Annoying things your work colleagues do all the time? #3

Status
Thread locked. We start a new thread when they have over 1000 posts, click the blue button to see all threads for this topic and find the latest open thread.
New to Tattle Life? Click "Order Thread by Most Liked Posts" button below to get an idea of what the site is about:
No need to be polite about it really if it’s bothering you this much
This is very true. I'm a teacher and the other teacher is in the parallel class to me. She is a senior leader and im just a regular teacher, so there is a bit of a difference in rank. She picks holes in everything I do and although she does it with everyone I have to work with her closely.
 
  • Like
  • Sad
Reactions: 2
One of my co-workers got owned today and it feels very good that I was a part of it.

This person went off on holidays right when they got assigned their first project in 1.5 years and wanted me to cover for them. I politely declined as I was absolutely swamped. They got someone else to take over. Fine.

They proactively approached me a few months ago asking me to train them on a particular quarterly task because they wanted to take over in June. I trained them as requested. We had an agreement that when this task would come around in June, they would handle from this point on. The deadline comes along for this month and per agreement, they are supposed to handle the related work from now on. They sent me an email on Friday saying "I understand you will be handling this task this month. Have a nice weekend". I politely responded and reiterated the fact that we had an agreement which they proactively sought to get into and the agreement was they would handle this piece of work starting June. They then went around and complained to the manager saying "I am being requested to handle all this work and nothing else is being removed from my plate".

The manager organized a call today upon this person's request and ended up looping me in by surprise. We went through every single task this person claimed to be "responsible" for. Each one of their task was revealed as "no action required" from their end and the one task they complained about (i.e. the one mentioned above) only takes 2-4 hours per quarter. After I told the manager during it only takes 2-4 hours per quarter, the manager said to this individual: "This is nothing then, you handle it". LOL.

Not only have they now shown they are a big liar about their workload, but also came across as a chronic complainer.
I just LOVE this. It suggests that the manager is aware of what that other person is doing ie not very much.
 
  • Heart
  • Like
Reactions: 3
This is very true. I'm a teacher and the other teacher is in the parallel class to me. She is a senior leader and im just a regular teacher, so there is a bit of a difference in rank. She picks holes in everything I do and although she does it with everyone I have to work with her closely.
That’s definitley enough of a reason to have a chat with her and say how you feel. These things can spiral so quickly and you will end up feeling worse and worse. The only real options are to discuss it and hopefully move on peacefully or ignore it and feel worse. I’m also a teacher, there’s something about teachers particularly… I think the nature of the job requires a certain personality as you have to make decisions quickly, be able to control behaviour etc and people treat adults the way they teach pupils 😵💫. I hope you come to a positive conclusion with this
 
This is very true. I'm a teacher and the other teacher is in the parallel class to me. She is a senior leader and im just a regular teacher, so there is a bit of a difference in rank. She picks holes in everything I do and although she does it with everyone I have to work with her closely.
I had this in my previous job too. Mine was a slightly higher grade, she didn't manage me directly but she wanted to. She was very controlling and political about my work and what projects I had access to. I ended up leaving partly because of her, but she did me a favour in the long run as I have a better job now. Its very curious that most of the cases of micro management mentioned here seem to be carried out by other women 🤔
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1
I had this in my previous job too. Mine was a slightly higher grade, she didn't manage me directly but she wanted to. She was very controlling and political about my work and what projects I had access to. I ended up leaving partly because of her, but she did me a favour in the long run as I have a better job now. Its very curious that most of the cases of micro management mentioned here seem to be carried out by other women 🤔
I typed something similar about women in charge but deleted it 😅. Totally agree with you. Women in senior positions don’t always separate emotion from the job
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3
I typed something similar about women in charge but deleted it 😅. Totally agree with you. Women in senior positions don’t always separate emotion from the job
Which is why I prefer a male boss. Some women are uncomfortable mentoring other women rising up the ranks, especially if they perceive them to be a threat. I read a post in one of the earlier threads that really resonated with me about sisterhood in the workplace and how its a pile of rubbish. That certainly tracks with my experience.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 7
Totally agree. Jealousy plays a big part.

We can all succeed!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3
He does and in all fairness, he would be a horrific team lead.

Someone in our team had a surgery and therefore was off for 10 days. He kept complaining that he didn't understand why surgery required 10 days off and it's too long. Then, the person who had the surgery had a severe complication and had to be hospitalized for another week. Then this aspiring TL said it was unacceptable because the person was off for "far too long" and whoever becomes TL will have to "nip this in the bud".

Same with me - when I told them I was still experiencing severe grief-related anxiety after my dad's death 4 months prior, he said: "well, we all have problems".

