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The original was posted on /r/maliciouscompliance by /u/OriginsOfEvil666 on 2025-05-07 18:28:58+00:00.
A few years back, I worked as a junior analyst at a mid-sized consulting firm. Our team was known for delivering quality work, often going above and beyond to meet tight deadlines. We had a flexible work culture, and as long as the work got done, no one micromanaged our hours.
Enter our new manager, Karen (not her real name, but fitting). Karen came from a corporate background and was obsessed with metrics and control. She introduced a new policy: every team member had to log their work in 15-minute increments using a new time-tracking software. She claimed it was to "optimize productivity," but it felt more like surveillance.
We tried to express our concerns, highlighting that the nature of our work didn't always fit neatly into 15-minute blocks. Sometimes, we had brainstorming sessions, quick client calls, or impromptu team huddles. But Karen was adamant: "If it's not logged, it didn't happen."
Fine.
I decided to comply—maliciously.
I began logging every single activity:
9:00 AM – 9:15 AM: Booting up computer and reviewing emails.
9:15 AM – 9:30 AM: Responding to emails.
9:30 AM – 9:45 AM: Coffee break.
9:45 AM – 10:00 AM: Team stand-up meeting.
10:00 AM – 10:15 AM: Bathroom break.
10:15 AM – 10:30 AM: Reading industry articles for professional development.
And so on.
I included everything: waiting for files to download, software updates, even the time spent logging time. I wasn't the only one. The entire team followed suit.
Within a week, Karen was inundated with detailed logs that painted a picture of a team bogged down by administrative tasks. Our actual productivity took a hit because we were so focused on tracking every minute.
After two weeks, Karen called a team meeting. She looked exhausted.
"Okay, maybe we went a bit overboard with the time tracking," she admitted. "Let's simplify the process."
Victory.
We returned to our previous system, focusing on deliverables rather than micromanaging time. Productivity soared, and Karen learned that trust and flexibility often yield better results than rigid control.