The economy isn’t doing so hot right now. Well, if you ask the people who have all the money, it’s doing great — but others (you know, the people who have to buy their own groceries) think that times are actually pretty bad.

One of the areas where this has manifested is the job market. Since the beginning of 2025, we’ve basically stopped creating jobs, and those who already have careers are constantly being told that they will soon be replaced by AI.

Companies don’t mind this, as it puts employees in a precarious position that makes them feel less comfortable arguing for their rights. Still, it can cause issues. For example, what if you want to fire a worker or replace them with a non-functioning AI system? You’ll have to pay them severance! Gross!

The solution that some companies have found, it seems, is to make working at these companies as painful as possible. Across the internet, users in white collar professions are talking about how boring their jobs have become in recent months, with many speculating that this is simply their employers’ attempt to get them to leave instead of doing a mass firing/layoff.

For example, users on the JPMorganChase subreddit have complained about how the company is now demanding that people work in the office, then making it really difficult to do so. One user alleged that their office only had 70% of the desks it needed, meaning that workers are forced to share desks. Another claimed he was chewed out for only hitting 96 percent of his required in-office time.

It’s not just JPMorganChase. Plenty of companies seem to be dragging workers back into the office, then making office life super annoying in an attempt to push people out of the company. This can include increasing workload without a pay increase, limiting support, or cranking up the micromanagement until you become too miserable to keep working.

In short, it’s an endurance test — so if your company is doing this to you, just kick back, let the tasks pile up, and let them fire you. Don’t give in!