Employee Automated Job With Python, Then Forgot How to Work

I had to read this twice because the audacity is unreal. An employee automated job with Python six months ago, then completely forgot how to do basic work tasks when the script broke. Meanwhile, his boss thinks he’s the most efficient worker in the office.

Employee Automated Job With Python: The Backstory

This office worker had a mind-numbing daily routine. Every morning, he processed invoices and entered data into their company system. The task involved grabbing email attachments, parsing information, and generating reports.

Initially, this tedious process consumed about two hours of clicking and data entry. However, our protagonist got fed up with the repetitive work. Consequently, he spent one weekend writing a Python script to automate everything.

For six months, his routine became laughably simple. First, he’d arrive at work and grab coffee. Then, he’d run the script and browse Reddit for two hours. Finally, he’d send his boss an “All done!” email while looking incredibly productive.

The Python Automation Incident

Today, disaster struck when a vendor changed their invoice layout slightly. As a result, the employee automated job with Python script crashed with an unhandled error. Moreover, he realized he’d forgotten the entire manual process.

The panic set in immediately. He couldn’t remember login paths for the ERP system because his script handled all the authentication tokens. Furthermore, he had to frantically search through old notebooks from his first week just to process one document.

What normally took his script three minutes stretched into four agonizing hours. Meanwhile, his boss noticed the stress and asked if everything was okay. Nevertheless, our hero managed to lie about having “complex data” that day.

Currently, he’s fixing the parser at home to avoid actually working tomorrow. In addition, he admits feeling like a fraud, although a very well-rested one.

What Reddit Said

Most people found this situation both hilarious and relatable. However, they offered practical advice for covering his tracks. One top comment suggested gradually adding time to his daily reports over the next few weeks.

Some Redditors questioned the story’s authenticity entirely. They pointed out that anyone who coded the automation should be able to read their own Python script. Furthermore, they argued that the manual process logic would be embedded in the code itself.

A few users coined the term “Python brain rot” for this phenomenon. They explained how unused neural pathways atrophy when automation replaces manual skills. Nevertheless, most agreed that he should add manual review steps to prevent future disasters.

The Verdict

Overall verdict: This employee is both genius and foolish simultaneously. While automation shows initiative, forgetting basic job functions reveals poor planning. The employee automated job with Python successfully but failed to maintain essential backup skills.

This story perfectly illustrates modern workplace irony where efficiency can backfire spectacularly. For more workplace shenanigans, check out our work drama and AITA stories categories.

From r/TrueOffMyChest (3,320 upvotes)