The way he speaks about his former co-workers who left is shocking as well. He literally has a problem with everybody. If this person becomes TL, then we're in for a ride.
Unfortunately for me, I regret to report that this person got the TL role and will be my manager from next month on. Smh.
 
  • Sad
  • Wow
Reactions: 11
Totally agree. Jealousy plays a big part.

We can all succeed!!
It really does. I had this when I was doing my accountancy qualification. I was part qualified and hired as a management accountant. My boss kept giving me tasks unrelated to my job. Finally spoke to her about it which took alot of courage. She said well then your not going to like this.. I'm putting you on phones. 🙄. She meant I would manage the company mobiles and assign sim cards to people. Shocking. She caused me so much stress I was off sick for a month then just left because I couldn't take it. She had recently qualified and it seemed like she just wanted to stop me qualifying!

However I mentor 2 people trying to get their qualification and I'm always helping them tick off their experience!
 
  • Wow
  • Like
Reactions: 4
I spoke to my micromanaging colleague today and explained that I could not and would not work like that anymore. She back tracked a lot but think ive nipped it in the bus now x
 
  • Like
Reactions: 10
I spoke to my micromanaging colleague today and explained that I could not and would not work like that anymore. She back tracked a lot but think ive nipped it in the bus now x
Very pleased for you. Glad you spoke up 😀. They always backtrack .. “I didn’t mean it like that” or “you’ve taken it the wrong way” 🥱
Hope it changes for good!!

My stupid boss has been having digs about having soooo much work to do since I’ve been on maternity leave as she’s got no one to help her. There’s 5 other people in the same department that are more than capable (she rarely delegates anyway due to being a control freak). She just loves a whinge and for everyone to think she’s working super hard 🥱
 
  • Like
Reactions: 4
I particularly hate new managers with no prior managerial experience and more particularly when someone gets it through a promotion. Some people really show their true colors when they move into "leadership" positions and become obsessed with power. The person I mentioned earlier hasn't even been officially appointed and they're already acting like a tyrant. I have a few examples just in the last 6 days:
  • I asked to get Good Friday back because I worked on the day (I worked on some items for this person while I was absolutely sick to death). They refused to give me the day back because Good Friday isn't a bank holiday. I know plenty of people in the company who had no issues getting the day back yet this person just said "no" without even checking the policy. I then went into the employee handbook to see what the policy is in this regard is and it confirmed my thoughts - while Good Friday isn't a bank holiday, employees are entitled to get the hours worked as time in lieu. I brought this up to this new manager and they finally agreed to give me the day back. Why say "no" when you don't even know the policy? It was my right the get my hours back.
  • They stated that anyone who books time off a couple months in advance needs to provide "proof of flights" before they can accept the request because if we're only booking leave to stay at home then we need to be flexible and move our dates if need be. First of all, this goes against HR protocol. I'm booking my annual leave and should not have to give a reason why I need the time off unless it's urgent. My employer should have no visibility over what I do during my annual leave.
  • They show favouritism. They convened a meeting with myself and another person (they clearly have a crush on) at 9am on Friday and said to me: "I'm sure this person had better things to do at 9am, but I had to schedule this meeting nonetheless". I'm swamped with work and showing up to the office everyday meanwhile this other co-worker hasn't shown up to the office at all since COVID rules have been lifted yet they're the ones who have better things to do? LOL. Additionally, I asked this new manager to pull something for the system for me as I have no access - they refused yet this other co-worker asked them a few weeks ago and they did it for them.
  • Last but not least, this new manager has now taken the mic. They log in at 10am, take 2 hours lunch breaks, wander off for 1/2 hours in the afternoon and log off on time because they intend on "delegating as much work as possible".
Appalling behaviour.
 
Last edited:
  • Angry
  • Wow
  • Sad
Reactions: 14
My manager has pointed out an error in something which is fine but this error has been there since well before I started. But yet she 100% sees as my fault that this was missed.

I rang her yesterday needing help with one thing...again trying to figure out the shitshow that was left for me when I started and zero handover. The condescending tone and response when I said I need another pair of eyes and to talk it through with someone else! My previous boss wouldnt have a clue how to fix stuff but he allowed me to use him as a sounding board and all I have to do is talk it out and he would ask the occassional question to get me thinking and I would have it figured out in 5 mins. God I miss him as a boss. I dread ringing my current manager! I physically feel sick before our 1:1s. I never had this before. She has very obvious favourites and I am not one of them as I call her out on her tit.
 
  • Sad
  • Like
Reactions: 5
My boss keeps ambushing me and my colleague with criticism and 'frustrations' as we have expressed a different opinions and point-of-view to him, labelling us as being 'difficult' and saying that we are creating an 'us vs them' culture. He always says he gets triggered by people not listening to him, but in reality, I think he's just triggered by valid criticism.

