Chapter 5

After my 30-day European trip ended, I completed the company's exit procedures and seamlessly started at my new company.

On my first day, I was shocked by the new company's atmosphere.

The receptionist at the entrance greeted me with a big smile, handed me a small desk plant, and stuffed some stress-relief squeeze toys into my hands.

"Good morning, Hazel! Your office is all cleaned up. HR also prepared these super stress-relieving toys. Please, please go easy on attendance!"

The office workstations were messy, but from those desks covered in reminder notes and notices, you could tell how detail-oriented the people sitting there were.

Further in, at the content creator streaming rooms, people were already there early setting up and cleaning.

It was completely different from the lifeless atmosphere at my previous company.

Looking closer at the company's existing attendance policy—flexible work hours. Though the attendance rules were strict, there were rewards and penalties balanced.

It maximized the idea that employees should work hard during work hours, but after clocking out, they could do whatever they wanted, ideally keeping work and personal life separate!

Thinking back to my last company where streamers and creators always needed to be coaxed and begged to come clock in, and where department employees were constantly trying to take leave and slack off—I felt my job-hopping decision was exceptionally correct.

I thought after resigning, I'd have no more connection to my former company.

Until Tommy, Rosemary's operations manager, reached out to me.

"Hazel, I miss you so much! Can you package me up and take me to your new company too?!"

"What happened?"

"Hazel, you don't know—once that unconditional leave approval attendance policy started, the company turned into total chaos!"

Then Tommy started venting about how Rosemary, who was already reluctant to come to work, became completely unreachable for half a month straight.

Several previously negotiated collaborations fell through because of this, and other streamers started following her example.

When called to ask why they weren't coming in and why they were requesting leave—

The answer was always: requesting leave is my inherent right. The attendance policy clearly allows paid time off. Making me come to the office is stripping my benefits and workplace abuse of workers!

I nodded.

These were all consequences I'd anticipated would happen.

Attendance was meant to constrain both parties, but when the balance tipped to either side and equilibrium was broken, there was no point talking about development.

Tommy was very capable personally and always had a serious attitude toward work.

After getting approval from my new boss, I directly rescued her from that placeand brought her to work at the new company together.

But these actions seemed to be the final straw that broke the camel's back.

The second week Tommy started at the new company, I saw another video from Rosemary.

"Workplace Black Widow PUA!"

"Former executive teams up with the 'ungrateful wretch' I raised to precisely target me after resignation!"

"This workplace bullying move is absolutely ruthless!"