Employee’s Entire Department Gets Shut Down, Nobody Remembers To Fire Them

Many people dream of getting paid to do absolutely nothing at work. However, you have to be careful with what you wish for. What might seem like winning the lottery at first can soon leave you feeling stressed, anxious, and scared, and questioning your ethics and purpose in life.

Employee u/SirDackADoo took the internet on a wild ride, revealing how he “slipped through the cracks” at his company. He was getting paid to do no work all day. However, regret soon started creeping in, and he started looking for a way out. Keep scrolling to read his epic story.

Doing nothing at work may sound splendid, but it can, surprisingly, lead to a lot of stress

An employee sitting at a desk focused on a computer monitor after the department gets shut down.

Jonathan Borba / Pexels (not the actual photo)

This worker revealed how he ended up getting paid to laze around all day at the office. It seemed perfect at first

Text post about an employee who slipped through the cracks when their department gets shut down. Text post detailing how the employee was hired as an executive assistant before the department gets shut down. A group of professionals in business suits having a meeting before the department gets shut down.

Vitaly Gariev / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Text post explaining how the boss was fired and the employee was forgotten when the department gets shut down. Black text describing a situation where an entire department gets shut down. Text explaining how forgotten employees still get paid after a department gets shut down. Relaxed male employee with feet up on a desk wearing headphones after department gets shut down.

Vitaly Gariev / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Text post about an employee afraid to be fired after their department gets shut down. Text post discussing badge scanning at work after an entire department gets shut down.

SirDackADoo

Broadly speaking, employees are genuinely productive only for a few hours each day

Employers may want maximum efficiency, but employees are rarely fully engaged throughout the entire workday. The actual number of hours they work is often much lower than their official hours. Remember, being actually productive and working more hours are not the same thing.

That’s natural. Your mind and body need rest. Working more and more does not lead to better results. Ideally, your employees will be able to do deep work and genuinely focus on their tasks, instead of multitasking and taxing their brains.

Moreover, by not going above and beyond every waking moment at the office, you tend to avoid burnout. Strategically, in the long run, you want to aim for high-quality but sustainable work, rather than forcing overtime on already exhausted staff members.

Companies ought to embrace a healthy work-life balance, so long as employees are behaving fairly and aren’t trying to “game the system” to avoid their responsibilities.

So, how much does the average employee actually work each day? As reported by time-tracking platform My Hours, on average, a person is only productive for 2 hours and 53 minutes each day.

Meanwhile, around 2 hours are spent procrastinating each day. Generally speaking, employees spend a mere 12 minutes on a task before they’re interrupted. That’s particularly harmful because it takes a whopping 23 minutes to refocus on a task.

Offering your workers flexible hours can make them 39% more productive and provide them with 64% better focus, according to a report by Future Forum.

A relaxed employee at a desk in a shut down department using a phone with feet up.

Yan Krukau / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Just because someone looks busy doesn’t mean that they’re actually busy

On the flip side, employees with rigid work schedules are 2.5 times more likely to look for a new job, 4.6 times more likely to suffer from stress and anxiety related to work, and 2.6 times more likely to have a worse work-life balance.

Some workers end up pretending to do their jobs instead of actually being productive. They focus on merely looking busy instead of doing something that brings value to the company and improves their own skills.

There’s quite a bit of variation in this by country and culture. According to data from Statista, employees in India spend 43% of their time doing performative work versus 57% productive work.

In Japan, employees spend 37% of their time on performative work, and a similar number (36%) is found in Singapore.

In the United States and South Korea, just 28% of employees’ time is spent on performative work. In Germany, 29% of time is spent on ‘pretend mode,’ while this number stands at 30% in the United Kingdom and 31% in France.

We want to hear your perspective, Pandas. Once you’ve finished reading the entire story, drop by the comments to share your take. What is your dream job? How long do you think you would enjoy being paid to do nothing at work before you sought out some interesting tasks? What are the best and worst jobs you’ve ever had, and why? Let us know!

The internet had a lot to say about the employee’s unique situation. Here are some people’s thoughts

Online discussion post about an employee whose department gets shut down. Reddit comment advising an employee whose entire department gets shut down. Social media advice for an employee whose department shuts down. Comment discussing employment reference policies after a department shuts down. A comment advising an employee whose department gets shut down to learn new skills and job hunt. A user comment suggesting an employee seek personal projects when a department gets shut down. A user comment stating living the dream after a department gets shut down.

A few readers shared similar stories of their own

A comment sharing a story about being disconnected from the org chart when a department gets shut down. Top view of a clean office desk with laptop, monitor, headphones, and gaming console.

Alex Qian / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Later, the worker shared the first of many updates about him “slipping through the cracks” at his company

Screenshot of an update post from an employee whose department gets shut down, discussing looking for a new job. Screenshot of text detailing the experience of going unnoticed after an employee department gets shut down. Person typing on a computer keyboard with a green coffee mug, representing an employee working at a desk.

Startup Stock Photos / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Text post about an employee taking on side work after their department gets shut down to help pay off debts. Text describing how an employee whose department shut down helps manage emails for a relative to earn extra money. A post explaining how an employee department gets shut down while they remain employed.

SirDackADoo

A stressed employee looking at a laptop screen after their department gets shut down.

