'I tell them straight up that the problem is the lack of management': Bartenders quit when owners refuse to accept that they're the problem after being told so by an expert they hired

If you're hired by a client or employer to pick apart their business operations and identify inefficiencies and issues—do you give them an honest answer? Even if it's an answer that they're not going to want to hear? Even if the problem is—well… them?

No one would disagree that keeping a boss or client happy is a good idea. After all, these people are paying all or part of your livelihood—and if you were to be fired or dismissed for telling them something they didn't want to hear—even if it's the truth—you wouldn't be the first. So, for that reason, most of us would probably have a tendency to keep quiet and not rock the boat—even if it means withholding business-changing observations.

Still, there are those of us who won't hesitate to speak our minds, and there are employers who appreciate this type of feedback. When the two manage to meet, it can create a harmonious, honest, and productive working relationship. When the two don't meet, and the employer doesn't want to hear the feedback—well, it will probably end up just like this story.

This bartender, who had recently earned a bachelor's degree in business management, was hired to work at a restaurant's bar. During hiring, the owners asked them to keep an eye out for any issues that may be causing problems in their establishment. However, upon starting the job, the server quickly realized that the owners themselves were the root of the problem. 

While this is a tale as old as time—and will come as no surprise to those with experience in the service industry—the payout is spectacular. The bartender originally shared their story with Reddit's r/MaliciousCompliance subreddit by Reddior u/mynameisfifield, with the title "Owner of a restaurant wanted me to "spy" and tell them what was wrong with the restaurant, so I did."