The idea of claiming that "money isn't everything" to an employee is hilarious. Yes it is. It's the literal only reason anyone is at any company.

I can’t believe anybody is undergoing a performance review for under $13 an hour

As a retired banker, I can honestly say that money is everything in a worker/work place relationship. Whenever a company tries to push the "money isnt everything" line, it is absolutely time to leave.

And this is why employees are “quietly quitting” everywhere. Take note management. Or not. Makes no difference.

Hey everyone, I'm the guy in the audio. Thanks for making this video Josh. You're right that I basically knew what I was getting into during these conversations. Going in I really liked this job and wanted it to work out, but Bill's demeanor when I first brought up money told me basically everything I needed to know. I was still stuck in limbo between hoping that I could pull out a victory but accepting that I most likely wasn't going to and would be quitting anyway. I think it's important that we start actively standing up to employers and being more confrontational in order to challenge their preconceived notion of having power over us. In hindsight there's a lot I could have done better in hopes of getting the outcome that I wanted, but I can also tell that nothing would have actually made a difference because Bill is obviously just a bitch. Also if anyone in Middle Georgia is hiring at a living wage, hit me up.

Good tip I learned is this, “If it’s not in writing, it’s never been said”

Employee's have to remember, a performance review meeting is not only reviewing your performance as an employee, you should be reviewing the companies performance as an employer!

15 years as an RN has taught me that the puppets are promoted. And they know it. The worker-bees, and brains of the organization, and the team-players are all “evaluated” by the nurses that don’t do, or know, sh*t.

I had worked for a cleaning company and the owner promised a rise every 6 months. After 3 years when I asked her about a rise she said “times have changed- no rise”. Two weeks later me and my wife opened own cleaning business and made her a competition. We even get many calls from her clients asking us to do services for them. Glad we did this and now after 11 years we make $180k per year compared to $40k working for her.

I never give a 2 week notice. I just quit at the end of a pay cycle. Companies don't give you a 2 week notice if they fire you or lay you off , it's instantaneous. So I give them the same courtesy. And the look of surprise and anger on their faces is heart warming to me.

People don't leave bad jobs, they leave bad managers.

The moment Bill said, "This is non-negotiable," that's when I would have taken myself to Target or Walmart. Don't ever tell them your plans and don't show loyalty. Especially after they lied to you about a 90 Day Performance Review that basically promised a higher wage. If they're not loyal to you; you have no reason to be loyal to them. My mother always told me "Respect is a two-way street; it goes both ways."

The biggest mistake you can make as an employee is be loyal. The second someone offers more, you take it. And always been looking.

The best advice I ever got from a job I hated, was "Your salary is negotiated during the hiring process". Never rely on promises of better pay later, you won't get it.

I agree. As an employee you move in silence. Don't tell your opps what your plans is. Hell he could call up target right now and tell them not to hire you. It's a cut throat world out here. There is no need for anyone to know what your next move is but you. The second he said this isnt a negotiation that was the end of the conversation.

My daughter once had an HR person tell her to quit because they couldn’t give a raise that would even put her at the hiring wage of new people just coming in, so she could rehire her at the starting wage for incoming. Ridiculous that older employees should not be bumped up to the new wages!

Saying that “we trained you when you knew nothing” would be the relationship equivalent of “you were nothing before me”. And most people would classify a spouse like that as an abusive one. People like this are the worst.

I almost feel bad for business owners/managers who think that things are “going to back to normal” - this is the new normal. No one is going to ever again work for less. People will forever act their wage from here on out. The ones that don’t are going to be burnt out … and good for the public because businesses that treat people like this deserve to fail.

I was told directly years ago, as a manager of my pharmacy, that upper management did not want to see any excellent reviews so I was forced to artificially lower performance reviews. That company has since gone out of business.

This boss pulled every gas-lighting trick in the book. Blatant disrespect and lies he's telling this guy with such ease. I'm glad Austin did what he did. He should've left much earlier and I hope this is a lesson not to take these kinds of shit jobs in the future.

Pro tip: you are LEGALLY ENTITLED to every record they have about you. They cannot legally refuse you to have a copy of any of those documents.

