First of all, I'm German. So there are hurdles for firing.
There's this small company where I successfully finished my apprenticeship as freight forwarder and where I worked for five years onwards. It's a good and high performing company, but it's very chaotic and it has gotten worse, despite restructuring.
So, some rules, like eating hot meals at your desk, are strictly enforced, but people still get off the hook for only working two of their seven hours a day.
People make expensive mistakes all the time, like sending consignments to the wrong half of the world.
Anyway, one day – I thought about quitting for some time – I mix up an email and my boss orders me to his office, throwing things around and telling me this is the third time this week an employee has made this error.
He screams he can't stand hearing my point of view and if I make another mistake this week, I can look for a different job.
For once, I didn't give in and said that he shouldn't be surprised seeing me actively apply at other companies because I don't have a non-competition clause.
“You're fired! You're on paid leave until your contract ends!”
Three months full of pay and benefits.
Now I have a better contract with a direct competitor starting next month.
Loved the company, but not gonna put up with shit. Feels great.