February 27, 2006

>> Transparent simulations

[ Boss ]

Who Am I writes...

"I have been working for my company for a little over a year now. I was offered an assistant management position in late 2004 and of course, I accepted it. Well, so I thought. The manager, I'll call her Kitty, was away for a month for some reason or another (she always finds 'emergencies' to call her away from the job for one or two weeks at a time, sometimes longer) Anyway, she was away while I was supposed to be training for the position so I was left on my own to read booklets and paperwork, etc and basically was expected to train myself. (note: there are 2 other ASM's who were about to quit who were supposed to help train me while Kitty was gone) Which they did not train me at all, just talked trash about her the whole time she was away and I made the mistake of ranting to them about how I felt about Kitty. I thought the whole situation was retarded to begin with. She comes back from her month away so that puts us in January 2005. I asked Kitty when we were going to start training (the other 2 people still havent left as of 01/01/05) and she said "soon" It was like pulling teeth with this woman! No straight answers, no definate ANYTHING just "soon". Well, I was going to chat with our District Manager about this problem, but turns out he is SCARED of saying anything to Kitty about anything! No criticism for her, she might get 'mad'. On April 20th she gives me a handout to read and whatnot explaining what the expectations are for being an assistant. I go over the paperwork etc and by May 20th she says she dosent feel ready for me to move up! Well good lord no, not after a few sessions of actual training! So, the other day she sits me down and asked me what my problem was with her. Back when she was away for a month I said my peace about what I was feeling about her abandoning me in the middle of training. Well, the 2 ASMs went back and told her everything I said (which wasnt harsh, just the truth) And of course, they exaggerated it a bit by the time they told her. So now, shes bitching and complaining about how no one should chit chat with each other or become friends in the workplace. This woman is extremely two faced about everything! She tells me one thing about how she dosent want anyone to have the spot unless its me, and then tells the other people she dosent think I am the right person for the job. Its really stupid. Also there was no reason for these other people to even say anything because they are LEAVING THE COMPANY BECAUSE OF HER! So, I dont know what the deal is. It sucks."

01:00 AM - Posted by Disgruntled

February 26, 2006

>> When Coworkers Become Supervisors

[ Boss ]

Maggie H. writes...

"Why is it when coworkers become supervisors they become tyrants who micromanage and control everything? I've known perfectly nice people (I am a counselor after all) who have been promoted and literally become unrecognizable to those former co-workers who have the unfortunate fate of sticking around afterwards. In my most recent position as an adolescent drug and alcohol counselor for the city's health department, I have seen it the worst it's ever been. Is it due to working in a system that supports managers and supervisors no matter what the issue is? Is it because city workers are typically people who have stuck around in the system for so long waiting for their pension to kick in that they are bitter and looking for someone to take out their anger on? Is it because they've been in the trenches for so long that when they're lifted up and given a small amount of power they go nuts with it?

I met the worst supervisor I ever had years before she was a supervisor. We both worked at a small counseling agency. Despite our 27-year age difference, I thought she was the coolest woman around. She was sassy, sarcastic and extremely smart. She was a good counselor, a fun person and someone who treated work like a place to help people, have fun and make friends. Now, I'm not one to hold previous wrongdoings over someone's head (okay, maybe I am) but you'd think someone who used to bend the rules a little would have a little understanding once they become a part of the upper echelon of administration. I'm not asking her to overlook obvious violations of the workplace, just to remember where she came from. But I'm getting ahead of myself.Eventually, a supervisory position opened up in the department. As the counselor with the most experience, I was offered the position, but declined because the director was a small-minded, hyperactive man who told me during my interview that he 'demanded complete loyalty' to him in any situation if I was to take the job. I believed I would not stay at this job much longer. In my mind, a supervisor is someone who helps their employees to obtain the goals of the agency, not someone who is just there to do the bidding of the next highest in charge. I don't regret not taking the position because Elaine took the position and she grossly transformed into a puppet who did the bidding of the director without any thought of her own or those of her staff. At times, we got no less that 15-20 e-mails a day in regards to trivial matters such as requesting that we inform her if we are leaving the floor for any reason. She once told someone that the director was so paranoid that he wanted her to tell the counselors that they are to have their doors open at all times unless they are with a client. The biggest problem with Elaine is that she wanted to be buddies and pals with the people she supervised. We were all scared to tell her that we had no desire to be friends for fear she would bombard us with e-mails and post-it notes all day. Once, at a workshop, she became enraged after the staff scattered at lunchtime because she wanted us all to eat lunch together. We were constantly walking a fine line between being friendly and kissing her ass because we never knew if she was Elaine the Hateful Supervisor or Elaine the Cool Supervisor. Some days she would tell other coworkers the boss was driving her nuts and how he was 'such a girl watcher'. Other days she would back up the most insane request from him, such as the time he told her to tell me to have my intern (a youth minister just starting her internship for school) smile more and 'be perkier'.

I've come to a place in my career where, after 11 years of counseling clients, I desire to be a supervisor or administrator of some sort. My fear of taking a job like this is that I will become the hated supervisor without knowing it. I honestly don't think Elaine knew she was on a misguided power trip. I have made a list of things I will and won't do to keep me humble should I decide to take a supervisory position.

