Spent the last 5+ years of my life as a district manager in retail. All throughout Covid with rapid changes and employees that never wanted to work. Built out locations for the company, structured out an entire management training program from scratch and taught it to the management team. I have literally put blood, sweat and tears down for this company and my mental health suffered, my marriage suffered, but I loved the company. Made millions and millions of dollars for the company and the owner.
I had a manager that had worked under me for over 4 years. I went to this ladies wedding a few months ago. Well, during the last year, I was venting to this employee about the struggles of my position, because she was asking me my opinion about the job itself. I was honest and told her my frustration as well as what I liked about it.
That manager put her notice in recently (after transferring districts and working under a different District Manager) and was given an exit interview because we as a company liked to know why people decide to move on. During that interview, this employee through me under the bus saying that I was a terrible DM and telling the CEO everything that I said and made up a handful of lies to the extent of me bad mouthing the owner and CEO.
I was fired on Friday after years of loyalty, without warning due to this exit interview. I was told that I ruined people’s opinion of the company, and in order for them to repair that view, I needed to be let go. I was told that an investigation was done and multiple employees had stepped forward and said they didn’t like working under me.
Immediately after I was terminated, I had almost all of my employees reach out to express their distaste with this move. I had been struggling with this job for years now, as the work life balance was nonexistent. My life revolves around this company.
After being terminated, I feel beyond liberated. No more phone calls, no more fires to put out, no more BS. I was upset for a while, but never felt confident enough to separate on my own terms. So in the long run, I know I’ll be happier.
In the end, I walk away with the lesson being that you’re co-workers are just that. Everyone has their own agenda and if it doesn’t line up with you, they will toss you at the first opportunity they get. Fuck this bitch who I thought was a friend, fuck this company, fuck the CEO.
TLDR: I was fired from a company that was draining the life points out of me with next to no reason. You’re always replaceable no matter how much effort or loyalty you give it.