work issues...

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I

iraasuup

Guest
#1
#1
Okay, so about 3 weeks ago I transferred with my work to a new city. Things seemed to be going fairly okay at first, however I was somewhat thrown in the deep end right from the start, as the Manager above me suddenly had to take leave in my first week (I am assistant manager, so when the Manager is away, I'm in charge).

The team of staff members have been a little difficult to gel with. They're all very close (outside of work too- which I personally steer clear of), and have their own set views on things, they are not very open to new suggestions at all.

My issue at the moment is the way they're treating me. I will go to work and bust my tushie to get stuff done. I work hard! I follow procedures, and I follow them to the letter. Here's one example. When new stock arrives, we have to open the boxes, and check off the stock we have recieved against the invoice. If it is all correct we write a big M on the box, and then put it to the side. This is so everyone knows that box has been 'marked' and the stock can be put away. Pretty simple right?

So on Thursday I did just that -(Checked off about 30 or so boxes of stock), marked them, then sorted them into sections (to make it easier to put away) and stacked them neatly in piles inside the stockroom. I also cleaned the stockroom from top to bottom, put away junk, swept the floor.. the place was immaculate. I had Friday off. Today, I come in the store room is a MESS, boxes everywhere- rubbish all over the place, in all honesty, it was a hazard and worse they left a note saying they couldn't put anything away, because I apparently didn't mark the boxes with the 'M' so they didnt know which ones were done, when in fact I DID do the very thing they claimed I never did. The clincher was a note telling me to leave the storeroom tidy. I nearly screamed.. I spent half the day in there on Thursday cleaning it out, so we could actually move in there again... and then that? Is it some kind of joke?

This is not the first time this has happened. There have also been incidents of them not doing things I have asked 'claiming I never told them' and not completing tasks and blaming me for it. I can't work out if they're incompetent and lazy, or just trying to get me into trouble...or both. Oh and the other day, when I was busy and a little overwhelmed I snapped at a colleague. She said something to me, in the usual condescending way that she does (treating me like I'm a halfwit) and I replied quite tersely 'Yes I DO know that, but Im busy right now. I'm getting to it'. Later I realised I shouldn't have spoken to her that way, so I apologised to her. She accepted it and I went home. THEN the next day I find out she's reported me to the Manager for snapping at her, and I end up being spoken to. Im like.. uh did she tell you I apologised to her? How ridiculous is that?

I'm seriously considering logging every conversation I have with them, and taking photos of every task I complete, but feel like thats a bit ridiculous. Has anyone ever experienced anything like this at work before? How do you suggest I handle it?

I'm seriously considering taking photos of things I have done, to
 
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zeroturbulence

zeroturbulence

Senior Member
#2
Aug 2, 2009
24,581
4,269
113
#2
I can't say that I've experienced something of that magnitude but I have had a couple people working under my direction who simply didn't care about what I asked them to do and even resisted me sometimes when I did ask them to do something. I brought it up with my boss a few times in each case and asked my boss to talk to them about it. It took a few tries before my boss did anything and eventually both of those guys got axed, but the one guy got axed because he got caught not doing what MY boss asked him to do.

My advice then would be to first talk directly to them about it and if that doesn't work, talk to your boss about it and also keep a journal and take pictures, video or whatever you need to in case you need to defend yourself. Also, pray about it of course. Cast your cares on Jesus.

The bible says if we have a problem with someone to go to them first and discuss it with them in private, and if there's still a problem take one or two others along with you as witnesses and discuss it with them again, and if that doesn't work, you and the witnesses should take the matter to the authorities. (see Matthew 18:15-17)
 
N

nw2u

Guest
#3
#3
Hope to hear more on this topic. Thanks.
 
Pheonix

Pheonix

Senior Member
#4
Jan 17, 2007
578
7
18
#4
Sounds like they are children harassing the substitute teacher. Testing boundaries and such. Stick it out. You are the new guy/girl, so it might take a while for them to accept you. If it continues for more than a few months after your boss comes back, then it might be time to discuss it with him/her. Just my opinion of course.
 
S

Stuey

Senior Member
#5
Aug 17, 2009
892
4
18
#5
You work in a Christian workplace do you not Ira?
 
