All employees deserve respect and fair compensation for their hard work. But when one company decided to cut an outperforming employee’s salary by 30% without notice, they learned a hard lesson about taking loyalty for granted.
Reddit user u/ForWango shared how his dedication and long hours were rewarded not with a raise but with a massive pay cut. Instead of accepting the insult, he found a new position that paid double his original salary, leaving his old employer in damage control mode.
A year of hard work, followed by betrayal
The employee had been working in a crucial managerial role under a two-year expat contract that was constantly renewed. His job wasn’t easy, and he often went above and beyond to keep things running smoothly.
"I worked my a** off and worked more than 500 overtime hours last year and even covered for other people since we had high fluctuation in the company," he explained.
Despite being praised for his performance, his latest contract renewal came with a shocking twist:
"Out of the blue, HR cut my yearly pay by 30% and said it’s due to new compliance guidelines. They said I can leave if I don’t like the offer."
The message was clear: take it or leave it. So, he decided to leave it.
Representative photo by Canva
Turning the tables on HR
Instead of accepting less, he started applying for new roles—including at one of his company’s subsidiaries. It wasn’t long before he landed a higher-level position that offered double the salary HR had proposed.
"I applied to another of our subsidiaries and got a higher position that pays double what they offered. Leaving here soon," he announced.
His departure didn’t just hurt HR—it also blindsided his CEO and manager, who were furious with HR’s short-sighted decision.
"The CEO, HQ, and my manager are pissed at HR. Feels good," he added.
HR's desperate attempt to fix the mess
As the employee prepared to move on, his company struggled to find a replacement. HR asked him to recommend someone, but it quickly became clear that no one wanted the job—especially for the reduced salary.
"Called HQ and they said, 'We don’t think anyone here would like to transfer for that salary.' All my local co-workers said that they were not willing to do the job because of the high-stress level. Too funny," he wrote.
It turns out, the company’s cost-cutting strategy had backfired—leaving them with no one to fill a critical role.
The internet celebrates a well-deserved win
Reddit users had nothing but praise for the employee and mocked HR’s poor decision-making. Many shared their own similar experiences, where companies tried to shortchange workers only to regret it later.
u/vig2OOO summed up the sentiment:
"Especially because the corporations win 99% of the time, so it’s nice to see a victory on our side."
Image Source: Reddit | u/Harrison2
Another commenter, u/pchlster, shared a story of sweet revenge:
"I've had the opportunity to see the place I quit a few times since. They hired three people to do most of my old job. And what was the impossible-to-meet demand I had made? One person, half the day. Are those three people at least delivering comparable levels of quality? Nope."
Image Source: Reddit | u/luekestman
A lesson in knowing your worth
Companies would be smart to remember that loyalty only goes so far. When an employer undervalues your work, the best move might just be to take your talents elsewhere—especially if it leaves them in a worse position than before.
As for HR? They might want to rethink their strategies before the next top performer decides to walk out the door.
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