Employee Warned for Closing Eyes While Thinking About Work

A Malaysian employee who has worked at the same company for 12 years has shared a frustrating experience after receiving a warning for closing his eyes while thinking about work—his supervisor accused him of sleeping on the job. After the company changed its managing director, the employee says his work life has become a "nightmare."

The employee claims the new manager employs a micromanagement style that controls every detail of work, leaving staff with almost no opportunity to share ideas and expecting them to follow orders without question.

Since the new manager took over, the employee has felt increasingly demoralized, especially after receiving two warnings for what he views as minor mistakes. He says the manager controls nearly every aspect of the business—finance, sales, administration, and even small office details—creating a high-pressure work environment.

The employee also noted that the company provides comprehensive benefits for foreign managers, including housing, travel allowances, and school fees for their children, yet constantly tells staff that business is struggling and blames the sales department.

The first warning came after he took emergency leave, with the manager claiming he failed to follow company procedures, apparently confusing emergency leave with vacation. The second warning was even more troubling: he was accused of "sleeping during work hours." The employee insists that on the day in question, he was simply sitting at his desk with his eyes closed to collect his thoughts, but this was misinterpreted as sleeping on the job. "I was just closing my eyes to organize my thoughts, but it was seen as secretly sleeping during work," he said.

The employee also noted that many colleagues are constantly criticized and scrutinized, losing confidence in their work. Under the new manager, frontline employees' opinions are barely heard, and minor mistakes can result in warnings. Additionally, long-standing foreign clients that the team had built relationships with have been transferred back to the headquarters, causing staff to lose accounts and responsibilities.

Although the employee has considered quitting countless times, he cannot easily make that decision. With advancing age, finding a new job is difficult, and he must support elderly family members, raise children, and cover various expenses including a mortgage, car payments, and medical bills.

"Every day I struggle with my own feelings while bearing the pressure of work. I can only endure and quietly look for a new job, hoping one day to work under a manager who values employees and treats everyone with respect," he said.

The story has attracted significant online attention, with many commenters noting that micromanagement can create stress for employees and harm workplace atmosphere in the long term. Some view the warning for briefly closing his eyes as overly strict interpretation without clear evidence of actual negligence.