Gone are the days of going above and beyond in the workplace. Many of us have learned after years of giving 110% that our efforts are never going to be rewarded. Instead, employees are now deciding to “act their wage” and do precisely what’s necessary to avoid getting fired.
But it appears that some workers have gotten a bit too lazy and are now failing to even complete the bare minimum. And the perfect place to see this in action is the One Job subreddit. This community shares hilarious photos of some of the worst mistakes employees have managed to make at work. From forgetting to proofread signs to serving customers questionable plates of food, it seems that even the simplest of tasks can go awry when workers just don’t care. Enjoy scrolling through these hilarious fails, and be sure to upvote the ones that you think should have led to someone getting fired!
#1 To Do The Absolute Bare Minimum
#2 Dear Hung-Rite Sign Co
#3 And They Took The Whole Time Making A New One
The One Job subreddit is a staple on the platform, as it has been around since 2012 and amassed an impressive 852K members. This community shares photos of those classic moments that make you want to scream, “You had one job!” and manages to unite members together against lazy employees who clearly don’t care at all about their jobs.
But at the end of the day, can we really blame these employees for not giving 100% while on the clock? After all, a 2022 Gallup poll revealed that job unhappiness has hit an all-time high, and I don’t think it’s improved much over the past few years. Half of American workers reported that they feel stressed at their jobs every single day, and 60% of employees admitted that they’re emotionally detached at work. One fifth of workers even said that their job makes them miserable.
#4 Caught Me Off Guard
#5 Who Do We Call Now?
#6 You Could Have Just Moved It
When it comes to why so many people hate their jobs, therapist Tess Brigham says that many, particularly young people, had unrealistic expectations for what their day-to-day work lives would entail. It’s also possible that people are frustrated by the lack of career advancement opportunities they’ve been given, and they’re tired of waiting patiently for a raise or promotion.
Social media can also play a role in the disdain many of us have for our jobs, as it tends to feed us a distorted version of reality when all we see are influencers on beaches and celebrities relaxing on boats. And, of course, a bad boss or manager can turn even your dream job into a nightmare.
#7 Eh, Close Enough
#8 Did They Just Spin It Randomly And Put It In?
#9 Let Me Just Print The Braille
Lots of workers have also come to realize that there’s absolutely no reason for them to try hard at work if they’re going to get paid the exact same amount for doing the bare minimum. This is where the idea of “acting your wage” comes in. US News reports that this has become a popular trend in the workplace to prevent burnout and prioritize having a healthier work-life balance.
#10 Somebody Put A Heavy Pallet On Top Of Raspberries, Which, Believe It Or Not, Are Not Very Strong
#11 Kayaking Shirt Was Was Printed With Text Right Side Up Completely Ruining The Joke
#12 Post Fell Over, They Put It Back In Wrong-Way Up
While some argue that “acting your wage” at work might jeopardize potential opportunities for career advancement and weaken relationships with colleagues, it seems like the right move when you’re working at a company that clearly doesn’t value you or that you don’t plan on staying at for years to come. Plus, if it means that you have more time and energy to focus on personal projects, you might actually begin to enjoy your workday more than you ever have before!
#13 Humans Have 6 Fingers Instead Of 5
#14 Girls About To Try New Things
#15 At The University I’m At They Decided To Fence Off A Path To Prevent People Going Up It
How many mistakes do you think you make during a typical workday? Whether it’s showing up to a meeting 5 minutes late, signing off an email with “Bet wishes” or inputting data incorrectly, all humans make errors. And according to one poll, one in five employees in the UK have made a “critical mistake” at work and gotten away with it. 12% of British workers also admit that they’ve made an error that cost their company money. Whoops!
#16 Why Tf Did You Make This Worksheet In Black And White?
#17 Will Amazon Refund Me If I Actually Do It?
Is dishwasher safe: Yes.
#18 Installed A Drain. Forgot The Draining Part
Even Harvard Business Review understands that mishaps happen to everyone in the workplace. Apparently, there are a few mistakes that we’re all guilty of making at work. One of which is having an aha-moment. Sometimes we suddenly realize that the way we’ve been doing something for months, or even years, wasn’t necessarily the most efficient way. But as long as we learn from this epiphany, we can move past it!