J

Jullianna

Guest
#6
#6
If someone is deliberately trying to sabotage you, it never hurts to privately hoard intel to protect yourself. I would be interested to know whether someone else at that store wanted that job and didn't get it or whether they may have had a part in why the person you replaced left, you know? But that's just the way my investigative brain ticks. :D

I would keep my mouth shut and my eyes and ears open for now, and do my job the way I knew it needed to be done. If it IS sabotage, folks like that will usually trip themselves up. If you need the evidence, you will have been keeping it. Never underestimate the value of being underestimated. ;) If it's just some sort of nasty test they are putting you through, how you react to it will tell the story.

You are under enough stress as is. Be sure you are taking some time to chill, Katie :)<3
 
MrHonest

MrHonest

Senior Member
#7
Jan 22, 2012
4,093
4
38
#7
I worked in a similar situation but it was 3rd shift vs 1 st vs 2nd... anyway everyone started taking pictures and kept copies and info to show work is done. It helped a lot. Just tell the manager what you'll do so the manager says you didn't do it w/o permission.

But yes some people don't go to work to work and those people need to get pointed out. I would have approached management, all possible support because a business doesn't run without cooperation.

In the end in my sitaution the shift rivalries minimized because of proof and some people quit because they didnt want to work and the management made terrible decisions by not hiring when we became very short on people... but there was a little more peace.
 
D

djness

Guest
#8
#8
iraasuup said:
Okay, so about 3 weeks ago I transferred with my work to a new city. Things seemed to be going fairly okay at first, however I was somewhat thrown in the deep end right from the start, as the Manager above me suddenly had to take leave in my first week (I am assistant manager, so when the Manager is away, I'm in charge).

The team of staff members have been a little difficult to gel with. They're all very close (outside of work too- which I personally steer clear of), and have their own set views on things, they are not very open to new suggestions at all.

My issue at the moment is the way they're treating me. I will go to work and bust my tushie to get stuff done. I work hard! I follow procedures, and I follow them to the letter. Here's one example. When new stock arrives, we have to open the boxes, and check off the stock we have recieved against the invoice. If it is all correct we write a big M on the box, and then put it to the side. This is so everyone knows that box has been 'marked' and the stock can be put away. Pretty simple right?

So on Thursday I did just that -(Checked off about 30 or so boxes of stock), marked them, then sorted them into sections (to make it easier to put away) and stacked them neatly in piles inside the stockroom. I also cleaned the stockroom from top to bottom, put away junk, swept the floor.. the place was immaculate. I had Friday off. Today, I come in the store room is a MESS, boxes everywhere- rubbish all over the place, in all honesty, it was a hazard and worse they left a note saying they couldn't put anything away, because I apparently didn't mark the boxes with the 'M' so they didnt know which ones were done, when in fact I DID do the very thing they claimed I never did. The clincher was a note telling me to leave the storeroom tidy. I nearly screamed.. I spent half the day in there on Thursday cleaning it out, so we could actually move in there again... and then that? Is it some kind of joke?

This is not the first time this has happened. There have also been incidents of them not doing things I have asked 'claiming I never told them' and not completing tasks and blaming me for it. I can't work out if they're incompetent and lazy, or just trying to get me into trouble...or both. Oh and the other day, when I was busy and a little overwhelmed I snapped at a colleague. She said something to me, in the usual condescending way that she does (treating me like I'm a halfwit) and I replied quite tersely 'Yes I DO know that, but Im busy right now. I'm getting to it'. Later I realised I shouldn't have spoken to her that way, so I apologised to her. She accepted it and I went home. THEN the next day I find out she's reported me to the Manager for snapping at her, and I end up being spoken to. Im like.. uh did she tell you I apologised to her? How ridiculous is that?

I'm seriously considering logging every conversation I have with them, and taking photos of every task I complete, but feel like thats a bit ridiculous. Has anyone ever experienced anything like this at work before? How do you suggest I handle it?