MART PRODUCTION / Pexels (not the actual photo)

This is what readers said after reading the update

An online comment discussing company size after a department gets shut down. A comment asking about HR oversight when an entire department gets shut down. A user suggesting funny advice after a department gets shut down unexpectedly. A comment encouraging a forgotten employee to keep going when their department gets shut down A comment suggesting an employee who gets fired after a department shut down could get unemployment A comment offering work advice on postponing quarterly reviews when an entire department gets shut down A comment advising a forgotten employee to save money and ride it out when a department gets shut down A comment recommending an employee use company benefits to get a degree before they fire them A comment reacting to an employee whose department gets shut down with no one remembering to fire them Employees engaging in a corporate team building event after a department gets shut down

RDNE Stock project / Pexels (not the actual photo)

In another update, the author revealed that things were starting to heat up at the office

An update post from an employee whose department gets shut down but nobody remembers to fire them Text explaining a corporate team building event for an employee whose department gets shut down An employee using crutches to fake sick after their department gets shut down and nobody remembers to fire them

Gustavo Fring / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Post discussing a worker trapped in paid limbo after their department gets shut down Text post exploring excuses after a department gets shut down while still getting paid

SirDackADoo

Here are some internet users’ perspectives and pieces of advice for the employee

Reddit comment sharing a story about a worker whose department gets shut down Advice from a Reddit user after a worker's department gets shut down Funny suggestion on Reddit about how to handle when a department gets shut down Screenshot of a Reddit comment giving advice to a forgotten employee whose entire department gets shut down. Reddit user suggesting a funny joke strategy to an employee after their entire department gets shut down. Reddit comment offering an excuse idea for a forgotten employee after their entire department gets shut down. Screenshot of Reddit advice on how to sneak out after an employee’s entire department gets shut down. A man sitting in a job interview setting after an employee’s entire department gets shut down.

Tima Miroshnichenko / Pexels (not the actual photo)

The situation at work became even more tense. Here’s what happened next

Screenshot of text update about going for job interviews after a department gets shut down. Screenshot of text detailing an employee signing an attendance sheet after their department gets shut down. Close-up of a person holding a pen over paperwork, representing an employee whose department gets shut down.

Vanessa Garcia / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Screenshot of text recounting going home after sneaking onto an attendance sheet when a department gets shut down. Screenshot of text reflecting on being a misplaced entry in a database after a department gets shut down.

SirDackADoo

Deeply confused employee sitting at desk thinking after department gets shut down

Gustavo Fring / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Internet users once again weighed in

Reddit comment exchange about an employee job interview when department gets shut down Reddit post discussing a former boss after an entire department gets shut down Online user commenting on a story about how an entire department gets shut down Reddit user expressing envy over an employee whose department gets shut down Online comment referencing Office Space 2 regarding an entire department gets shut down situation. User comment telling an employee to demand a promotion after their entire department gets shut down. Comment giving career advice about severance when an entire department gets shut down. Humorous online comment asking about interviewing at current company when an entire department gets shut down. Comment comparing a worker whose entire department gets shut down to George Costanza from Seinfeld. A man wearing a flannel shirt driving a truck after his department gets shut down

ArtHouse Studio / Pexels (not the actual photo)

In a final update, the author explained what he finally ended up doing

Text post update from an employee whose department gets shut down about finding a new job Text post describing how an employee whose department gets shut down submitted his resignation A stressed employee sitting at a desk surrounded by papers after her department gets shut down

Tima Miroshnichenko / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Text post about an employee whose department gets shut down receiving a call from HR A text post about an employee whose department gets shut down but wasn't fired.

SirDackADoo

An employee sitting at a table with a laptop, on the phone after his department gets shut down.

Vlada Karpovich / Pexels (not the actual photo)

After reading the full epic story, people shared their final thoughts

A online comment discussing an employee whose department gets shut down. A comment comparing a post about a shut down department to Office Space. A supportive user comment on a story about a department being shut down. A comment on an employee’s entire department gets shut down story comparing feelings to the Breaking Bad finale. Online comment asking what it is like to be a productive worker again after a department gets shut down. User comment on an employee’s entire department gets shut down post wondering about continued pay if they didn't quit. A online comment asking why life is so filled with work related to an employee’s entire department story. User advice comment on a post about an employee’s entire department shut down suggesting adding links to future posts. Online comment discussing a story about a forgotten employee after their department gets shut down User reaction to a story where a worker remained after their department gets shut down Comment about HR and company disorganization when a department gets shut down Social media comment regarding keeping quiet after an entire department gets shut down User sharing personal workplace experience related to an entire department gets shut down story Comment about HR failing to fire an employee after a department shut down. User comment discussing how a department shut down leads to a dream scenario of having nothing to do. Comment explaining how employers avoid severance after a department shut down. User reaction to an employee struggling with doing nothing after their department shut down. Comment comparing the situation to Office Space after a department shut down. A comment questioning corporate ethics after an employee department shut down. A comment about HR oversight when an employee department shut down. A comment asking about being paid when an employee department shut down. A comment from a laid-off worker on an employee department shut down story.

A few more readers revealed having experienced similar things at work

A comment about personal experience with an employee department shut down. Online comment about an employee's entire department gets shut down after moving to a new team. Social media post discussing a workplace scenario where an employee's entire department gets shut down. Screenshot of a story about how an employee's entire department gets shut down while working overnight. Post describing an executive assistant's experience when an employee's entire department gets shut down. Comment sharing a temp worker's story related to when an employee's entire department gets shut down.