The fact he gave his notice and said you don't deserve two weeks was in my opinion a BRILLIANT strategy. By saying that and pissing the other guy off to basically fire him, He played that "boss" right into his hands. Now the job has to pay unemployment!

A friend of mine was told at his annual review how great he was doing and they were totally pleased with his work. Then they cut his pay. My friend wasn't there much longer.

When I was working as a bank teller, one of my co-workers was hired with the promise of a "substantial" raise in one year if she met certain goals. She exceeded expectations and was so happy going into her performance review. She ran out sobbing and went home for the day. They offered her 12 cents per hour. TWELVE cents. Minimum wage at that time was about $8/hour

Considering how important our employment is, why does no one else roast shitty employers like this. Love this channel

The employee has better communication skills then the manager.

One thing I have learned is never ever let a company know that you need them more than they need you. When they find that out, it just goes downhill fast.

He actually did great! He was very articulate and humble. He was looking for solutions but wasn’t allowed to have any except returning back to the exact same pay. Saying “you don’t deserve two weeks” was brilliant! He’s the one who’s in charge.

"I want you to do the work of two people" "That's cool, I need to be paid the wage of two people" "We can't do that at this time" "I can't do that at this time"

I recorded my HR lying to me. Waited 6 months and asked for a meeting with the big boss and HR. HR proceeded to lie and say she had no idea what i was talking about. I played the tape. She flipped out! I was sent home and 2 hours later a courier showed up at my house with a letter saying the company "Accepts my resignation" and i was banned from the property. I didn't quit.......

Never let them know your thoughts and plans. Move in silence. Had an old boss try to sabotage my move by contacting a potential new employer and telling them I was not a good employee when I was a top producer/earner.

Same thing happened to me. They promised a $1 raise after 90 days. I asked for the meeting because they didn’t schedule it. When I asked my boss about it she said the hiring manager didn’t remember saying that. She told me next time to get it in writing. So apparently their word means nothing. I quit and joined the army. This was almost 20 years ago.

I got a high performance review at a company, and was given a whopping 2.5% raise for the year. My boss at the time even bragged to me that to pull off such a feat he had to lower the raise of other employees in my team. I thanked him for his generosity by leaving

The "employee evaluation" process is ONLY about keeping the employee insecure, unbalanced and desperate. It is NEVER about rewarding good performance with higher wages.

I was fired "for cause" because my boss said "I was not meeting expectations." I knew it was due to a lack of sales and my position was being eliminated. He came in with one of the other managers and let me go. I closed my event planning book, stood up, grabbed my bag and made to leave. He said "you don't have to leave so quickly. You can pack up your desk and say "good bye" to everyone." I looked at him and said "I did that two weeks ago." I walked out.

The *_corporate speak_* has escalated quickly since back in around 2010. I thought the absolute peak of *corpotyranny* was when I witnessed a factory force nicotine tests for employees, and bar leaving the premises on lunch. My recent experiences, and what I've heard employers say about people getting paid enough to just *_get by,_* has enlightened me.

I was promised a 90-day review....took place 19 months later! Also told no raise, I had out performed EVERYONE of my peers. Made the owners nearly $1M in net profit during that time (not revenue, actual profits). Lost all drive for the job. Ended up over stressed and in the hospital. Not worth it, folks.

"Im sorry if you thought this was a negotiation of a raise" ... "well then im sorry, that you thought this was a negotiation of me working harder"

I used to bite my tongue to not burn any bridges. Now that I’m older I would’ve told this pos off. “You don’t deserve two weeks” was a great line.

He now qualifies for unemployment benefits. If he resigned he would not. Well done!

"Money isn't everything." "Tell that to my bills"

A couple of months ago, my company dropped 2 people off of my concrete crew and told me my guys would just have to "replace them with more effort." I told them more effort cost more money. They didn't want to hear that, so we turned in shit numbers for the next week. At the Monday morning meeting I told them again, extra effort costs extra money. After a week they gave me a raise, by the end of the month my whole crew got a raise, and turns out they were right, we didn't need those 2 guys, we just needed the company to pay what they weigh. My point is, don't do a bit of work they're not paying you for, if they want to add burdens to your back, they gotta add dollars to your bank.