1.Take a job as a supervisor where you haven't worked. The problem with taking a job as a supervisor where you were a co-worker is that people either don't take you seriously in your new supervisory position or they view you as the enemy. Either way you start off at a disadvantage. Everyone's on his or her best behavior if you come in new as a supervisor. 2.Do some grunt work to remind yourself where you came from. If you were seeing clients, keep a small caseload. If you made widgets, try to take a shift now and then. Reminding yourself that you used to work in the trenches like the rest of us keeps you humble and keeps the power from going to your head. 3.Be nice no matter what. If you have to reprimand someone for breaking the rules, do it in a way that is tempered with objectivity and kindness, not belittling and subjective personal feelings. 4.Treat your employees with respect at all times. I've heard bosses make fun of their staff's weight and eating habits. I've heard supervisors comment on breastfeeding women's breast size and tell other staff that someone is 'brain damaged' because they can't remember something. It's not cool to be a supervisor who gossips or makes fun of others. It only makes people wonder what you say about them when they're not around.5.Try your best to let your staff work autonomously. In the counseling field, it's a pretty safe bet that you are working with people who have a master's degree, are licensed by the state and have had extensive experience in the field. Therefore, it is not necessary to have them inform you if they are going to the bathroom or if they go to the vending machine for a snack. I've always said that those supervisors who don't trust others typically can't be trusted themselves.

This list won't guarantee that you won't become a tyrant, but it may keep people from hating your guts."

01:00 AM - Posted by Disgruntled

February 25, 2006

>> Education versus REAL Workers

[ Work ]

RBI GIRL 42 writes...

"Has anyone out there who really works their butt off been constantly passed up for better jobs by blazing idiots who somehow got their BA or MA and know nothing about REAL work??? I cannot stand the fact that just having a piece of paper but no common sense still works in this so called democracy of ours. I want a company that pays for work not a piece of paper. Anyone know any??"

01:00 AM - Posted by Disgruntled

February 24, 2006

>> Smashed Face

[ Fools ]

Retail in the Detail writes...

"So, I work at a major retailer. It sucks. But what's even worse is the idiots they stick me with. But the newest guy, Mason, takes the cake.

First of all, he is "goth." I cannot tell you how irratating "goth" is. We have some CDs and they're catergorized under "rock/pop" and he keeps complaining about how rock/pop should not be put together. This just makes me want to punch him in the face.

Then, he's the kind of guy who does stuff just for attention, like getting his lip pierced. I ignored that wholly for a week until HE brought it up out of frustrationg that I never said anything. It was truly great. He told me about his "fiance" who he left and is now out with this new girl who is really cool b/c she's "goth like him" but then bitches and moans about how his ex-fiance is now humping some other dude. I swear, it makes me want to stab him.

But my vindication came when he smashed his nose in. He had, in a conversation, that he got stabbed in the arm and didn't cry. He's a puss, btw, and probably never got stabbed. Anyway, he was, as always, not doing work and jacking around in the car electronics install bay and playing on some bars that are set up basically like parallel bars. So he's swinging and then falls and lands on his back. Then he gets up and does it again and falls forward and busts his face open, essentially smashing his nose to bits.

HAHAHAHAHAHA. right? so he's sitting in the back, crying like a bitch and lies so he doesn't get in trouble and says that he tripped overhimself and fell forward without catching himself. Well, the whole incident is caught on video and the jackass got fired.

I have never been happier to get rid of this lazy, useless, stupid bastard."

01:00 AM - Posted by Disgruntled

February 23, 2006

>> Lime or Jalapeno?

[ Rant ]

MizGeminiStarz writes...

"I work with this girl (at a restaurant) and she is a nice person, but really not so bright. I am a waitress and so is she. All the girls I work with call her "box of rocks". She has been working at the restaurant for a couple months now. As I'm traying up my food to bring to my table, I notice her standing next to me trying to talk to the cook. She says "I need 3 slices of lime, please." So the cook turns around and throws her some lemons. (He knows she is "box of rocks" also) She takes them and says, "Um, these are lemons" He says "We don't have limes" and then she says, "We don't have any jalapenos?" Apparently she thought limes were also jalapenos. She needed jalapenos, not limes. Needless to say, if she doesn't know the difference I think she is in the wrong business."

01:00 AM - Posted by Disgruntled

February 22, 2006

>> Bubblehead!

[ Fools ]

Anonymous Coward writes...

"There's this person, whom I'll call X. X is bubbly, has no discipline, self-respect, or respect for our (hers or mine) superiors. Except, of course, when she's busy ass-kissing. Anyway. So we're (we = about 20 people) all watching a movie when X's boyfriend, for like the 10th time, turns around in his chair and makes kissy noises at me. How dumb is that. So anyway, because of his position his chair is on two legs. Whoops..I kick the chair out from under him. He lands on X. X gets pissed at me, apparently not recognising (although I guess her bias is understandable) that her boyfriend is just as much a rambunctious schmuck as I. She proceeds to go nuclear and gets in my face, I mean like four inches distance. Then she starts with the finger stabbing. I don't feel like getting smacked today so I grab her arms by the wrists and keep them at her sides, at which point she almost breaks into tears and announces I've broken her wrist. Then she leaves. Comes back with a nonstandard can of Coke (pre-shaken) and explodes it all over me.

The sum of X's boyfriend's reaction was "Dude, you hurt her, not cool." - and then he went back to the movie.

What makes it worse? I am surrounded by Xs to varying degrees. There are four non-Xs out of the 20-40 people I work with here (# varies because of different taskings and timinngs). And there is only one non-X whose mind is completely stable."

01:00 AM - Posted by Disgruntled

February 21, 2006

>> Lazy, lying boss

[ Boss ]

Anonymous writes...

"My boss works maybe 25 hours a week. We work in a department of 3 people. The boss, myself, and one other person, so if one of us is gone, it can be a big burden on the other two to cover the workload.Nonetheless, my boss has no problem working 25 hours a week or less.She takes an hour and a half to two hour lunches to go work out at the gym almost every day. She comes in about a half hour late most days, and leaves a half hour early most days to avoid traffic. She takes off at 11 a.m. or noon many Mondays and often leaves 2 or 3 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.The worst part is she lies on her timesheet and reports that she's here all of this time that she's skipping out. As a result, she has 15 vacation days to use, while I, as a result of being honest on my timesheet and actually reporting the hours when I am not here, have only 3. I'm sick of doing her work and covering for her lazy ass. I'm also sick of hearing her complain about how she is overburdened and not paid enough. She's a warped, twisted, dishonest woman and I'm so sick of having to work harder as a result of her laziness."

