Trucker Takes His Old Job Back Just So He Can Tell His Boss He Found A Way Better One — 'Loyalty Died When Pensions Did'
He, along with many other people, agree that loyalty to a company only comes when that company is loyal as well.
Drazen Zigic | Shutterstock A man claimed that he had no problem turning his back on his current job and finding somewhere new after being offered better incentives that would make doing his job easier.
Posting to the subreddit r/antiwork, he sparked a conversation about having loyalty to an employer that doesn't appreciate you or treat you with that same loyalty in return.
He took his old job back just so he could tell his boss that he found a better one.
In a since-deleted Reddit post, the unnamed man, who drives for a small construction company, explained that during the winter months, when layoffs happen, he'd go do local work, including shoveling and plowing snow on the highways. This year, when he finished his winter work with the county and went back to his other job, he was told he wasn't needed at the moment.
"I put in an application for another larger local construction company to drive for them and I’m in the process of being hired. Now all [of a] sudden, the other place is needing me back starting Monday because they’re firing one of the new hires," he admitted. He already made up his mind to leave his old job because of the much better benefits and work environment.
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Some of those better things include higher pay, better trucks to drive in, healthcare, and PTO. This truck driver isn't the only person adamant about finding better employment. According to the Pew Research Center, the majority of workers who quit a job say low pay (63%), no opportunities for advancement (63%), and feeling disrespected at work (57%) were reasons why they quit.
Out of all working-class adults, over 90% of Gen Zers and millennials said they're considering leaving their jobs, per a LinkedIn survey via Business Insider. The increase reflects young workers' desire for higher pay — but also confidence in the labor market. Despite this, job-switching is unlikely to reach the record highs seen during the Great Resignation in 2021 and 2022.
Many people are choosing to prioritize their well-being and job satisfaction over being blindly loyal to employers who have no interest in respecting them in the first place. This shift in mindset will hopefully force companies to rethink their approach when it comes to their team members and employees, because the truth of the matter is, that a happy employee means more work gets done.
People who feel valued at a company will be willing to stay for longer than those who don't. They are more likely to be loyal and dedicated because of how appreciated they feel in their roles.
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When he returned to his old job, he found out the real reason that he was asked back.
"I also found out that the only reason I’m being brought back is because the boss can’t find another driver and didn’t want to bring me back cause I was asking for too much in terms of just wanting PTO time," he continued.
However, he has a plan for when he goes back. He insisted that once he returns to his old job, he will tell his boss that he's already got another job lined up that offers better opportunities and benefits, making it clear that he is not willing to settle for less than what he deserves. He's sure that after saying this, he'll hear the usual garb about being loyal to a company but pointed out that his boss wasn't loyal to him to begin with.
While his behavior is understandable, people in the comments section suggested that he simply turned down his old job's request to come back because, in the end, silence is the best revenge you can have.
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"The best thing you can do is decline the old employer's request to come back. Don’t give a reason. Don’t reply to any other communication. You will live rent-free in that guy's head for a long time. Every time he fires another guy or someone else quits, he will think momentarily about your departure," one Reddit user wrote.
Another user added, "Don’t tell your boss a thing. Take the work until you start the new job, and then either just stop showing up or tell him you won’t be in again. The lack of notice will serve him right, and you’ll be protected in case he tries to sabotage the other job or something goes wrong with it before you start. Never give them more information than you have to; it just gives them a chance to screw you."
Ultimately, this lone truck driver's experience resonates deeply with other working-class individuals because of how neglected many people are by their employers, and many of those traditional notions of corporate America are slowly starting to vanish and be replaced by a new era where workers are demanding respect above all else.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.