I don’t even discuss salary with my boss after I’m hired. I know it’s a foregone conclusion. I do what I need to do and do it with a high performance mindset. If things don’t make sense and feel like I’m being given the runaround, I disengage from my boss and just do what I want to do (not quiet quitting). This almost always resulted in a raise to get me to re-engage with my boss’s priorities. They can’t punish you if their peers are praising your work.

I did 10 years at Motorola and parted company with them just a hair before they went out of business (yes Motorola is out of business). The so called performance review was a tool to belittle, reduce wages and inject insecurity. I saw those corporate rats undermine so many people and I was a victim from day one. They found excuses to give no annual increases and what increases were given were so disconnected with reality that it was breathtaking. THEN they demanded loyalty. I had zero loyalty to them from day one. It was a job and nothing else. I saw internal fiefdoms created and people actually think they were tough because they were a manager. The whole thing was surreal. An absurd dream. The corporate speak was sickening. The buzzwords and sentences were predictable. What is more it seems that the working world is getting worse such that it is impossible to have a job unless you have this silly nonsense shoved at you. Even small businesses are using this garbage it seems.

Never give ultimatums to your job, just make ultimate decisions.

It’s so depressing watching somebody refer to $17 an hour as a good wage. I feel horrible for this guy’s situation

I remember years ago quitting after waiting for my performance review that was delayed and I was quietly told by another manager that the employer was not going to give me a pay increase that had already been promised. Looking back now I should have never taken the job. Unfortunately many employers seem to think it’s ok to make promises and don’t deliver even if the employee has been put in effort believing the promises.

This was infuriating and amazing at the same time. I'm having so many flashbacks from my own experiences over my 30+ years of work, and it makes me sick.

I worked for a company for a year. During that year because of my qualifications and certs I was given more and more responsibilities and put into more skilled positions without a pay increase. The job was dangeous too. After a year I went to the supervisor to discuss a raise and he just said 'no'. I asked him if he was sure and he was so I got up, shook his hand and thanked him for the job and quit right there. He looked like someone just sucker-punched him in the chest and couldn't believe I was quitting. They screwed themselves because I couldn't be easily replaced especially on such short notice and they were on a MAJOR project (Seattle Tunnel Project). I felt pretty good not having to go back the next day. The project manager kept calling me for a week and I just ignored them. Get what you're worth

The reason that he does not get fired instantly is that the company actually cannot afford to fire him. They are just hoping that he actually won't quit.

I had a similar situation and knew the confrontation was coming so I started working a part time job in the afternoon at a place I would also like to work. When the day came for my main job to give me a raise after 3 months and my boss said it was going to have to be put off for awhile. I asked how long and he said maybe in the next 3 months. So I stood up and told him I’ll be back in a little while and walked out. I got in my car and drove to the other job and talked to the boss there and told him I wanted to work full time here for this much an hour and I’ll be the best employee you have. The boss at my second job looked at me, smirked and nodded his head and asked when can you start full time. I said tomorrow and he stood up and shook my hand and said he was going to hold me to the best employee part. I then drove back to my other job and walked into my bosses office and laid my work badge on his desk and told him I quit, I found a better job and have a nice life and walked out with a smile on my face. I met my wife at the other job and we’re still married today with 2 wonderful kids.

Had the same thing happen to me a while back. Was told I’d get my 90 day review on so and so date. Came in that day for my review and they said they’d do it another day. I quit on the spot

Performance is insufficient for a raise, but they are still considering him for management. Seems legit

This is a true story as told to me by my wife. The hardest working guy at her previous place of employment was called into the manager's office for an ... assessment, to wit he was told he wasn't working hard enough. Midway through the manager's bullshit, the chap simply arose from his seat, walked out of the office, went to the changing room, put on his hat and coat, and walked out of the building, never to seen or heard from again. It's the coolest thing I've ever heard, and I simply wish I had been there to witness it. I've since incorporated the technique into my own mindset and behavior, to great effect. God, how I frakking hate work and everything connected to it.

