Everyday People Share 30 Horror Stories About Toxic People & Places

23. Understaffed Dilemma

Whether you work in a restaurant, hospital, manufacturing, or retail, being understaffed can be incredibly overwhelming. Working in tech support is no different. The following horror story is about a severe case of understaffing. Two employees were doing the work of at least eight. There were months where no one was allowed to take vacations. One co-worker had to reschedule her honeymoon despite it being approved six months in advance. If she didn’t reschedule, she risked being fired. 

When it was broached to management, they tried to argue there was no need to add employees. People had to work weekends, work nights, and even work through lunch. In addition to working unrealistic hours, employees had to break company policies to do their work. The leadership team and company didn’t care to acknowledge the stress or working conditions. The long hours led to a negative effect on employees’ mental and physical wellbeing. Even after giving so much extra time, they were unable to use their paid time off even though it wasn’t paid upon leaving.