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The original was posted on /r/maliciouscompliance by /u/PetalHoneyBabe on 2025-06-21 05:48:34+00:00.
I once worked at a big box retail store where management loved making up random rules to boost productivity. One day, our floor supervisor decided we were no longer allowed to scan full cases of items, we had to scan each individual unit, even if there were 24 identical cans in the box. His reasons? Inventory accuracy.
I pointed out that the system already accounted for cases properly and this would slow down stocking. He just said, Don’t care, one at a time. That’s an order.
We began doing it his way and it we t well because we didn't really get alot of same items that day.
However, on my next shift, I got a pallet of canned corn. 96 cans in 4 large cases. I cracked open every case, scanned each can one at a time and placed them carefully on the shelf like I was arranging fine china.
It took me about 40 minutes to do what normally takes 10 minutes. I did this for every similar item the whole day.
By lunch, the backroom was a disaster, the line of carts waiting to be stocked had tripled and other departments were short staffed because people had to come help us.
By the end of the day, the supervisor was fuming. Why is this taking so long?
I reminded him what he said. I’m just following your order exactly.
He tried to backpedal but I asked if he wanted it in writing that I should ignore his previous instruction. He dropped it.
By the next day rule was gone. We were back to scanning cases.