r/careerguidance • u/Claptrap_5Z • 18h ago

Management is cutting my job after I automated 15 hours of weekly work, do I have to document it for them?

When I took this coordinator job, our team was losing fifteen to twenty hours every week just updating client logs and manually formatting spreadsheets.

I built a few simple macros and formula templates that cut all that data entry down to an hour. I thought saving twenty hours a week would free me up for higher-level projects.

instead, my manager called me into a meeting last Friday. She told me that because our administrative workload dropped, they are merging my role with a part-time position and letting me go. To get my severance check, they want me to write step-by-step documentation for every macro I set up.

I literally worked myself out of a salary. I should of just kept doing the data entry by hand like the last person.

Do I ACTUALLY have to document processes I created that were not in my original job description?

• Upvotes

93% Upvoted

2.7k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

•

u/Aggravating_Shoe_ 18h ago

Guess we should really be acting our wages

•

u/coinminer2049er 16h ago

My friends say I should act my wage...What's my wage again?

•

u/LordAzrael42 15h ago

Nobody likes you when you're $23 an hour.

•

u/coinminer2049er 15h ago

What the hell is CPP?

•

u/MartinBroMotorsports 11h ago

My friends say I should act my wage…
What’s my wage again?…
(Need a vacation….)
[guitar]

•

u/Big-Excitement-3968 16h ago

I got cha. Blink 182. lol

•

u/SnipesCC 13h ago

Not enough to afford clothes.

•

u/79superglide 7h ago

Nobody likes you when you're 23K. Lol.

•

u/PhaedrusZenn 4h ago

I took a job, I guess I did alright

I wrote macros to get the data right

I started saving time

And they thought it was great

But then they dropped a bomb on me...

•

u/forever_a10ne 16h ago edited 15h ago

I started working a job five years ago. Two years into my tenure, an offshore team was hired, which I helped the train to basically do the job I was doing. We were promised that we would eventually get roles overseeing them. What wound up happening was I lost my job, I was replaced by the offshore team, and they used the money they were paying me to fund AI, which is eventually going to replace the offshore team. I trained myself out of a job. I’m still looking for something that pays enough to survive.

•

u/Imontheinternet123 14h ago

My old company tried to push this on me a few times under the guise of "providing you with support so you can focus on big picture stuff" - nice try. I just refused and said I was going to keep doing my job and wouldn't be transferring any knowledge sharing. They backed down and I continued hoarding everything about how to do my job to myself. Refused to document things too. I don't think they even cared, they pretty much shrugged, left me alone, and then and went and tried it on the next person. Eventually 3/4s of my core coworkers were let go and replaced with overseas contractors. I had to start doing calls with people in India early in the morning but it beat the alternative...

•

u/RobieFLASH 2h ago

My company let go 4 people, only to turn around and hire 8 off shore people

•

u/bexy11 15h ago

A story as old as time. That happened to several colleagues of mine but at least they got to visit Ireland while training the people that eventually took their jobs.

And then the Irish people were replaced with Indians, who were replaced with Filipinos, who were replaced with Mexicans. All lovely people. I don’t know if all of them got to visit the people who took their jobs. And I quit in 2019 so who knows what country they’re getting workers from now.

•

u/forever_a10ne 14h ago

Yep. I know you’re being real about it because those were the locations of all the offshore teams we worked with. Also Colombia.

•

u/bexy11 14h ago

Ireland was back in like 2009 or something. I think there was some kind of big tax benefit in it for us.

Another one we hired in before I left was Ukraine.

•

u/Relevant-Energy-5886 14h ago

Now its Jamaica and the Phillipines. 

•

u/littleplasticninja 4h ago

Accenture at Google? Because that's what they did to me.

•

u/hornwalker 16h ago

I make a nickel, boss makes a dime, that’s why I poop on company time.

•

u/daverosstheboss 14h ago

I make a penny, boss makes a buck, that's why I don't give a fuck.

•

u/jsc8769 11h ago

That's why I stole all of the catalytic converters off the company trucks.

•

u/JacqueMorrison 11h ago

The word you seek is “misplaced”.

•

u/johnnybna 5h ago

I make a penny, boss makes a shitton of money, plus weeks of vacation, plus perks like a pension plan, paid life insurance, company car, company credit card, expense accounts, and gets a bonus regardless of profitability, and has a contract with a golden parachute, plus his wife Karen is a real stuckup bitch to anyone not in upper management, oh and he’s such a dick about bathroom time, like I’m supposed to crank one off in like 5 minutes, and.... Wait, what were we talking about?