Meanwhile, another type of mistake that we’re all guilty of making from time to time is the sloppy kind. Whether it’s from rushing or being exhausted because you didn’t sleep last night, these are preventable errors that we should try to avoid as much as possible.
#19 Add Wheelchair Access, Please
#20 Worst Ramp I’ve Ever Seen
#21 My City Celebrated Unveiling These Benches On A Bridge Downtown
Another form of workplace mistake that Harvard Business Review points out is a “stretch mistake.” These happen when we accidentally stretch ourselves too thin and end up with too much on our plates. And finally, there are high-stakes mistakes. These are the big errors that we definitely can’t get away with making too often, but one won’t ruin your entire career. (As long as you learn from it!)
#22 Staircase Not Recommended To Drunk People
#23 The Tattoo Regret Is Going To Be Strong With This One
#24 Just Bit Into A Kitkat With No Wafer
Are you enjoying your scroll through these hilarious epic fails, pandas? Keep upvoting the mistakes that you can’t believe employees made, and let us know in the comments below if you’ve ever seen a colleague do something similar. Then, if you’re in the mood to giggle at even more of these unfortunate photos, we’ve got another We list for you to check out featuring the same subreddit right here!
#25 A For Effort
#26 Left-Handed People Rise Up
#27 Good Luck Beating This Level
#28 Shouldn’t It Read “Casted”?
#29 When You Forget The Mission
#30 He Walked Into The Wrong Bathroom… How Embarrassing!
#31 To Paint A Road In A Straight Line
#32 Only Noticed Once I Got Home
#33 Yep, That’s Evidence Of Delivery All Right
#34 Not A Single Tile Is Matched To The Pattern
#35 Left A Bit Right A Bit, Perfect
#36 How Do You Forget To Put In The Job Name?
#37 User Interface Is Understandable, User Interface In Question:
#38 It’s Like They Didn’t Even Try
#39 My Student’s Watch
#40 Nice Poll Bro
#41 Nice Going, Costco
#42 Installing Parking Curbs Instead Of Speed Bumps
#43 I Now Identify As A Surname
#44 When You Have 50/50 Chance To Get It Right
#45 So Does This Mean 8′-2″?
#46 Someone Can’t Write The Alphabet Correctly
#47 Nine Or Six?
#48 Yes The German Flag
#49 Lorem Ipsum Dolor
#50 The “Allen Wrench” Supplied To Assemble My New Office Chair Is Completely Round
#51 Red Is Good, Green Is Wrong
#52 Someone Forgot Geography
#53 School Put Braille Behind A Fly Wire Screen
#54 How Am I Supposed To Use This Power Outlet?
#55 8th Grade Graduation Banner Found On Amazon
#56 Eating Jolly Rancher Gummies When I Find This Guy In My Fruits?
#57 Wall Protector Broke The Wall
#58 What Time Do You Close? Close
#59 “8” Slices. It Sure Looks Like 7 To Me
#60 Apparently There’s A New Flag For China
#61 I Am Willing To Bet This Is Standard Throughout The Hotel
#62 How Are You Supposed To Read It Without Spaces?
#63 It’s The 2025 New Year, Not 2024
#64 Yep. Bard Still Sucks
#65 “C**p! Eh, Nobody Will Notice”
#66 I Guess Someone Forgot To Add The Question…
#67 Just A Picture Of A Printout Of A Picture Of A Sign
#68 Scientific Notation For A Telephone Number
#69 One Of My Markers Came Without The Color
#70 I Was In Charge Of Cooking The Rice
#71 Accidentally Drenched My Scrambled Eggs In Too Much Salt Because Of This
#72 This Locker Number Is Upside Down
#73 That’s Definitely The Flag Of Ireland
#74 Walmart Said “I Don’t Care Anymore”
#75 Saw This Sign By A Church I Was Passing
#76 Randomly Ordered Multiscreen Display At My Local KFC
#77 France? Italy? Nvm
#78 The Cutting Line For This Bag Was Drawn Below The Plastic Rail Thing To Close It
#79 Using AI For An Advert That Has An Address… No One Is Finding This Restaurant
