that sales dropped over 60 percent from 85, don't know the exact).

Dev and product went from 100% customer satisfaction to 60%.

Implementations has been completely unable to install certain components which led to at least one contract cancellation and demand for a refund.

And in true storybook fashion, my previous boss's boss, the one who gave me my previous employee review and who is a childhood friend of the CEO,

told me privately that the CEO noticed, "all the departments UnFocusMyChi stopped working for

suddenly saw their worst numbers in company history...weird.", and asked, "anything in particular that pushed the guy over the edge?"

Previous boss's boss explained that I was pissed about the review/raise having nothing to do with merit or effort, the demand from other departments,

unrealistic and impossible expectations, and the idiotic requirement for documentation.

So, this year and going forward there are two criteria for yearly raises.

Individual output, and department output. No raises for people with negative performance numbers.

Upon that announcement, some department heads up and quit and others changed positions internally.

Meanwhile, I have written a few utilities for my team that have saved THOUSANDS of hours of manual work.

Our numbers are SOARING where they were previously up and down

and my new boss is "driving the whole bus full of our laughing asses all the way to the bank."

Navigating a workplace where your skills are underappreciated and your contributions are overlooked can lead to frustration and burnout.

In this case, OP found themselves juggling multiple roles across various departments, without proper recognition or support. Despite receiving a positive performance review, the lack of a fair raise, combined with the increasing demands from other teams, left OP feeling undervalued and stretched thin.

The tipping point came when OP’s boss dismissed their concerns with a simple, “Just do your job and shut up.” This moment became pivotal; OP realized they had to prioritize their own well-being and take control of their career by making a change.

Psychologically, OP’s decision to leave a toxic environment and transition to a new department was an act of reclaiming personal agency.

According to research, when individuals feel their contributions are not acknowledged or rewarded fairly, it leads to “job dissatisfaction,” which can ultimately result in burnout.

A study by Kamaldeep Bhui shows that workplace dissatisfaction often stems from the lack of recognition and unrealistic demands, which can severely affect mental health. By shifting to a new role, OP took control of their professional life, ensuring their efforts and expertise were properly valued.

OP’s story illustrates the importance of setting boundaries and asserting one’s worth in the workplace. Dr. Amy Morin, a psychotherapist and author of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do, explains that “people who assert their value and refuse to accept mistreatment are more likely to thrive.”

When OP decided to stand up for themselves by refusing to comply with unreasonable demands, the results were transformative, not just for OP, but for the company. After moving to a new department, OP’s impact was immediate: improved performance, higher satisfaction, and streamlined processes that saved the company thousands of hours.

Ultimately, standing up for yourself in the workplace, even when it’s difficult, can lead to professional growth and a better work-life balance. Sometimes, walking away from a toxic environment is the most empowering decision you can make.

Here’s what people had to say to OP:

This group highlighted frustrations with companies that undervalue employees by expecting more work without fair compensation

lectricpharaoh − New boss sounds like a good guy. I especially liked his response to the sales guys' request for your time.

bornamental − It’s rare that someone’s impact is that tangible that it goes noticed several levels up.

Lots of times the contributions of a key player are less tractable,

especially on new products or with new clients — poor metrics can be chalked up to other causes even if that’s not the reality.

You were the last linchpin holding your former company together. Very satisfying to read.

D_Winds − Proud of you. Don't juggle it all, especially when they don't respect you for it.

jnelsoninjax − Sounds a lot like "Do more work, then we will consider giving you more money"

instead of "Here is more money, do more work" however every single job I have had always seemed to under the mindset of the former,

not the latter because they realize that forcing more work on you will get it done for the same amount of $

they were paying already instead of paying you more $ for doing more jobs.

This group reflected on the consequences of poor management and how workplace culture

CdnPoster − I kind of wonder why you didn't leave and start your own company?

You could probably have charged your previous company mega-bucks as a consultant. .....I don't know. ..$1,000 an hour?

I mean if they don't want to pay it. .....GOOD LUCK!!

chilehead − Every single place that I've ever worked that has increased demands for documentation of

exactly what employees have been spending time on has tanked shortly after in some fashion.