01:00 AM - Posted by Disgruntled

February 20, 2006

>> To "B" or Not To "B"

[ Boss ]

nancestef writes...

"I was working as a policy processor in an insurance agency. A processor's job is to check the policies against what was submitted to the company. There were times when 800-1000 policies would be unloaded onto my desk in one day.Just before I left for my (well-deserved) vacation, I was summonsed into the conference room for a chat with the president and vice president of this agency. They had decided that alphabetizing the stack of policies was a waste of my time and told me that I was not required to do so any longer. (Did I happen to mention that there were days when 1000 or more policies would be unloaded onto my desk??????)I followed their instructions and did my work until it was time for me to leave for vacation.Upon my return, I was, again, summonsed into the conference room for another chat. The president and vice president decided, while I was gone, that since no one could find the policies they were looking for, that EVERYTHING would have to be alphabetized. It took me FOUR DAYS to alphabetize everything again, after being told it was a waste of time..."

01:00 AM - Posted by Disgruntled

February 19, 2006

>> Insubordination as Outrage

[ Boss ]

FooFoo writes...

"I work for a major medical school, Dept. of Psychiatry, and travel to state prisons to conduct psychiatric assessments of prisoners with mental health designations preparing to parole. Understand me: crazy and very dangerous men. In January, a corrections officer was murdered by a psych inmate and the state issued a state-wide emergency lockdown of all prisons, allowing entry to only "essential personnel." I was inside a Level 4 (of 4) maximum security prison. Unbeknownst to me, the supervisors of my program phoned all my colleagues and ordered them to return home for their personal safety. Everyone except me. My phone was working, I was know to be in the prison, etc. Because I was known in the prison, I continued to work the full week, where it was tense, emotional, creepy. Inmates cheered the murder and corrections officers assaulted inmates. Trust me, I shouldn't have been there. Upon return home and returning to the office, I was asked where I had been. I told them and my colleagues were shocked: "Didn't you get the call?" Obviously not. It was disconcerting, to say the least, that I could be unaccounted for a full work week under a state-wide emergency conditions. At the staff meeting I made a very emphatic point about being left behind (a supervisor insisted she called & I immediately had my officemate call my cell phone to show it was operating), and I complained about not having the proper safety equipment (e.g. stab-proof vest), or the information necessary to make safety decisions in my best interest. The director said we will take this to a committee, and I said I would take it to my Union. Little of this has been resolved. 5 months later, I made a half-ass application for a supervisory position one hour before the process closed. I am by far the best trained and best experienced clinician in the program. The only other person who applied was a woman who is a knucklehead, no sense of evidenced-based medicine, uses "crystals", "breath work," shares personal information with sociopathic inmates trying to have a "connecting moment." I believe they were pissed that I applied. This past thursday, I was called into the director's office and served with "Written Warning" for "insubordination & unprofessional behaviour" because of the January staff meeting. When inquired why it took from January until June, they stated they had been too busy. Some of the issues included that I had called the supervisor "a name." Whe I inquired as what it was, she stated, "naive." The director asked if I was bold enough to tell the chairman of the Dept. of Psychiatry he was naive, and I responded "only if he were naive." They were dramatically outraged. I offered to poll my peers as to their opinion, and was refused, and then suggested I would consult my attorney to depose everyone of my peers. At that point they were a bit more, shall we say, congenial. "Let's not turn this into something contentious..." I ended this bullshit by saying, "You are playing me for a motherfucking fool; like I'm some chump from the street. Give me the paper and I'm gone." They can't fire me, but I certainly can't be a supervisor with a disciplinary action. I'm no instigator, but don't fuck with me."

01:00 AM - Posted by Disgruntled

February 18, 2006

>> My Boss is an idiot

[ Boss ]

Emerger writes...

"I work in a technical field. I took a new job with a company who has a contract to staff a large telecommunications center. My boss is also new. I have fifteen years experience at what I do. This is my boss's first project in this field. When I talk to this idiot about technical issues, he doesn't believe what I am saying. He doesn't understand how the system we use works, and since he doesn't understand it, he assumes I don't either. We had to complete some tests on a new system. I have conducted these tests hundreds of times, my boss has never done it. We were failing the tests, meaning we had problems we needed to fix. This idiot adjusted a piece of test equipment wrong and said "if we just turn this thing so it's right here it passes". He wasn't deliberately falsifying the test, he's just an idiot. I argued with him for half an hour and he wouldn't listen. If the customer finds out we did this, the entire company will be terminated from the contract. Millions of dollars are at stake, not to mention my job.

How should I handle this?"

01:00 AM - Posted by Disgruntled

February 17, 2006

>> Bully will classify as Perpetrator

[ Work ]

ihavehadit writes...