I was hired to do a job, but it's like he won't even let me do it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 4
Someone has heated fish in the microwave and the entire break area wreaks of it. 🤢
 
  • Sick
  • Like
  • Sad
Reactions: 13
The woman who sits next to me quite literally never shuts up. She’s constantly talking to anyone and everyone at the loudest possible volume or phoning colleagues in other teams to have a gossip then when people inevitably get fed up, she starts talking to herself 🙂. Like doing a running commentary throughout her day, eg ‘I’ll finish x, then I’ll go to the toilet and then make a start on y’. Every single day!

Meanwhile, I’m rocking back and forth in my chair praying for silence.
 
  • Like
  • Sad
Reactions: 10
The woman who sits next to me quite literally never shuts up. She’s constantly talking to anyone and everyone at the loudest possible volume or phoning colleagues in other teams to have a gossip then when people inevitably get fed up, she starts talking to herself 🙂. Like doing a running commentary throughout her day, eg ‘I’ll finish x, then I’ll go to the toilet and then make a start on y’. Every single day!

Meanwhile, I’m rocking back and forth in my chair praying for silence.
Noise cancelling headphones might be the answer at this point 😅
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3
The woman who sits next to me quite literally never shuts up. She’s constantly talking to anyone and everyone at the loudest possible volume or phoning colleagues in other teams to have a gossip then when people inevitably get fed up, she starts talking to herself 🙂. Like doing a running commentary throughout her day, eg ‘I’ll finish x, then I’ll go to the toilet and then make a start on y’. Every single day!

Meanwhile, I’m rocking back and forth in my chair praying for silence.
We used to have a woman who worked at my place for a few months. And most of us on breaks sat in the canteen on our phones, occasionally chatting. But she stared and constantly talked to the room just expecting us to pay attention and respond. Like you can see we're on our phones, we don't want to chat, especially when she talked the most inane waffle ever. So glad she left.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 8
We used to have a woman who worked at my place for a few months. And most of us on breaks sat in the canteen on our phones, occasionally chatting. But she stared and constantly talked to the room just expecting us to pay attention and respond. Like you can see we're on our phones, we don't want to chat, especially when she talked the most inane waffle ever. So glad she left.
This is exactly what she does! She’s the type who talks at you, not to you. It’s so draining.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3
Today, I had an interesting issue with this one colleague who tries his best not to do his job.

A couple months ago, he asked to takeover a particular task. I trained him for 3-5 hours with him shadowing me and me guiding him through the process. The deadline for this task is Friday he hasn't done a thing. Today he pings me and tells me he doesn't know what he has to do (despite the training already provided). I asked him that he needed to pull a specific report and he pulled the wrong one. I politely tell him it is the wrong report and he needs to pull XYZ instead. I asked him to replicate the exact same filtering as I did previously (and I attached an example) and send it to me.

The filtering consists of hiding empty columns and a few irrelevant columns (if you follow the example, you can obviously see which columns need to be hidden by following the alphabetical order).

He then asked me to set up a meeting of 40 MINUTES for him to work on the filtering/column hiding and me looking at him while he's doing it. I am sorry, but I am not going to sit there for 40 minutes while I watch him hide columns on an Excel. I told him to try it on his own by looking at the example I provided, send it across to me for a cross-check and if all OK, I'll sign off for him to forward it to the stakeholder.

He refused and set up a 40 minutes meeting nonetheless. I politely replied and asked the meeting to be reduced to 20 minutes as I'm swamped with urgent deliverables. I don't need to be sitting there for 40 minutes while he hides columns on an Excel, it is stupid. He is not a trainee or a graduate worker. He's an experienced hire. Then he complained about how I committed to helping him and this is a priority task and how he only got his accesses sorted on Friday.

Well, he got his accesses sorted on Friday, so why did he wait until today pull this report? Additionally, the columns don't even need to be hidden. I hide them to make the file more readable and pleasant, but it is not a critical task. I don't need to be sitting there for 40 minutes watching him doing this while I'm swamped with urgent work. I asked to reduce the meeting to 20 minutes because I know the filtering only takes this long and I was swamped. He wasn't happy with that and went on a rant by email. I'm meeting him halfway by accepting an unnecessary meeting and cutting it to the absolute necessary and he goes on a rant.

The worst part is at the end of his email, he wrote "if this is not finished in 20 minutes, you are accountable to follow up on this". I mean, who does he think he is? I know how long it takes to do each task and quite frankly, no one in their right mind asks another person to watch them hide columns on an Excel.
 
  • Wow
  • Like
  • Angry
Reactions: 9
Status
Thread locked. We start a new thread when they have over 1000 posts, click the blue button to see all threads for this topic and find the latest open thread.