•

u/Deep-Hovercraft-6863 13h ago

I make 200, company makes 4k, that’s why I shit 9 times a day.

•

u/sp3rchrg3d 16h ago

I’ve even logged my toilet time on the time sheets, think I got over 60 hours so far this year

•

u/benskinic 16h ago

shit yeah

•

u/plurien 11h ago

Every job application from now on: MY PREVIOUS POSITION CLOSED BECAUSE I AUTOMATED IT OUT OF EXISTENCE

•

u/RadVarken 10h ago

I'd hire you.

•

u/sharkbait-oo-haha 7h ago

Then fire you.

•

u/AndrewCushen 15h ago

Literally

•

u/flojo2012 15h ago

It’s a mini vacation

•

u/sp3rchrg3d 15h ago

I’ve done better in the past.

Between 2018-2020 I used to play asphalt legends/08 on my iPhone in the mornings for about an hour doing all the daily activities, then sat on the loo again fucking around on my phone in the afternoon while browsing 9GAG. So at least least an hour and a half sitting on the toilet playing on my phone for around 5 days a week, 47 weeks a year, for 2.5 years.

•

u/Informal-Gold-3953 3h ago

If you spend 10 minutes every workday pooping, you get 40 hours a year. You're killing it!

•

u/Good_wolf 15h ago

15 min/day at 5 days/week is 1.25 hours.

At 52 weeks per year, you’ve just taken off a cool 65 hours that year. 62.5 with 2 weeks PTO.

•

u/Then-Departure4896 7h ago

I work 12 hour shifts and definitely spend at least 30 minutes in the bathroom on a good day. Probably make enough pissin/shittin to pay for my lunch break most days. Neat. Never thought about that before.

•

u/jimvasco 12h ago

You have just valued the mysterious shitload.

•

u/ArcadeKingpin 15h ago

Boss makes a dollar, I make a dime, that’s why I slime on company time.

•

u/SakishimaHabu 15h ago

Boss makes a thousand, I make a cent, that’s why I shit on the carpet.

•

u/feanturi 10h ago

Rose are red, violets are blue, fuck you boss.

•

u/_neviesticks 11h ago

That was true fifty years ago. Now it’s, I make a penny, boss makes a tenner, that’s why we eat that fucker for dinner.

•

u/AlmightySeaver 9h ago

Dude... imagine getting 50% of what the top dog makes. That'd actually be great nowadays!

The 2026 version should be rewritten along the lines of:

I make a nickel, boss makes ten bucks. So I take long dumps on the clock, cuz I give no fucks.

•

u/IRadiateYou1999 16h ago

More like, boss makes a dollar, I make a dime!

•

u/Opandemonium 7h ago

I did that math and in today’s economy:

I make a nickel, the boss makes fifteen dollars and sixty cents

Can’t make it rhyme though 😭

•

u/thx1138- 5h ago

I did it one piece at a time, and it didn't cost me a dime

•

u/WoooWeeeWuben 26m ago

I make a tuppence, my boss makes a ton, hence why i sit on my thumbs.

•

u/DreadPirateWade 16h ago

The sentence that drives bosses insame the most besides “No” is “I’m sorry but that’s outside the scope of my position.” They turn best red every single time.

Learn it. Live it. Love it.

•

u/damarius 10h ago

Every job description I've ever written and had approved by HR contains the phrase "And other related duties as assigned", or words to that effect. "Related" is subjective and may lead to a grievance but especially in IT is pretty broad.

•

u/FuckTheTories69420 6h ago

Depends where you work and what permissions you have. Many places have areas that you dont touch as thats "so and so's area".

•

u/Frobizzle 14h ago

Sure but this will also likely hamstring your own career growth. You really have to calculate the risk when making a choice like that and the further in a career you get the less often this is even an option. There's always someone else willing to work harder and pass you by.

•

u/TrowTruck 10h ago

This is a catch 22, and a tough one to be sure. My advice to people trying to build their careers is to use every company as a training ground, and deliberately try to outgrow their jobs. Your employer may not be able to keep up with your ambitions, but even in that case, those skills and experiences are yours to keep and leverage for another role elsewhere.

The case of OP is a very real danger (though smart companies would keep OP as long as it wasn’t just a fluke and OP can keep innovating), but people are still better off when they keep working to do better than stagnate and get frustrated.

•

u/DNLK 3h ago

I got promoted in less than a year by actually going out of my way to make things work in my team while others would not step out of their little small roles. I guess it helped that everyone in the team were pretty green at the time but does not excuse them remaining in the same spot ever since.

