Big company, big name, big rules. Too many, in fact.
What sounded like a prestigious job at a US-based multinational company (MNC) turned out to be a nightmare for one Malaysian woman.
She revealed on Threads that the workplace enforced a long list of strange and restrictive rules so bizarre that she only managed to last seven months before calling it quits.
No coffee, no folded legs, no shoes off
It started with restrictions that most people would find trivial.
Employees weren’t allowed to bring coffee to their desks, sit cross-legged on chairs, or even remove their shoes while working.
But according to her, it didn’t stop there. On top of these rules, staff were told they couldn’t joke with their boss or disobey instructions, no matter how small.
Escalated for eating alone
Things got even more extreme when it came to mealtimes. The woman claimed that employees could get “escalated” just for eating lunch alone at their desks.
Even food waste had its own rule: workers weren’t allowed to throw leftovers into the pantry bin, and were told to pack them up and bring them home instead.
And if that wasn’t enough, management would even spot-check tumblers to make sure they only contained plain water and not sweet drinks.
With rules like these, it’s no surprise that her first day already left her in shock.
If you want to feel ‘hell’, please apply. On my first day I was already surprised because everyone acted like robots. At exactly 5.30pm sharp, everyone stood up and left. One day I finished two minutes early, and I got escalated.”
Although she initially tried to adapt, she admitted that the longer she stayed, the more suffocating it felt.
Eventually, she decided that leaving despite the company’s big name was the best choice she could make.
Netizens share their own workplace ‘red flags’
Her post quickly went viral, with netizens equally stunned at the bizarre list of rules.
Some even began comparing it to their own workplaces. One person recalled how they were once scolded in the pantry for opening a new packet of biscuits before a senior had “officially opened” it.
Another complained that their company made leave applications so difficult that even sick days had to be rationed carefully.
And one summed it up best, saying:
“Not being able to remove shoes and sit cross-legged was enough for me to ciao.”