"How do you respect a person that is your Leader in the workplace. She is not a supervisor, nor a manager. She was hired for the office workers which are only about 11 people. She however, feels she has authority over the entire dept. Tells each and every person what to do,(even other leaders on the same level as her) when to do it, and how to do it. Except one small problem, she comes in late everyday, talks on her phone all day, does her homework in her office during job hours, and works when she feels like it. Only when someone is pressuring her..then she puts the blame on us or anyone else just to prove she was not wrong. Why does she continue to be there? She has been reported at least 5 times that I have heard of. I was one of them. She is a fake and phony and she could care less of anyone but herself. She treats everyone like they are 5 yrs old. You cannot approach her with any problem or concern or the way she talks to people, I tried several times, and she says I take it personal. There is difference from personal and business. So I quit trying..what comes around goes around...its coming I know. I have never been talked to the way she talks to me and anyone else. I guess since I have not really stood up to her..I am the one now. But I will be the better person, she is horrible, and evil. She goes to the bathroom like everyone else ( I think)--maybe she could be a alien in disguise.. The one thing that erks me is. She does not even know that I come in early before regular work hours and I often stay late, and do NOT put down over time. But if I have an emergency. like I did the other day. I was told I had too much work to do. But she can take her-grown child to the DR, to the airport, and even a funeral in one work week. She may have worked about 10 hrs that week,(and get paid for 40, and half of that was walking around, sitting and talking on the phone or visiting with another person in the office, oh yes. lunch breaks are 2 to 3 hrs. She is hateful, and will use ways to make you miserable, and often talks to everyone with disrepect. She will try to get you fire...by just messing with your over and over.(waiting for you to talk back) She has been reported to HR at least 5 times, and nothing is done? The last dept she came from she was told to find another job...or get fired. How we got stuck with her..is just awful"

01:00 AM - Posted by Disgruntled

February 16, 2006

>> Being stalked

[ Work ]

Tainted writes...

"I work in a not for profit organization.

From the day i joined one guy who i initially shared an office with for 4 months has made it his business or added to his JD to make life so difficult for me: Just to name a few of his allegations/statements

"She stinks, she is incompetent, she was favoured during the interview, she is corrupt and she is slopy and she is a spy"

Two years ago we had the main country director sacked and he jumped from camp to camp to ensure that he collected and gave information as conveniently as possible for himself. He reported to this boss everything that staff were planning to do ie report to the head office etc. Then at the end of the day he said i was the one who was spying for the boss after we discovered she was well updated. This created a lot of blood between me and my colleagues and that time i was expectant and left on Maternity leave and unfortunately a child with DS, so when i reported back i had deep personal issues to deal rather than try to prove my innocence which i left to God to sort out for me.

Now, whenever new employees come in they are given an "orientation package" of who "she really is"-corrupt, thief, spy etc.

Well, he still enjoys his spying duties with t he current head of the organization (we are about 20 in total) and thank God finally people have started getting who really the spy is as the boss puts it "wall have ears and the cameras talk" so we now know who the camera and talking wall is.

The gist of the matter is that i left for 4 days personal leave and on reporting back my supervisor informed me that the boss had summoned her on why she does not report to him that am ALWAYS late. We were so amused because i always call the sup. whenever i sense i will be late because i take my child for early intervention program and sometimes i get stuck in the jam since i have to move to the opposite direction before driving back to the office. Well the best thing is that the sup. who was initially mad at me now knows what reaches our boss and is as disgusting to her as it is to me esp. since it is not true.

Action : I am logging my arrival time for reference in case the boss summons me.

Help : Can i get some info on how i should respond to the head boss, he has been away and am sure he will land with my case as a priority. I would really like to give him + his protege a piece of my mind and especially the gossip issue. The organization is a great employer but the environment and culture stinks!!!!!!!!!!!!"

01:00 AM - Posted by Disgruntled

February 15, 2006

>> I Quit

[ Rant ]

Happy to Be Gone writes...

"I quit my job two days ago. After over two years of being ignored and treated like a bag of dirt by my fellow co-workers and Office Manager I quit!!! I am happy to say that I will not be returning. I showed the girl who will be taking over what I do as well as gave her a detailed list of instructions on how to complete the work. I left yesterday without as much as a goodbye. I am so glad to be out of that hell hole (I like to call it) It has sucked most of the life out of me and now I am on the road to recovery and will not let anything stand in my way. They were the meanest bunch of backstabbing women I have ever had the displeasure of meeting. It was so hard to convince myself to go to work day after day. I became so withdrawn that I now have to try and find myself again and bring back out that old person that I used to be. You see they are older and (I am assuming this) that they did not like themselves. They would talk about everyone that they know and put them down I guess in order for them to look superior. Well that really got to me and I just could not for the life of me understand why they got so much pleasure in talking about other people. There used to be a girl that worked at the office that they were relentless with. The meanness really came out with her and she tried, oh how she tried, but could not win them over no matter what she did. Well she ended up quitting in February and then they made me their focus of attention. It was brutal to say the least. No matter what I did it was not the right thing. No matter what I said it was wrong. I found that I could not talk anymore in the office as I feared the backlash with their rebuttals. They were so nasty. They would whisper right in front of me and that would make me feel invisible. They worked really hard at getting me to quit and now I can say that I no longer will return there. I just do not understand why a bunch of women could be like that. This is a small office with only four women in there. I guess they did not see how it would effect someone if you treated them like dirt for so long. Or maybe they got some sort of sadistic pleasure out of it. I am not sure. Anyway I am now trying to pick up the pieces of my life and am going to a better job that is more professional and I am quite happy about my choice. I will be getting more money and a better working environment. I just had to share this with someone as I made the choice to not go back this morning and I just called in and told them I won't be back... thanks for listening...."

01:00 AM - Posted by Disgruntled

February 14, 2006

>> Taking Lunch = You're a Bad Employee

[ Boss ]

Ass Manager writes...