•

u/Somanylyingliars 8h ago

What horrible advice. Companies to cane on whit about workers. Everyone out for themselves. Help no one, teach no one, trust no one.

•

u/Head_of_Lettuce 6h ago

The flip side is that if you work for a good company or for a good manager, other people will do the things you’re bitter about and will grow while you flounder. The other person is correct, it’s a risk you run. If someone hustles while others aren’t, it will be noticed eventually.

•

u/Frequent_Opportunist 15h ago

Gen Z at fast food doesn't make eye contact or even reply to you verbally. 

•

u/Aggravating_Shoe_ 15h ago

That's worth at least an extra 50¢/hr

•

u/Somanylyingliars 8h ago

Good. Don't need to listen to their stupidity so that's 👍

•

u/phtevenbagbifico 16h ago

That and UNIONIZING so that you have actual protections.

•

u/NoUseforeName 16h ago

Yes. Took me 10 years to learn this, act your wage and don't ever compete with coworkers.

•

u/Jokkitch 15h ago

I do

•

u/triffid_boy 14h ago

The smart money would probably have just used the macros, saved themselves the work and filled the time with other things. 

•

u/anangrywizard 11h ago

Damn right, I had a nap in the afternoon today!

•

u/BellLilly 11h ago

Yeah, that video of the guy who was denied a raise for the 3rd or 4th year despite his excellent performance reviews so he stopped doing extra and started working the wage they felt he was worth.

HR wanted a word after

•

u/RECEIPT_dusty 7h ago

Punishing efficiency is the fastest way to kill employee loyalty. do the absolute minimum handoff required to collect that severance package and walk away. let them struggle to maintain those macros on their own later.

•

u/bigloser42 7h ago

Nah, you automate the crap out of it and tell no one. Then enjoy your extra 30 hours a week.

•

u/wingchild 6h ago

Are you not?

•

u/Aggravating_Shoe_ 6h ago

No, I've been going above and beyond until about a week ago. Using my own money for clients because it just had to be done. Then something occurred and I did not appreciate my bosses handling of it, or complete lack there of, so now I'm just doing my job

•

u/wingchild 6h ago

I'm glad to hear it, and I hope the lesson wasn't an expensive one.

It's fine to be passionate about your work, and it's fine to be passionate about your clients. But always remember where the line is between being passionate and being a sucker. Your boss isn't gonna keep you on the right side of it and hopes like hell you'll overcommit. It's better for the boss. It's certainly cheaper for the boss.

Most times, the only person who's gonna do right by you is you.

•

u/Aggravating_Shoe_ 6h ago

Yeah I was also shorted almost 2k in pay over a few months that I didn't notice until recently. Waiting for it to be corrected or I'll contact an employment lawyer. Still love my job and what I do but am very displeased by my boss currently and well I can help people anywhere. I spent my own money at their direction as 'it would of taken to long' going through them and have also yet to be reimbursed

•

u/LS_944 4h ago

Brilliant. You are the person I look most up to on Reddit. 🤣

•

u/Aggravating_Shoe_ 4h ago

Well you're in luck because I'm selling a course for $500/no so you can be just like me!

•

u/LS_944 4h ago

Let’s not get carried away. 😝

•

u/Aggravating_Shoe_ 4h ago

For you my friend, big discount. 200usd/wk

•

u/LS_944 4h ago

😆

•

u/tamaroo 4h ago

All I’m gonna say is that there is a reason government employees figured that out a long time ago. Our wages are lower than the private sector (usually) but many of us do what we do because we want to serve our community and make a difference.

•

u/EccentricFeather 3h ago

No we should be protesting until being a good worker is properly rewarded. This heinous punishment shit is slavery in a different form because it requires you to behave as a criminal towards your employer and that gives them reason to treat you worse. The whole system is rigged if being a good worker is a bad idea because then you HAVE to be a criminally minded person in order to succeed.

That is why our system sucks. It rewards abuse instead of goodness

•

u/jsh1138 6h ago

it's always hilarious when I hear someone who isn't worth $2 an hour say this

•

u/Aggravating_Shoe_ 6h ago

Well I guess I'm severely over paid then

•

u/jsh1138 6h ago

Contrary to what reddit says, most people are. Over the years I have worked with many people who basically hid all day so they didn't have to work. Then they go home and log on and talk about how "the man" is taking advantage of them or how the rich just keep getting richer or whatever

If you actually produce in your industry you are generally paid very well.

•

u/Aggravating_Shoe_ 5h ago

I hope you enjoy that taste of leather

•

u/jsh1138 5h ago

lol I'm self-employed. Try it, if you ever get tired of being bitter