I’m a sole proprietor tile installer. I tried hiring a guy to work with me but nearly put myself into the poor house because I kept paying him almost what I was earning because I felt guilty paying him less when he was doing the same or more work than I was. I would always pay him a bonus after each job. Thankfully he found a job that offered far more benefits and left me on good terms. I know it’s not for everyone but I could never work for someone unless it’s as a subcontractor where I dictate my own hours and pay.

Yep he should have got up and walked out the door the minute he pulled out the BS performance review . This really is a top example of a company not to work for. This young man seems an intelligent and articulate person , sounds like he would be an asset in any company that wasn't exploiting its workers terribly.

The employee was SO respectful in his requests and and questions were reasonable. What a jerk boss.

I was a painter for a hospital in the past. The direct supervisor and I did not get along so in a yearly review He put me done as doing 0% of my work. I then was called into hr to see what they were going to do to me. This was in the late 80s. I was also union but they would not step in. What they did not know was that every place in that hospital I painted in the last year I put down in a journal every day and got signatures on every work order and area I painted. HR and my boss was shocked. I told them to either change my eval or I was going to sue period and walked out. I overheard as I was walking out HR said do not worry we will take care of it. then they laid off the whole paint department. I got a years pay and did not have to report to unemployment. started my own business and was successful. do not let the work environment run you life.

Good for you Austin. I'm not sure how old he is but definitely a valuable lesson to be learned. I remember I was about 21 or so, working for Home Depot and had been put in a supervisory position when my Team Lead was fired. I stepped up, took over the role, was well-regarded by the other staff and even the Assistant Managers I worked for. I asked for a meeting with management to include the Store Manager. I prepared, came with substantive, demonstrable examples and presented my case asking for A) an official title and B) compensation commensurate with that role. I was flat out told no by the Store Manager with no perceptible consideration. Not even "we'll look into it" or "we'll see what the budget can tolerate" or "this is a bad time" or some other platitude. Just no. At that point - presented with the "where did I go wrong, how could they not see the logic here", I could feel my eyes welling up and my emotional state deteriorating. I was too invested in the outcome and didn't even consider that it wouldn't go my way. So, before I lost total composure in front of all the store's authoritative figures, I let them know I would no longer be fulfilling that role and that they'd need to find someone else. They found a guy willing to do the work for the same $1 premium we all had from working overnights.

I had performance reviews for a job that basically had stagnant pay which gave me absolutely zero incentives to do better even when I asked for more work. The performance reviews served only one purpose and that was to bully employees and scare them into submission with empty threats. I was one of the people that said the quiet part out loud because I was getting disgusted with the toxic work culture, and keep in mind this was a full time stay at home job. When a company treats a fully remote job like it's a privledge you pay you a barely livable shit wage, run and don't look back. The best thing about it when the supervisor tried to make me sign a voluntary termination letter before I left the job. I told them to go fuck themselves. I learned two things from that job. 1. Never ask for more work or go above and beyond because they will take advantage of you. 2. Always ask if there are company evaluations that if there are raise incentives after your 90 day probationary period. If the answer is no, find a better company to work for. People need to stop being so submissive to these shitheads until they get the message.

Companies: "why can't we find workers?!" Also companies:

As a Manager myself, at this point, you end that review as quickly as possible and you go to whoever is this guy's boss. Bill is not a Manager. Bill is a narcissist on a power trip. Managers out there... don't be Bill. Your job is to take care of those in your charge, not take advantage of them.

I can hear his frustration over how this job is treating him. I can feel that frustration. The way people are frustrated with their jobs is heartbreaking because most people are just trying to do their best with what they have.

I have learned after many instances just like this one throughout my career, that you should never be nice when this type of dialogue begins with management. Get angry, curse, and get in their face. Scare them, and then tell them to f off. I have never regretted that when i did it. However i have always regretted allowing employers to treat me harshly. I wish i never allowed that.

Dude he stood up for himself is what a man with self respect.

People NEED to point out the low wage to their employers and shame them with their competition. Good on him.

I heard this from someone online but i feel like it speaks volumes: "You know what it means when you are paid minimum wage? it means that the company is saying: *'I would pay you less if i was legally allowed to. Your just that worthless in my eyes.'* That's what it means. Them claiming you might get a raise? Most likely not gonna happen if they can help it." Honestly, that's a pretty accurate statement for these businesses.