"I've been working at the same company for the past 4 years, which is pretty much my work history since graduating from University. It's a fast-paced company that has been down-sized dramatically, resulting in the remainder of us peons being suffocated with even more work with zero direction/support/training/coaching/recognition. I am considered the "jack of all trades" in the office, however, I've never been promoted and have never been invested in and have finally decided that I need to find a new employer who will give me what I want ($$, respect, opportunity), however, until that happens I'm finding it painfully difficult to control myself from telling my new micro-managing fuck of a superior to put her head back up her ass and shut the fuck up. Basically, I've always worked my ass of for this company and all of my colleagues openly appreciate my efforts and work, however, recently my "superior" decided to tell me that because I take my unpaid lunch and a quick coffee break once a day and don't work late too often that I don't have a good work ethic and am not a good employee. Bitch! So, I can bust my ass for 4 years, and yes usually take a lunch, but work like a madman for the rest of the day, multi-tasking continually...and I'm a bad worker? With all of my former employers, I've always been told the exact opposite, but this evil, critizing, insulting and rude cow that has the mood swings of Dr. Jykll and Mr. Hyde and that thinks coaching = finding the negativity in everything, thinks I'm a bad worker because I take my unpaid lunch? So, I told her she was working with a narrow perspective, that I thought she was wrong, and that she had basically just shit on my 4 years of effort for this shitty ass company. Needless to say...I don't think we see eye to eye. If I bust my ass for 8 hrs a day and don't work overtime...what's wrong with that? In my opinion, if I was working overtime (unpaid) all the time it either shows I'm slacking during the workday or that I'm completely overwhelmed and there's a chance Mr. Uzi might make a guest appearance at the office if the workload isn't reduced. SO until I find a new job...how is it that one does not let such a foul, horrible, evil fuck of a fuck get to you so badly that you're constantly anxious, angry and frustrated? Any suggestions on how to "deal with it" until I leave as opposed to telling her to go fuck herself, resulting in my firing and my loss of income...and her winning?"

01:00 AM - Posted by Disgruntled

February 13, 2006

>> Never Employ a Friend

[ Rant ]

Anonymous writes...

"I've been working as a department manager for several years in a large company. Our workload was particularly high and due to the nature of the work, it was very difficult to obtain highly motivated staff.

I knew of a girlfriend of mine who had been out of work for several years. Actually, she went on maternity leave from her previous employer and didn't want to return to them. Anyway...she was looking for another job.

I offered her a position....knowing full well that she didn't have the qualifications or experience (stupid me) - but I knew she was extrememly intelligent and would grasp the skills necessary to complete the work. She had an excellent work ethic and I considered the risk of her not performing minimal.

As it turns out, her performace was fantastic. She completed her projects on time and was brilliant to work with. I was happy that I had taken the risk.

About 4 weeks later I noticed my friend's attitude changing dramatically. She became very outspoken in full staff meetings....shouting out over the top of others....bitching behind people's backs to make herself look better. She told people that she could do my job better than me and said that other's wern't doing they're job properly, when clearly they were. In fact, she even went to MY manager and asked to become a manager of another department. Now, I must point out that NOBODY wanted to be a manager of this department. We had advertised and nobody applied...in fact, we had lost 3 other employees in 12 months. She didn't care - and wanted the job right or wrong...which I guess is fine.

She got the job as another dept manager. From then on - she dominated meetings, belittled people in staff meetings, shouted everyone down and has even been intimidating MY boss - who cannot say NO to her about anything. She just shouts him down and it's getting out of control.

My point is that I really feel as though she has used me to get a management position. She never really wanted to assist me in my department in the first place and just used me to get to the top of the chain.

Other people in the organisation see that she is doing the same thing and have commented to me about it. I really don't like conflict and don't want to say anything - so I suppose I'm getting what I deserve.

I've been offered a very lucrative position in another firm, which I'm so happy about. It's a wonderful opporutnity. After resigning, I went to tell my "friend" and she didn't even look up from her computer screen. She just stared straight ahead and said "oh yeah..." "alright then"...and I must say I just felt so hurt.

Anyway....that's my rant. Never employ a friend."

02:00 AM - Posted by Disgruntled

February 12, 2006

>> Just a bunch of f'ing idiots!

[ Fools ]

Anonymous writes...

"I can't tell you how much it kills me to go into work each moron and deal with people who bitch and moan about answering the phone. Their only job at the office is to answer the phone ... that's it. The rest of the day they just sit their and surf the web. I however is pulling my hair out left and right ... amazed that I'm not bald yet. Then these people come into my office and say how stressed out they are and they need help. What the F?!?!? Help ... answering the phone? You gotta be kidding me! So ... to piss them off ... I started sending them insults via email. Freaking hilarious because they now run around the office trying to figure out who sent them an email saying "Calling you stupid would be an insult to stupid people" or even "I was about to engage in some serious debate about what you just stated but then I remembered that I don't give a damn".

Honestly ... this makes my day fly by ... BTW ... I've found a website that allows you not to get caught ... I first started using some of those emailer websites but then realized they might be able to find me (i think i'm paranoid!) ... but ran into a website called www.EmailInsults.com that only asks for your enemies (or co-workers) email address and ... there goes the insult! Fun as $%&@"

01:00 AM - Posted by Disgruntled

February 11, 2006

>> Permission To Send Out An Email

[ Fools ]

Going Crazy writes...

"I've known for a while that I work with a bunch of fools. But today topped the cake and I just have to get this off of my chest!!!

I work as a receptionist/admin. asst. for a non-profit organization. I didn't have a job description until I got my review a year after I had been employed and coincidentally the week that we were being visited by a licensing body. But getting to the point. . . I sent out an email today that went pretty much like this:

"Hope this information is helpful to all. There is a feature on your phone that will route all of your calls to the voice mail if your're in a meeting or a session or if you just don't want to be disturbed. Or just let whoever is at the front desk know that you don't want to be disturbed. But preferably use the button, please" Complete with a few smiley faces throughout.

Anyway, I get called into one of the directors office to meet with him/her and my supervisor. I am told that my email rang of sarcasm and should have been addressed in person so it would be more personal. Okay, I guess thats fair enough. But then I'm told that I didn't ask for permission to send the email out. When have I ever asked for permission to send out an email addressing the needs of staff? And then another beautifully dumb question, Why did I send it to begin with? Well, it just so happened that I had interrupted several therapists who were in sessions, people who were in meetings, and other people who didn't want to be disturbed. None of whom decided it was appropriate to tell the person who sits at the front desk so I would know how to handle phone calls. How stupid is that? Why else would I send out the email? Duh!!!!Luckily, I only have a few more months here b/c I have accepted employment elsewhere that starts in the fall. I can't wait to get the hell out of this place."