When it reaches the point where I have to spend 10% of my time writing down a description of what I was doing and why,

it just becomes too much trouble to help someone with their issues quickly

- they need to schedule a meeting so it can be documented and several tasks can be covered under that one umbrella.

Now when I see someplace wanting increased tracking, I start looking for someplace else to work.

MissRachiel − I love this whole story, but I keep coming back to the part where under the original owner,

even the receptionist had picked up enough diagnostic knowledge to route the caller to the right person.

It's not remarkable because receptionists are "supposed" to be dumb; it's remarkable

because the workplace culture encouraged everyone to share what they knew in a way that organically enriched and optimized the entire workforce.

A particular employee might have some special skill, but the comprehension required to grasp that this call is best resolved

by this skillholder might well be described as basic while also acknowledging that few people grasp the required basis.

No one schooled the receptionist; they picked it up by actually listening to callers, by talking to the employees they routed the calls to,

and by maybe initially just being curious how Joe Codeguy helped Jane Prodline stop the edges coming out square.

The skill to route calls to the right person the first time around is as valuable as the grasp of a particular client's setup and needs.

The second you start trying to quantify and mass produce that kind of magic, it evaporates.

If this were a romantic scenario we'd call it chemistry, and we'd all know why selling a kit that recreates everything

from the place settings at the restaurant to the outfits a famously compatible couple were wearing

on their first date could only strike that spark of connection in another couple by accident.

Since this is a business dealing in technology, people only see the technology and forget the people involved,

and thus the "winning formula" is somehow consistently and tragically diminished in a way that can't possibly be anyone's fault,

even if it is dumped on someone to fix.

I keep coming back to the receptionist because that sounds like someone on the front line of the chopping block when the company is acquired.

And if the acquiring CEO had bothered to ask why stuff was going wrong, the receptionist might also have been one of the people

so "low" that their perspective might be considered objective in regard to why stuff wasn't working out.

Alexis_J_M − Long wall of text but a great outcome. Make friends with the tech writers at work ;-)

This group discussed how employees often bear the brunt of companies failing to reward hard work

Curtis40 − In my experience, if you can wear several hats at work you are lucky to get paid for one.

zxcoblex − Employees don’t quit jobs. They quit bosses. Also, if your company relies upon one employee for their success,

they should make damn sure they keep that employee happy.

scottlmcknight − About 20 years ago, I started planning my exit after annual raises paid out equally regardless of merit, for the 2nd year in a row.

I was pissed off. Me and a handful of other road warriors spent weeks and months onsite,

sometimes on the other side of the country, only to get the same s__tty raises as those who rarely worked on the road.

Why should I/we spend so much time away from our families for no extra compensation.

"Atta boys" don't read to my child. One of the office ladies had the audacity to say we were lucky to get to travel all over for free.

Although I did do some sightseeing of cool places, I was usually too tired after working 7am to 9pm to do so.

Except when we were on the road for 2-3 weeks straight and got Sundays off. 80+ hours per week on salary.

I was gone in a few months and will never work like that again.

My lovely wife was understanding but there were several divorces and the road time def had a part in it.

This group offered personal insights on dealing with tough work situations

rhunter1980 − I think you need to find out your bosses favorite type of alcohol and splurge in a very nice bottle

with a note saying my sanity thanks you and my stress levels love you, never change!

anomalous_cowherd − I'm in almost exactly the same sort of position, but the new manager has only just come on board

and I'm still waiting to see how he shakes out.

I'm a loyal mug of a person and I really take ownership of the systems I'm responsible for, but if some current warning signs turn out to be correct,

I'll be trying to move out to a different dept too. I would never choose to move away and leave them in the lurch, but they could definitely drive me...

What would you have done in OP’s shoes? Should OP have stuck it out longer, or was this the right time to walk away? Share your thoughts below!

Leona Pham

Leona Pham

Hi, I'm Leona. I'm a writer for Daily Highlight and have had my work published in a variety of other media outlets. I'm also a New York-based author, and am always interested in new opportunities to share my work with the world. When I'm not writing, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. Thanks for reading!

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