I saw a post that said an older woman coworker said to younger colleague “why are you working so hard? It’s not like they’re going to pay you double!”

16 Comments

1. AnonymousSeptember 29,2025 at 4:03PM UTC

   Also, sometimes if you're really, really good at your job, your "reward" is extra work. Do what is needed to keep your job, then go home with your family. You've heard it before, but no one on their deathbed wishes they spent less time with their kids and more time at work.

2. AnonymousSeptember 30,2025 at 10:22AM UTC

   Just a thought...but if someone can't retire after 80(?!) years of work, not just take time off, something is seriously wrong.

3. AnonymousSeptember 30,2025 at 8:05PM UTC

   Even though that is an unusually long time to work, the current economic climate means that more and more people will not be able to completely retire, perhaps ever. Those of us who not only work a full-time job but also all the side jobs we can, and despite having modest lifestyles are still paycheck to paycheck, don't really see any end in sight, especially as housing costs and grocery costs rise while salaries don't.

4. AnonymousOctober 2,2025 at 1:31PM UTC

   OP here; No he hadn’t been working 80 years. The company had been around 80 years. I’m curious if you misread my post or if it was poorly worded. If the latter I really want to know so that I can improve my writing.

5. AnonymousOctober 2,2025 at 8:19PM UTC

   I took it that the company was around for 80 years, but that he had been working there for a substantial portion of his life. I think that one person commenting thought he worked there 80 years (maybe he started as a young teen and is 96 or so now), but either way, you made your main point well; an established company shouldn't have a problem with a loyal employee taking a vacation.

6. AnonymousOctober 3,2025 at 6:25PM UTC

   OP so update on my friend: he was a punk rocker who got an MBA. He’s always been good enough to job hop every few years. He’s about 50. My friend’s daughter is about 40 and same for her. She moves every three to four years in executive positions always with a big $ increase. Respect to them both.

7. AnonymousOctober 9,2025 at 4:14AM UTC

   Feedback that you asked for, hope you find it useful: your wording was a bit confusing, but when i re-read it carefully, considered the context, and figured that hardly anyone works for 80 years in a job, I understood what it meant. "He said that if after 80 years...." is the confusing part and easy to interpret the '80 years' as referring to "he". Another way to word it is: "He said (or maybe 'my friend said') that if an 80-year old company couldn't afford....."

8. AnonymousOctober 2,2025 at 1:34PM UTC

   OP again. I was talking to a colleague and she was talking about how people were lazy and felt entitled and should work multiple jobs like her father. I feel that I failed because I didn’t mention that no one should have to work multiple jobs to just to survive. Also perhaps her father should’ve found a job that paid enough to support the family. And for that matter I should’ve asked if her mother worked!

9. AnonymousOctober 2,2025 at 8:23PM UTC

   You didn't fail ; our society is failing a lot of people though; one full-time job should be enough to pay rent and utilities,groceries, medical care, and other routine expenses with some money to spare; no one should have to work two or more jobs just to get by, but many of us do. I also agree with your original point; a company that has been around for years should be able to afford giving someone some paid time off and should understand that employees have lives outside of work.

10. AnonymousOctober 5,2025 at 1:01PM UTC

    The company has been around for 80 years.

11. AnonymousSeptember 30,2025 at 8:44PM UTC

    Do your very best during paid work hours, but don't work for free any more than you absolutely have to. If you are a teacher or other professional who has to work far more than contract hours to meet the basic job requirements, talk to your union steward if you have one or even consider starting a union, asking for overtime pay, or asking that some things be taken off your plate to have a reasonable workload.

12. AnonymousOctober 4,2025 at 2:08PM UTC

    The older worker is correct. Nobody goes to their grave wishing they had worked more. You should work your butt off during the work hours, but nobody should be expected to work for free. And no, salaried is not an excuse to get people to work extra hours on the regular. That should only be as needed which should not be every day or week. I learned this lesson the hard way. Put in 60 hours a week at a salaried position and they still laid me off.

13. AnonymousOctober 4,2025 at 3:16PM UTC

    Well I would love to know who’s worked at a company for 80yrs.?

    The only people I know that works in a place for 80 yrs are farmers and they rarely take time off (especially if they do both grain and livestock)

    As far as harder. I agree with the people who say- while at work you should do your best and work hard- but not on the clock or after hours is your personal time. Working harder a lot of the time means more work - more stress and likely not more pay.

14. Liz MilneOctober 4,2025 at 11:36PM UTC

    I think it's more that the company has been established for 80 years, not that the employee has been there that long. i.e., it's not a start-up any more, so should be able to support reasonable vacation time for its employees.

15. Barbara MastroddiOctober 5,2025 at 11:46AM UTC

    I think the person meant that the company was in business 80 years, but this wasn't implied clearly. I sincerely doubt anyone would be at a job for that long!

16. Jill MarieOctober 5,2025 at 7:06PM UTC

    I was told this sort of thing when overworking- that the company doesn't really care. I was around 20, and other workers were taking advantage of my generous, hardworking nature. I took that person's advice to heart and held on since! I wonder if the company was around for 80 years, not the man's career span with them. Either way, he is right! Those are bigger issues he shouldn't have to worry about. I hope he enjoyed that vacation and found something better suited for him.