This is triggering flashbacks 😂 The classic performance review where you realize everything you have been told was a lie. If I was that kid I would start my own detailing business and make some actual money.

"If you had been more humble" Holy crap this guy was already well above and beyond polite, respectful, and humble about bringing up these issues.

And employers wonder why people are “quiet quitting“

Wow. This reminds me of a 90-day performance review I received years ago as a file clerk. Lot's of 2's. No valid explanation. I was actually VERY good at filing, data entry, and everything else I was asked to do there. I was told I was not getting my back-entry of medical charge-offs caught up, so a 2 on accomplishing tasks. But I had stayed over on many fridays to assist with the weekly data updates and backups. I went on to get a college degree and make more now than that boss could ever hope to make. Oh yeah, one more thing. I had to take the bus or walk. Some days I was 10 minutes early, some days, 1-5 minutes late. I was docked for all the late days - even though I was early more of the time, and NOBODY depended on me to be there. It was an excuse not to give me a raise.

I never give a two week notice. They wouldn't give me a two week notice. The company doesn't deserve more respect than they are willing to give to their employees.

The new assertiveness of workers no longer accepting the same old same old is refreshing... employers needed this wake up call.

Reviews are a tool used to lay people off. Period. Companies with revolving doors review their employees multiple times a year. Also, being transparent with HR is like telling your enemy your secrets. You've all been warned!

Well done video. I’m 54, and this made me think back to many instances where meetings like this went either very well, or sideways. I’ve worked for “Bill” before. His type are trash.

If Ga is anything like NC (where I’m from), it’s a “right to work” state. You only be as loyal to the job as they are to you. If money is an issue, find a better paying job and leave. You don’t owe that current employer an explanation (any more than they owe you one when they tell you to “kick rocks” or “pound sand”). Btw, there’s no reason to bullshit with these employers. Bill sounds like a manager I dealt with in the past. Only difference is I let my 2-week notice do the talking.

As an owner if I heard one of my managers talk the way Bill did I would fire him on the spot. And performance reviews were the first thing I had our HR cut because they are worthless. Managers should be offering instant feedback from their staff every day because they lead from the front and not the rear. Any manager that needs a performance review to know how the employee is working is not working themselves. Hire ups need to be on the ground with staff because that is how you learn about your customers which in turn can lead to increased sales and revenue for the company. You get too far up in the Ivory Tower you start to forget things. This employee did nothing wrong in the slightest. Glad to see he stood up for himself.

I love the second job part. My first corporate job out of school paid me about $14 an hour - I was handling $3M worth of invoices per week. I wanted to live on my own so I was truly living paycheck-to-paycheck to afford rent/car/phone etc. I decided to take a second job at a nearby restaurant and when my boss found out she called me into her office and said, 'I heard you're taking the job at X, and I can tell you the executive team is going to wonder why our people are working two jobs.' I literally laughed at her - those 'executives' were driving foreign cars, making well into the six figures but the kid making $14 is supposed to accept the $400 a week or so I was making. My response, and the only thing I said, 'I have a college degree, took this job because there was 'upward mobility' but that only means more work, same pay.'

2 weeks notice required. Either the employer can pay the 2 weeks with work, without work, or can fire him and get an unemployment claim against them.

This happened to me in the U.K. I took a job with the guarantee that my salary would increase after successfully passing 3 months probation. When it came to my 3 month appraisal my manager said she was going to extend my probation because she hadn’t seen enough of my work to put me through. She had basically left me 2 weeks after I started to fend on my own while she went on vacation. I made a formal complaint and she was sacked within weeks. Apparently a lot of previous evidence against her with HR. I’m still with the company 14 years later. Stand your ground guys!

Bill's whole vibe really says it all. He's so tight about not even $1k of backpay bc it's not about the money, it's about putting dude "in his place". He legit took being called out and questioned as a personal attack.

