My work experience, where I believed that we were “one big family”

Hello everyone!

In short, let me tell you about myself: I’m the type of woman who isn’t afraid to try new things. So, at the age of 16, I got my first job during the summer holidays to become independent from my parents. I stood on the street and sold SIM cards. Then I worked at a museum, and I also tried myself as a lender — to be honest, here I constantly felt stressed. I changed all these jobs after 3–4 months.

And at the age of 18, I found a company where I stayed for 4 years. It was a good experience, but there were, of course, downsides. And I will tell you about them so that you don’t experience something similar.

I’ll put it this way, at that time, I was unsure of myself for many reasons. Of course, I saw the company and certainly used it for my selfish purposes.

In the first year, only the boss talked to me, encouraged me, and gave tasks in the form of website content. By the beginning of the second year, colleagues also started talking to me, as we became connected through work. I was promoted, given more work, but they only increased my salary by $30 (they said you make a lot of mistakes, but we are giving you more work now — like surprise us)

In the middle of the second year, the company started organizing events, such as going to the cinema together, to a restaurant, or traveling somewhere for New Year’s. And they started saying more often, “We are one big Family with you.”

At that time, I believed in it, that we were all friends, like one big family. I trusted, did more work, and stopped noticing the nuances, that they only increased my salary by $30 each time (already at that time when I started making fewer mistakes).

But excuse me, we are all human and prone to making mistakes. Even machines break down, not to mention people.

After all, they asked our whole team: “Do you want to fly to Egypt as a team “Family,” we’ll pay for everything and it will be great?” We answered: “Of course, we want to”. Our company rubbed their hands and said: “Then you need to earn more money for the company in these three months”.

It was a kind of motivation that worked very well, and we all flew to Egypt. And you know what happened? My colleagues and I stopped taking vacations; we worked 24/7 every day. We went to work even when we were sick.

In winter, they took us to a resort to go skiing. And those who refused “family events” had to work while the whole team was resting.

And so, in the fourth year, my eyes were opened to everything that was happening and how we were being manipulated.

In the fourth year, I had about 20 responsibilities; I knew everything about the company — not a single process could pass without me. I remember I took one day off to celebrate my mom’s birthday — so they called me every hour and asked, “What should we do?”

And what do you think? Did they raise my pay? No, and they stopped paying me every month. They started giving it every three months. And not just giving it as it should be, but throwing it on the table — with such a facial expression…

The end of my story is approaching)))

Before I quit, our boss said that he fires and rehires all the people working here, and everyone must describe their qualities and the position they want to take. He called it “the company’s rebirth.” And just when the salary was delayed for three months, who would dare to quit. A very clever strategy.

In general, I couldn’t stand it anymore here; there was already too much I didn’t like about the company. But my colleagues were fine with everything, and like obedient children, they submitted their resumes and went through the interview. I, on the other hand, remember, wore a long and modest red dress and walked into his office professionally. He asked, “where’s the resume?” I answered, “Believe me, I won’t need it — I’m resigning.”

There was suffocation and silence, but to show myself above, he said, “fine.”

And here I made a big mistake, because I was the only one who had all the information about the business.

hey told me to work for two weeks until we find a new employee for your position. At that moment, I didn’t know how cunning bosses could be… I worked for 13 days, passed on all the information — they didn’t pay me.

A month later, I asked: “When they would pay me my salary?”. They said, “Who owes whom else money?.”

Honestly, I was outraged by such audacity.

After eight months, they finally decided to pay the salary I had already forgotten about. But interestingly, more than half of my money was deducted from this salary. They said they had given me that part before I left. There’s no information in the records or messages about this, and I know they didn’t pay me. But the boss said, I remember that.

He gave me 1/3 and that was it. But if I hadn’t worked those 13 days and hadn’t passed on the information — this company would have played by my rules.

And the most interesting thing is that after I left, he constantly wrote to me, asking if I had found a job, if I needed help. Hmm, so that I work for this company again, which couldn’t find a replacement for me. With such a policy and such an attitude — I think no sane and competent specialist would want to deal with such a company.

So, remember and know, dear friends — information can destroy the most profitable company in a day. Own the information and don’t let yourself be deceived. And if you go for work remember always — you go in work for money. Family are in home.

And when something happens to you, for example you get sick, remember, the company is only important — how much money you brought to this company. They don’t care about the rest. And in general, what a family is is people who love you for simply being you. Your family will not abandon you in difficult times. So make no mistake.