Employee starts leaving work at 5 pm after boss denies him a raise: 'I am packing up at 4:58'

They say work-life balance is important, and then nag about missing unrealistic deadlines. Well, welcome to the corporate world, where life gets unbelievably exhausting, especially when you have a boss monitoring your every move. Tension further escalates when you're denied a promotion, even after putting in long hours. That's exactly what happened to an employee, according to a video shared by Culture Kids (@culturekidsgroup on TikTok). But hey! He wasn't someone who could let that injustice pass, so he took a path most employees are strangely scared of — leaving the office just on time. 

Just as his boss denies his raise request, the employee starts taking his 9-to-5 scenario seriously. He packs his office bag before time so he can leave exactly at 5 PM. In the video, the man shuts off his laptop, scoops it up, and almost runs towards the exit, as if he no longer belongs there. "Stand your ground, kids," they wrote in the caption. With Taylor Swift's "Karma" playing in the background, the hilarious video feels even more spot-on, hinting at the employee’s epic payback.

Today, most people struggle with the overtly regressive work culture that forces them to work beyond official hours. In fact, when Slack surveyed over 10,000 desk workers, they found that nearly 2 out of 5 (37%) employees are working outside their standard working hours at least once a week, and 54% of those workers say that it’s because they are pressured to do so. Now, imagine what the situation must be when, even after working relentlessly, employees are denied a raise or a promotion. Perhaps, if only all companies started valuing their employees, work-life balance wouldn't have been a distant dream for many.

Meanwhile, the Culture Kids' video received an overwhelming response on social media, with over 400k views since its release on July 8, 2025. Reacting to the video, @gregb680 commented, "Employers will take advantage of you as long as you allow it. Respect your own value; never work for free!" Similarly, a user, who goes by @mitchossfitzgerald on the platform, said, "My boss got angry at me for leaving at clock-out every day. Asked me what I have that's so important, like, Bruh, my hours are done, and I don't like you."

A person, @matcharoo_ _, confessed, "This was so me before I resigned! I won’t be accepting any more calls as soon as the clock hits 4:50. You can go to my other colleagues, and they will handle your concern." Another user, @aishdiwiw, wrote, "My old boss said I should leave on the dot and would tell me to leave right on time every day. Behind my back, she complained I was lazy while everyone was doing OT. When I asked my team, they all denied that they did OT. I got sacked right before my probation." @doris suggested, "And step 2 is quiet quitting, and step 3 is finding another workplace where you are valued the way you want to be, unless this new attitude works for you." @atdh_ said, "Don't ask me if I want to stay an extra hour 30 minutes before my shift is over. I will say no every time."

You can follow Culture Kids (@culturekidsgroup) on TikTok for more corporate-related content.