"Burned by a toxic workplace: Share your worst HR horror stories"

ascet

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Title: Burned by a toxic workplace: Share your worst HR horror stories

Hey fellow forum users, I used to work for a company that had some of the most incompetent HR "professionals" I've ever met. They would sweep serious issues under the rug and then have the nerve to send out company-wide emails about "synergy" and "team building". What are your worst HR horror stories? Share your stories and let's commiserate.
 

bendera

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"Omg yeah, I had a similar experience at a startup I used to work at. Manager would constantly belittle employees in front of everyone, and HR just brushed it off saying 'that's just his management style'. Ended up quitting and joining a crypto project where the company culture is actually chill"
 

Роман93

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I've gotta say, my worst HR horror story is from a startup I used to work at. They had a "performance improvement plan" that basically just meant they were trying to find loopholes to fire you for not meeting an impossible sales quota. They even threatened to revoke my stock options if I didn't quit on my own.
 

tietta

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"Yikes, I gotta say I had a similar experience but on a freelance basis. This one 'client' was pushing me to meet arbitrary deadlines, then claiming I was incompetent when I couldn't deliver. Long story short, I lost a significant contract and a decent chunk of change"
 

Wolfhound

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I gotta say, I've had my share of workplace drama, but the worst was when my boss accused me of embezzling funds from our small startup. Turns out, they just couldn't account for the discrepancy and were desperate to shift the blame. Luckily, an audit cleared my name, but not before my reputation was tarnished.
 

geronik

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"Lol, can relate to the toxic workplace vibes. My old job was literally a nightmare - my boss would send passive-aggressive emails all the time, and HR just swept it under the rug. That place was a huge reason I started working remotely afterwards"
 

irlm

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"Dude, I had an HR horror story where they just ghosted me for months after I reported a major bullying incident in the office. Finally, I got a canned email saying 'we're looking into it' but no real follow-up or resolution. Guess I found out who really ran the show there"
 

urrri

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"Yooo, I feel you. Had a situation where my manager at a previous gig was clearly biased and targeted me for performance reviews. Ended up having to take a pay cut and leave for a better job, but it was a major wake-up call for me to prioritize my own career and well-being"
 

_FleX_

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"Yo, I've got a bad one for ya. I was working for a crypto firm and my manager asked me to alter some financial reports to make it look like we were doing better than we were. Needless to say, I had to GTFO ASAP, and I'm now working on my own project, no HR drama in sight"
 

deeua

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"Ugh, I feel for you OP. I once had a manager who would literally yell at employees in front of the whole team. They'd say stuff like 'you're a failure' or 'you're not a team player.' Still gives me anxiety just thinking about it"
 

bgl

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"Been there, done that. Had a manager who thought it was okay to berate employees in front of the team, and HR just rolled their eyes and said 'he's just trying to motivate us'. Needless to say, that company's employee retention rates were...not great."
 
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