01:00 AM - Posted by Disgruntled

February 10, 2006

>> Too crazy for words!

[ Fools ]

Tammi writes...

"Well I have to say that this is the most interesting and yet amazing thing that has ever happened to me in corporate America! I have been working for the same software vendor/clearinghouse for over 4 years now. I recently received an anonymous email from someone at work who was trying to warn me that my job was about to be eliminated. They warned me not to trust my boss or my superiors and that I had no idea what was going on behind my back! The plot thickens, as this person told me that in reality they planned to get rid of me, only to hire back a former employee! At first I thought it must be a hoax, so I began conversing with this person to see what else I could find out. After about 10 emails I learned that my immediate supervisor had been bad-mouthing me to our biggest healthcare client & to our company, which made me realize that this was why all of a sudden my work load had decreased, and why this client had been acting strangely toward me over the last 6-8 months. I had previously had an excellent professional relationship with this client & never encountered any problems. I traced the email trail back to Santa Fe, NM where my company is located. I tried to get the person to tell me more so I could confirm without a doubt that it wasn't a hoax, but they no longer responded to my emails after the 10th one. After thinking on it, I had no choice but to ask the president of our company if it was true. He told me that yes, my job had been part of a discussion for elimination, along with a few others, but that he had no knowledge of hiring someone else back in my place. He said he could not speak for my immediate sup or her sup though. I had another 'friend' trace the emails as well to see if he could find out anything more. He told me that the person was definitely from our office and that he just needed to nail down the computer it came from. He is still working on that as we speak. I don't want to hurt the person who tried to warn me so we agreed that when we found out who it was, we would not report it. My immediate sup was more recently my equal, and then out of convenience they promoted her because she demanded more money and they had no way of justifying it. (just for the record, I make $20K more than she does already, so how the hell could they make her my boss!) I have more experience in the industry than her and more seniority in this company. Because I work from home in NJ and she is there in Santa Fe, it was more convenient? Right! Anyhow, I also found out that she recently began calling my clients and telling them not to contact me anymore, that she was the new point of contact! I reported it to HR and to my other superiors to no avail! Nothing has been done! In fact, when I've complained about things she has done in the past, they just labeled me as a disgruntled employee, said I was acting paranoid, and that I had something against her personally! Might I add that some of my complaints happened BEFORE they made her my boss. RRRRRRRR!!!! When one of my former co workers was still with us, this boss of mine told me that she didn't like this other girl and threatened to shave her dog, put mill worms in her food & slit her tires! She said she was going to do anything she could to get her out of there. I couldn't believe it I'm thinking, this chick is a loose canon...and then they went and made her my boss! I almost had a meltdown! I reported the things she told me and still nothing! RRRR!!!! What the hell does she have on all of these people! You would think she was holding something over their heads! I don't get it! I told the president of our company all of the nasty things that my boss had said to me about other people in the recent past; things he did not know. He asked me why I never came to him before now. HA! I laughed. When I did, (I told him), you treated me like I was an idiot! Like what I said held no weight. You castized me and made me feel like my word wasn't important. Are you crazy!? Ugh! I just cannot believe this is happening. I am looking for other employment to say the least, but this is just unbelievable! Anyone else going through something like this??"

01:00 AM - Posted by Disgruntled

February 09, 2006

>> What to do?

[ Rant ]

Crystal writes...

"I work graveyard shifts at a hospital for an IS department; I'm the only person in our office at night. My shifts are long and and rather uneventful so the night can drag on. Hospital security is in the next office a few feet away and their dispatcher remains in the office all night long. This used to be a bonus until the new graveyard dispatcher started out about 3 months ago; let's call him Abe. The mere thought of this guy makes my skin crawl. After being on the job for three months he still can't master the basics and has gotten mad because I don't help him. Hello? Me=computers, he=security. Everyone in his department sees him for the incompetent idiot he is. I used to feel bad when they'd make fun of him, but that lasted 2 minutes. He was a winner from the start. Abe is not familiar with the art of subtlety or keeping his embarassing details to himself. One of the first things he made sure to fill us all in on is that he is anti-social and has never had any friends. And it was obvious why -the more comfortable he got with everyone, the more annoying he got. He makes sure to tell every single person who will give him a minute about every boring, sad detail of his pathetic life. ( Ex: Everyone in the department heard about his impending marriage to a girl-whom he often referred to as ignorant, unchallenging, and useless- he'd met on the internet less than a year ago...everyone told him to rethink it but he said he was on a mission from God to enrich this girl's life...so instead of waiting for the ceremony they eloped and lost all their deposits put up by family for the wedding; therefore pissing off said family, which baffled him...A week after he got married he said he had to leave his wife because he couldn't stand her. This happened less than a month ago.) He is a self-described Christian makes it a point to talk about those who are not true Christians. In the same breath he talks about how depressed he is, how he'll never be happy, and he needs to go to a stip club and meet lots of chicks on the internet so he can get laid. This past week he's been telling everyone about how he's got to fix the mess his wife made of his life(did I mention he never takes responsibility for anything?). Fixing the mess means lining up random girls from the internet and bragging to everyone that he's a stud because he's got three "dates" lined up in one week. LOL,CLUELESS. This guy is a freak show and I've got front row seats! I thought I'd be smart and asked him not to share so much personal information with me. He started giving me the silent treatment and snickering when I'd have conversatins with anyone else. He has quit sharing so much private information but he still tells the whole world loud enough for me to hear. To cap it off, when he's not enrapturing everyone with the tales of his life, he's yawning ALL NIGHT LONG in the most drawn out, obnnoxious manner. I've kindly asked him not to be so loud to which he replied " I can't help it," then guffaws. I swear my stomach turns everytime i see his face or hear his voice. I wear scrubs to work now because when I dress up he starts asking me 20 questions about why I'm dressed up and making creepy comments about how nice I look. In my 26yrs I've never met anyone who has made me want to crawl out my skin the way this nut does. I'm typing this as he's 15 ft away asleep with his mouth gaping open, which is not uncommon. Help"

01:00 AM - Posted by Disgruntled

February 08, 2006

>> Forgotton Quality

[ Work ]

Anonymous writes...