Fun story, I was told by a boss at my 1 year review I wouldn't not be getting the promotion and raise that came with it as promised. Said I really didn't do that great of a job, which was a lie I had learned 4 different positions by that time. And get this, she Literally offered me a .07 cent raise. I quit on the spot. Walked out and went to the office and told the president I quit and that my review was bs. They even called me a few times trying to get me to come back 😆

When middle managers gaslighting fails, they fire you and hire someone who falls for the gaslighting. It is an age old story and happens at every organization.

good audio, awesome commentary with good advice too , thanks.

I just accepted a new job with 15k pay increase from my last job. These videos keep me so motivated that I made the right choice. Staying at my last company would have never gave me the pay I needed. Never stop Josh. You motivated this 26 year old to see my value.

Huge red flag when the boss doesn't give him a copy of the performance review. When I worked in middle management I made sure the people I oversaw got copies of everything we would go for in any performance review, feedback coaching, etc.

This is great content and it shows the disparity between workers and the people over them I remember calling out and my manager was on vacation called me and said I couldn’t use my sick time because it wasn’t an emergency and I didn’t give prior notice 😂

Heard almost exactly the same spill myself. That's when it's time to look at other options, I won't work for a liar, it never works out good, it showers a complete lack of character. Gotta say though I'd be really tempted to tell the manager to quit pissing on my leg and telling me it's raining.

I've found "job reviews" to be insulting in general. You could be knocking it out day after day and there is no way an employer would acknowledge it. They can't. It's not in their interest to openly document your actual performance.

“I’m a really caring individual” “Get the f*** out of here right now”

Going in with the job offers from target or whoever is better for negotiation. You have to be willing to actually take the other job if they don't compromise

Their attitude is straight up bad. They are never going to change. Glad you got out. I commend you for k owing what you’re worth.

He made them fire him and can now collect unemployment while he looks for another job. Sounds fine to me.

I was once fired from a grocery store, where I was the only cross trained and putting hours into stocking, deli, meat cutting assistant, and seafood. I was also the only teenage employee taking college courses with specific schedule requirements. They didn’t like that. I showed up on my scheduled shift and they said I misread the schedule, missed my shift, and fired me on the spot. What they didn’t know was that there was a schedule copy hung in the meat department office. So I grabbed it and said that they’re either lying or misinformed. They then physically ripped the page out of my hands and said that was company property, and escorted off premises. That was 15 years ago. Since then I’ve been a shift manager, store manager, graduated to become an engineer, worked as an intern and full time salaried employee for many years now. I have NEVER had a positive evaluation resulting in a raise beyond the minimum or average, sometimes no raise at all, no matter how much documentation and reviews I had to show my performance. My current high salary was only achieved by quitting and using experience for higher base pay. There’s always an excuse, even if it’s because one out of the hundreds of assignments you had that year was a day late. I used to be the most loyal and cringy go getters at every company. Typical buttoned up goody white boy that I always hated being. Now I literally don’t give a shit and don’t want to work for anyone. I don’t care to climb the ladder and manage others like I used to. I used to do STEM outreach in classrooms to be a role model for kids and encourage them to chase their dreams. I stopped doing that because I found out there is no dream job… just dread, depression, and tolerance. Now my message to kids is to find a way to have confidence, conquer fear, and do things that make them happy… things I’m trying to figure out for myself.

I love how he did this. The appropriate responses and approach to the situations presented, as they were cast at him. Well done. Shoulda left that day.

If you can simply ask the manager AT ANY TIME if you have improved on any area, then what's the point of having a periodic evaluation? LOL

No company is loyal to their employees. Just like every employee is replaceable, every employer is replaceable. Do what's best for you. Always look for better opportunities. Always have options in your pocket and be ready to exercise them.

One time, my supervisor asked me to do the job of a lead that was out sick that day and I told him that's not my job and he got upset. I flipped the script and asked him if he would do the job of the CEO for the same pay as he's making now and he wouldn't answer me.

10:35 this definitely seems like the kind of conversation you walk into already having mae a decision to leave and just looking to either justify that decision or be pleasantly surprised.

This employee shows his hand too much. Don't show your cards. Never deliver ultimatums. Consider your options and act accordingly. You don't have to act in the moment, you can go home, sleep on it and then act in your best interest.