Toxic boss made his employee’s life hell and even stole credit. 5 years later, 'karma hit' and that employee became the new boss in a role reversal

Workplace power can change in ways people rarely expect. A manager who once had control over an employee's work, hours and career can one day find himself answering to the same person. That is what happened to one employee five years after leaving what he described as a toxic workplace, when his former boss unexpectedly joined his new team, this time as his direct report.

The unusual story was shared on Reddit by an employee who said his former manager, identified as Greg, had made his life miserable while they worked together at a startup.

According to the post, Greg was a manager who “ruled through fear” and regularly created a sense of pressure among his employees. The Reddit user claimed that his former boss pushed mandatory 14-hour workdays, created what he called “manufactured urgency” and contacted employees late at night.


He also alleged that Greg took credit for his code and reacted badly when employees challenged him. The experience eventually left the employee burned out, prompting him to leave the company.

Five years later, his career had taken a very different direction. He had moved to another organisation and eventually became a Senior Engineering Manager at a company where, he said, work-life balance was respected.

Then came the unexpected reunion.

The moment his former boss realised who was in charge

The employee said upper management recently moved a senior hire onto his engineering squad to help with headcount. He was away on leave when the decision was made, meaning he had no role in selecting his new team member.

When the new hire joined a morning standup and saw who his manager was, the reaction was immediate.

“When he logged into our morning standup and saw my face on the screen, the color completely drained out of him,” the employee wrote.

The role reversal was particularly striking because of what the Reddit user remembered from their earlier workplace.

The man who had once, according to the post, hovered over his desk and threatened to dock his pay for taking a lunch break was now required to message him on Teams to get approval for paid time off.

The employee admitted that the situation brought mixed feelings. He said one part of him wanted to handle the situation with “boring, flawless professional grace”, while another part could not help smiling at the thought of a large backlog of tedious documentation waiting for his former boss.

Reddit users warn him not to repeat the same behaviour

The post attracted a large number of responses, but many commenters agreed on one point: revenge could easily turn the situation against him.

Several users advised the employee to treat his former manager like any other subordinate while privately informing senior management or HR about their history. They also suggested keeping records of important conversations and decisions.

One commenter said the former boss should be treated properly as an employee, but senior management should know about his previous behaviour if he is ever considered for a promotion.

Others warned that the former manager could still cause problems if he felt threatened. Some suggested that the employee should watch for attempts to undermine him or create problems within the team.

At the same time, some commenters pointed out that five years had passed and that people can change. They recommended giving him normal work rather than deliberately targeting him because of what happened in the past.

A chance to show what good management looks like

The discussion eventually became less about revenge and more about how the employee should handle his new position.

Several Reddit users encouraged him to take the professional route and give his former boss the same fair treatment that any other employee would receive. Others suggested using the situation as an opportunity to show the difference between fear-based management and respectful leadership.

For the employee, the biggest irony remains the change in roles. Five years ago, he was the worker dealing with a boss he says made his life miserable. Today, that same person has to report to him.

The employee ended his post by asking others how they would handle such a situation without becoming like the boss they once disliked.

“How do you manage your former workplace abuser without turning into the monster he used to be?”