"Several years ago I was asked to do a job to help find out some reasons why out product was in trouble. Years have gone by and I have reported to my head and nothing has been done about this problem. I guess as long as I was the fool catching as many of the mistakes before they get out the door thats all that was required. I don't know why they don't care. I really do care and thought I was doing the right thing to help out. Now I'm stuck. I also afraid of what my boss may do to me without my knowledge. He's has taken all information and destroyed it and when I continuned to collect the information because my responsiblity was not to please him it was to help out company. I really don't know what has happened. Why would this company allow this to happen to their product as well as what it's done to me. I thought when I was asked to help to find out they meant what they said. I have no reason to believe they want to get rid of me. This has something to do with the person in charge of the department I'm working in. With out saying all the gory details I know it sounds minor but it's not. Thanks"

01:00 AM - Posted by Disgruntled

February 07, 2006

>> This Call is Yours

[ Boss ]

Mr. E writes...

"I am one of a dedicated few that work in a call center in hell. We are a hard workimg group that is lead by a complete moron. Somehow we theorize that this moron (who will be called PIG from this point)has some type of ransom/blackmail hanging over the big bosses head. Otherwise he would have been canned long ago. Even the big boss is fed up but does nothing. PIG tries hard to be liked. PIG tries hard to be part of the team. PIG doesn't seem to think that actually working is needed. He can send e-mails out to remind us that when the "buzzer" goes off there are calls waiting to be answered. He's quick to deny a day off. He can moan about how we are not making our numbers. But if everyone is on a call does PIG pick up the phone to help?No! PIG hauls ass to the men's room. PIG pretends to be busy with his computer. PIG will acutally leave for a short time and on his return claim he was in a meeting. He has even flat out refused calls directed to him. Big Boss was not happy with that but still only gave PIG a slap on the wrist. If PIG would just be regular a-hole maybe he would be more tolerable. But no. PIG yearns to be loved. He shares crappy stories, talks a lot about pop culture crap, and is a total phony when he tries to be complementary. PIG is a total waste. We all hope he gets roasted soon."

01:01 AM - Posted by Disgruntled

February 06, 2006

>> Biding our time

[ Work ]

Incredulous writes...

"My husband would never rant publicly but I have got to share the nightmare that is his new boss. She was brought in from Accounting to oversee a laboratory that was functioning effectively for some time. She took an instant dislike to my husband but he wasn't concerned as he had worked there successfully for years and was effective and well-respected. She blasted him in his performance review and said he behaved like a "terrorist" toward his co-workers, but provided no explanation or examples. He was too dumbfounded to respond. Most recently she sent out a condescending memo telling the employees that if they brought in a mere $332,000 per week for the next few weeks she would see if she could bring in the In N Out Burger truck for lunch. Woo Hoo! These highly educated, middle-aged employees are sure to step up production for a double cheeseburger."

01:01 AM - Posted by Disgruntled

February 05, 2006

>> how not to use an overhead projector

[ Boss ]

Anonymous writes...

"In the facility where I work, overhead projecters are used extensively for meetings, conferences, what have you. Often to brainstorm, people will use a blank cel sheet and dry erase markers to get an idea across. It takes just a little bit of talent, equivalent to that of a 3 year old to accomplish this task effeciently.

In a meeting last year, my boss, stepped up to the plate to pitch his idea. He took marker in hand and started to draw. Excitedly, he turned to look at his creation on the screen. What he failed to realize is that whatever is on the projector does not always appear the same on the overhead screen. Size, shapes, colors will sometimes appear different, kind of like the mirror on the side of your car. Everything is there, just different. Well he must of thought that the apparition was not conveying his thoughts, because with marker in hand he began to draw on the screen behind him rather than on the cel in front of him. Proud as a 3 year old, he stood back to admire his work when he finished and said, "Damn, I can't believe I just drew on my supervisors screen!"

He rushed from the room while the rest of us sat there dumbfounded. I thought he was looking for a hole to hide in when he came running back in with something in his hand. Before I could say anything, he sprayed windex on the screen and then tried to wipe it off. Of course with the textured screen all he did was leave bits of blue paper toweling embedded in the screen. Now the blue and red circles he had drawn were nicely highlighted with blue toweling and where the windex had begun its job, were cute little streaks of color down the screen."

01:01 AM - Posted by Disgruntled

February 04, 2006

>> Hubris is expensive.

[ Boss ]

Anonymous writes...

"About fifteen years ago I worked for a television production company with a rather eccentric owner. He was adamant that all AC power on new construction had to be wired by him alone. No one else was considered competent enough to do this task, even though we had many talented engineers with Hollywood experience on the staff.

This bit of eccentricity caused us no end of delays, as completion of a project would be held up, waiting for the owner to have time to pull the power.

We had just completed the construction of a new remote unit, designed to hold four tape machines (this was back when tape machines were the size of home freezers and cost $70,000 apiece). Our chief engineer was bending over with a voltmeter in his hands to check the polarity and voltage at the outlets, prior to plugging in the equipment.

"Hold it!" says the Owner "I wired those and I know they're right."

"But..." began the Chief.

"Dammit! Just plug them in!" from the Owner.

