Employee taught himself Python to make his job easier but ended up getting scolded for being 'too efficient'
With their new skills, they had written some scripts that helped them optimize the time it took to complete their daily tasks.
While most corporate companies preach efficiency and improving processes, this employee got schooled for automating daily tasks and being "too efficient." On November 3, u/Moji39 shared a story from their workplace on Reddit. It was about their manager who criticized the employee for setting "unrealistic productivity expectations" for other employees.
u/Moji39 shared that they worked in data processing and had recently taught themselves Python. With their new skills, they had written some scripts that helped them optimize the time it took to complete their daily tasks. "What used to take me 6-7 hours now takes maybe 2. I've been using the extra time to learn new skills, help coworkers, and actually think through problems instead of just grinding through repetitive work," they revealed. While they assumed that their new scripts would be appreciated by their manager, their review report said otherwise. They said, "My manager told me my 'output has remained stagnant' and I'm 'not taking on enough responsibility.'"
The employee, who was taken aback, tried explaining to their manager that they had offered to teach their skills to other employees, but the manager instructed them "to stop using [their] scripts because it makes other team members look bad by comparison and creates unrealistic productivity expectations," they said. "I found a way to do my job better and faster, and instead of rewarding that or spreading it to the team, they want me to go back to doing mindless manual work so everyone stays equally miserable?" They also shared that when they had inquired about a raise or promotion, the manager dismissed it with the usual "maybe next year" and "budget constraints" speech.
The employee noted that the company had recently posted a job listing for a Process Improvement Specialist, offering a pay of $20,000 more than what they were currently making. They concluded the post by saying, "I've stopped using the scripts. Back to manually processing everything. Taking the full 8 hours again. Manager seems happier now. Guess they don't actually want efficiency; they want us to look busy. Already updating my resume." In a 2025 study authored by Vijaya Venkataramani and Kay Bartol, researchers explored why managers often dismiss ideas generated by employees. The study highlighted that such practices stem from fear of potential disruptions or accountability issues. It also noted that this behavior discourages employees from adopting or suggesting more efficient ways of working. After being discouraged from using a time-efficient method at the workplace, it isn't surprising to see the Reddit user wanting to quit their current job.
In fact, after adding their automation capabilities to their CV, the Reddit user had a heartwarming update. "Two interviews already lined up for next week. Turns out 'automated 70% of data processing workflow' looks really good on a resume. Who knew."
After the post gained traction, many other users also suggested the same. u/trentrex2000 wrote, "Classic corporate BS. You showed initiative and they punished you for it. Keep those scripts for your portfolio and find a place that actually values innovation. Your manager wants warm bodies, not problem solvers. Definitely update that resume. A company that posts a job for exactly what you're doing while refusing to promote you is telling you everything you need to know." u/DrewNumberTwo commented,">output has remained stagnant >makes other team members 'look bad by comparison' and creates 'unrealistic productivity expectations.' Pick one, boss." u/Shartious123 shared, "Valuable lesson learned here. There is no reward for being the superstar. If you want to be a superstar then start your own business. That’s the only place your efforts will be rewarded."
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