The Flexi-Time Fiasco: How Petty Office Politics Backfired Spectacularly
Some workplace dramas are so deliciously petty they beg to be shared — and this one is a golden fry dipped in schadenfreude sauce. Imagine spending years in office harmony, only to be ambushed by a team so obsessed with clock-watching that they end up sabotaging their own perks. That’s exactly what happened to u/Uglym8s, whose story of office revenge on r/PettyRevenge has commenters applauding, facepalming, and even reaching for uniquely British idioms.
If you’ve ever had a coworker who cared a little too much about when you left the office (even when it didn’t affect them), buckle up. This is a masterclass in giving people exactly what they wish for — and watching them regret it in real time.
The Flexi-Time Setup: “If It Ain’t Broke…”
Let’s rewind. Our protagonist, OP, enjoyed the sweet freedom of flexi-time — starting at 8am, leaving at 4pm, and dodging the worst of UK rush hour. The office ran on core hours (10am-4pm), phone lines open 9am-5pm, and as long as the phones were covered, nobody cared about the rest. For four blissful years, this was how things rolled.
Then came the department change.
Suddenly, coworkers took umbrage at OP’s early departure — despite there being more than enough coverage, and despite the manager bending over backwards to accommodate everyone. Did they want to leave early too? Nope. Did they want a rota? Also nope. They just wanted OP to “fit in” and stay until 5pm, because, apparently, synchronized misery is the best team-building exercise.
As one commenter, u/Difficult-Athlete664, nailed it: “All they saw was you leaving an hour earlier than them, never thinking that you work for an hour before they get in.” It’s the classic office paradox: people notice when you leave, never when you arrive.
Petty Problems, Petty Solutions: “Give Them What They Want”
After weeks of grumbling, the manager, thoroughly exhausted, confided a tidbit that made OP smile — but OP kept that ace up their sleeve. Instead, they let their colleagues build a crescendo of complaint until the next team meeting.
And then, the pièce de résistance: OP “conceded defeat,” suggesting the entire team work 9-5, every day, together. The complainers, thrilled at their “victory,” agreed unanimously. The manager, perhaps with a twinkle in his eye, implemented it on the spot. Flexi-time was dead; long live the 9-5 grind.
As u/CoderJoe1 quipped, “You surrendered to each of their demands and Bob’s your uncle.” The irony? In their quest for uniformity, the team had just shot themselves in the foot. “Sometimes the best revenge is just letting people get their way,” added u/JIASnake. And oh, did consequences come knocking.
Karma Served with a Side of Cold Chips
The real kicker? It was the middle of a major international sporting event. Games were being played in the morning UK time, and flexi-time had allowed OP’s coworkers to sneak in late after watching the matches — while OP covered the early phones solo, day after day. Now, with 9-5 hours, everyone was chained to their desks, no more extended lunches to catch the quarterfinals on the big screen.
OP, with a perfect poker face, sweetly reminded the team that nobody would be covering the phones at 9am but them anymore, and that lunch breaks would now be strictly enforced. “You flex-taped the consequences of their own petty actions to their foreheads so they had no way to pretend it wasn't there,” commented u/JeannieSmolBeannie. Or, as u/ITsunayoshiI put it, “Flex is always so important until the snapback leaving them stinging with the consequences.”
The fallout? Pouty faces, dashed lunchtime football dreams, and a newfound appreciation for the quiet work OP had been doing all along. No apologies, just silent suffering. “They knew they had to suck it up, so lots of pouty faces for a while,” OP confirmed in the comments.
The Cherry on Top: Office Karma (and a Shorter Commute)
But wait, there’s more! Remember that secret the manager let slip? The office was about to relocate — right near OP’s home. Suddenly, losing flexi-time was no big deal for OP, who could now walk to work, while the complainers faced longer slogs. As OP put it, “the removal of flexi-time worked in my favour as it meant I could then walk to and from work. Oh it was difficult not to pull a smug face when the relocation was announced.”
The British phrase “Don’t piss on your chips” has never been so apt. As OP explained to a curious commenter, it means “not to make something worse for yourself by your own actions.” The team’s fixation on someone else’s harmless perk cost them their own — and handed OP a win on every front.
Lessons from the Peanut Gallery
This story struck a nerve with the Reddit community. Some, like u/OnlyInJapan99999, gave it the full British seal of approval. Others shared their own tales of petty workplace revenge and the universal truth that “it’s always been noticed when I leave, not when I start,” as OP reflected.
There’s a certain poetry in watching petty complaints boomerang back onto the complainers. As u/unsavvylady put it, “Best revenge is giving them what they wanted.” Or, in the words of u/Impossible_Apple7822: “Talk about cutting your nose off to spite your own face, brilliantly done.”
So if you ever find yourself the target of pointless office grumbling, take a leaf from OP’s book: let them have their way — and watch as reality bites, hard.
What’s the pettiest workplace drama you’ve survived? Have you ever witnessed an office policy backfire? Share your stories (and best British idioms) in the comments below!
Original Reddit Post: Workplace revenge