The Chief plugged them in, and threw the circuit breaker. There was an indescribable noise as the the machinery, ready for 110 volts, was hit with 220 volts from the improperly wired outlets, and enough money to buy an apartment block was vaporized. The Chief got the blame, of course."

01:01 AM - Posted by Disgruntled

February 03, 2006

>> Apply these Rules Always!

[ Rant ]

Karen Kill writes...

"Customer "service" is a war! The customer is your enemy. The customer is always wrong. Customers are scum. Make NO EXCEPTIONS to these rules because that's where your problems will begin.

Back in the early 90's, before I started working at Wal-Mart as a part-time cashier, I lived these five maxims while slogging through 7 YEARS in a management position at a nationwide book retailer. During this time, I won customer service recognition awards EVERY YEAR for OUTSTANDING customer service. When my higher ups asked me my secrets, I just brushed it off. Once, however, when I was at a seminar with some other managers & vps, I got drunk off my ass, and I revealed my whole twisted strategy.

My audience started laughing at first until they realized I was totally serious. They went from amusement to curiosity to bewilderment to utter horror. Here was their customer service "star" telling them how he managed to con EVERYONE into thinking he really cared about the customers when in fact he had the moral compass of a sociopathic serial killer.

Here's my summation:

1) Customer service is a war. You win by getting the complaining customer out of your face as quickly as possible. You lose when you allow the scum to get to you, to make you angry, to take their pitiful pathetic concerns seriously. Customers are ants, slime mold, dog feces. Do you argue with ants, slime mold or dog feces? No! If your unlucky enough to "step into it," you simply wipe it off your shoe without a monents' regard. That is how much regard I have for the scum. You may think I'm being nice; but actually you aren't worth the f---ing brain cells it takes for me to process you braying and blathering. So I wipe you off my shoe and get on with my life.

2) The customer is your enemy. Approach every customer this way, and you will never be ambushed and taken by surprise. Retail workers get into problems when they expect customers to like them and be nice. Customers are rabid dogs, and that's how they should be approached. You don't have a gun, all you have is your wits. Distract the rabid dog. Wave shiny things before it's eyes; throw a stick over its head so it runs to fetch it; get it the F--- away from you before it turns on you and sinks its foaming teeth into your soft underbelly.

3) The customer is always wrong. Your job is to make them THINK they're right. Don't make it personal. Would you get personal with a housefly or athletes foot fungus? Customers have as much intelligence as either of these things, possibly less. So don't argue with retards and crazy people because that just puts you on their level. Listen to them wail and gnash their teeth, nod, and then picture their slow dismemberment or horrific rape in your mind's eye. Smile and nod your head. NEVER LISTEN TO WHAT THEY SAY. It's all meaningless drivel. When they're done, give them a bauble and get them the F--- out of your space.

4) Customers are scum. NO EXCEPTIONS! You make exceptions, you die. Hate them all equally - old, young, fat, thin, male, female, white, black, chink, spic, towel-head, gimp, tard. NONE of them deserve a micro-second of your consideration beyond the point that they are in your face.

When dealing with customers, I always think What Would Ted Bundy Do? Now that guy knew how to handle people without a moment's worth of conscience. Smile, act nice, and F--- 'em in your mind.

That's how you deal with customers, with the stone cold disinterest of a serial killer luring a victim into his car.

My original speech was much longer and more animated, but I think you get the general idea. Needless to say, I was never nominated for a customer service award after that. I also left retail shortly after that and got a real job."

01:01 AM - Posted by Disgruntled

February 02, 2006

>> Upside down office

[ Work ]

Anonymous writes...

"I was away from my current job for over a year and returned to my full-time position a month ago. During that time period my supervisor quit and my friend was filling in that position and subsequently got the supervisor job. We are having problems in production and management has asked one individual to help with some of the backlog and that person is me. I was friends with my current supervisor for 4 years. I had some questions regarding the flow of the project and she basically told me to use my head and she didn't have time for any of this little stuff as she was very busy. Well maybe I should have used "my head", but this type of action she has use on other staff members and is inappropriate. She works hard at everything else. Is there any way of telling her without offending her as she feels "everyone is backstabbing her" and in some instances it is true and I am angry and talking about things as well? It is very tense, extremely terrible to work in this environment, but it goes back to "me" the supervisor me is all that matters. Just let it go and give it time or just give up and mind my p's and q's."

01:01 AM - Posted by Disgruntled

February 01, 2006

>> No Rap Lyrics in Corporate E-mails!

[ Work ]

Press the Any-key! writes...

"The following is a lesson in e-mail etiquette. I had no idea but apparently people make a lot of pre-judgments about intelligence from the e-mails people send. For example there is a guy who sent me an e-mail and his signature contained the following.

****************************I came, I saw, I conquered!!!Jay-Z "Encore"

Now, this alone doesn't make you complete dullard. But it does hint at the fact that you might be. Why? You ask. Well, whenever you say, do, or write something stupid, people will be thinking, 'Yeah, that was sent by that ‘I came, I saw, I conquered guy.'' As luck would have it, this particular guy did happen to do something silly. I had sent an e-mail to group of people in upper management. This guy happened to click 'reply-to-all' and replied to everybody on the list. In his e-mail, he mentioned the fact that he couldn't access a shared folder. Five minutes later, he sent another e-mail to all the people on the cc-list that he could access it fine. Next thing I know I'm having a conversation with a guy in upper management and he says 'who is this guy? Does he think he is Jay-Z? He is a dumb ass! The fact that he sent an e-mail to everybody announcing his problem, by itself is not problematic. But when this mistake is juxtaposed with his clever but non-standard e-mail signature, the result can only be a conclusion that this guy is a full-blown-dumb-ass. So in short, keep the rap music lyrics out of you signature and out of your e-mails. Unless you want to be known as the 'I came, I saw, I'm a dumb ASS' guy."

01:01 AM - Posted by Disgruntled