I'm seriously considering taking photos of things I have done, to
Click to expand...
I hear this all the time with people who do a good job and then others screw off and the good worker somewhow takes the blame for it. So, either the good worker isn't telling the story straight, or the bad workers are just better at covering. I've fortunately not had situations like this in my work career.Althouh one time a guy said to me ''oh you never do this particular thning ony our paperwork'' to which i responded ''yes i do'', to which he repsonded ''oh well then get out all your paperwork and prove that you do'' to which i repsonded'' burden of proof does not lie on the accused, so if you want to say i did something wrong YOU prove it''....he was later fired for stealing thousand of dollars worth of stuff..

Anywho.....Take pictures...that was my thought as soon as you said you cleaned and they left a note saying for you to clean up. Heck...don't even take a picture with your phone camera, but an actual polaroid [are they still availble?] and write the days date ont he back of the pic and stick it to the wall when you are done.
 
L

Lucy68

Senior Member
#9
Jan 21, 2011
2,538
22
0
#9
Lazy employees don't like hard-working employees....you make them look bad :)

Taking pictures sounds like a good idea. They'll probably get tired of harassing you eventually. But it's still sad when people enjoy making other people miserable :(
 
I

iraasuup

Guest
#10
#10
Stuey said:
You work in a Christian workplace do you not Ira?
Click to expand...

No, not anymroe Stuey. I had to leave that organisation when my situation changed earlier this year
 
I

iraasuup

Guest
#11
#11
Ugh and so it continues.

I worked this weekend just gone. I got to work on Saturday after my Friday off to find that note I mentioned in the first post- basically accusing me of not doing my job. I was pretty angry when I read that, so instead of stewing over it, I decided to just work even harder than I already was, to make it clear I was doing my job, and I wanted everything to be perfect, so when the Manager came in on Monday (today) she would see my hard work.

But no. It's not what I DID do that gets noticed, but rather the one or two small (but still important) things I forgot to do. Over the weekend I did so much work, I managed to complete all of the unfinished tasks from the week that the other staff didnt get done, plus all of my own tasks. I even did extras such as cleaning the staff lunch room, (it was immaculate) and cleaning out the stockroom (again...this time I took photos) and made sure that not one piece of stock was left in there, that it was all out on the floor.

I was quite proud of my efforts, thought I had achieved heaps, and knew I had worked hard (I practically run all day, none of this dawdling slowly business) I even work through breaks and stay back to get things done. But this morning I got a phonecall asking me about certain things that werent done. Admittedly I did forget. However, it's also a task I havent been properly trained in. I told my Manager on Thursday I wasnt sure how to do that task, and she said she would do it for me on Friday. She did do it, (it's payroll) but the staff on the weekend called in sick, and so changes had to be made. 1) I dont know how to do that (I've been shown very briefly, as an example but never actually had to do it) and 2) I completely forgot that I had to make those changes, I just focused on getting the staff in I needed to cover the shifts. I explained this to my manager, and apologised, saying how I completely forget (having never had to do it before) and that I wasnt sure how to do it, but I'll make sure its done next time. She just went on and on about how much it will cost the company to fix now.

I had to restrain myself from telling her that everytime I call someone for help, they never answer their phones. What am I supposed to do- just wing it and get it wrong- and get in trouble? Or don't do it, and get in trouble? Or call a million people who don't answer their phones, leaving me no option and still get in trouble? It's ridiculous. I forgot to edit the payroll roster, and sign the banking sheet...and that's all she notices. Nothing about what I did do. No 'wow thanks, you got 5 ailses faced and filled, the staff room looks amazing, the stock room is clean, and all the stock is out, and you finished all my claims on directs- great job thanks'....no, we couldn't possibly show appreciation for the things I achieved. Ugh, why do I bother?
 
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M

MaxineR

Guest
#12
#12
iraasuup said:
It's not what I DID do that gets noticed, but rather the one or two small (but still important) things I forgot to do. Over the weekend I did so much work, I managed to complete all of the unfinished tasks from the week that the other staff didnt get done, plus all of my own tasks. I even did extras such as cleaning the staff lunch room, (it was immaculate) and cleaning out the stockroom (again...this time I took photos) and made sure that not one piece of stock was left in there, that it was all out on the floor.
Click to expand...
Lucy68 was right, your hard work make them look bad and lazy. And about your boss, she didn't notice maybe because that's not what she wants (like the cleaning). Try to figure out what is her priority, what does she care most. Hardworking alone cannot guarantee our survival in workplace. I learned this the hard way.
 
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