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

[Pineapple glitter]

When we start work at 9am and Maureen walks in at three minutes past and some unwitty clever clogs colleague shouts out 'afternoon maureen!'.
It wasn't funny the first time and it's not funny to keep repeating the same line everytime a colleague doesn't make it for 9am on the fucking dot, Darren.

 

[derbyshiregirl]

My colleague is obsessed with the gym and trying to lose weight so she always talks about what she’s eaten and what a ‘pig’ she is because she’s had a carvery or something. I’m bigger than she is so I sometimes wonder if it’s a bit of a dig but I find it triggering. Wish she would just stop cos it makes me feel uncomfortable.

 

[Black.bird]

My MD asked me to meet him and his wife for breakfast this morning. His wife is co-owner of the company, although she very much takes a back seat - we only really see her at social events; I thought he probably just felt it was a nice touch to bring her along.

Anyhoo, he asked me flat-out if it's my intention to follow the others who left a while ago to form their own company. I told him yes, because I'm not happy with a number of things and feel saddened at the direction the company is heading. To my astonishment, he admitted that hiring this blasted accountant (the root of all the issues - she's an extremely miserable soul) was a big mistake and said he was seeking advice on how to manage that. We also spoke about how the accountant wants to change the bonus structure, to which he said he was guilty of her getting in his ear about a few things which he's since had a rethink about.

While we were talking his wife was quietly sitting there nodding, seeming to be taking everything in but not expressing an opinion. Then all of a sudden she said, "Well, we've been talking and we want to offer you a promotion to Operations Manager - or Director, if you'd like to come onboard and buy into the company." I just about fell off my chair! This is huge! I haven't said yes or no yet, but they undertook to work with a consultant to formulate the JD to also incorporate the creative aspects of my current role, which I don't want to move away from, as well as salary and benefits for the Manager capacity, and salary, shares, etc., in a Director capacity - just to see how they compare.

I'm going to have to think really hard on this because I love the people I work with, but the new company that's been set up has fresh energy and the people running it are real go-getters ... they will eventually leave this one in the dust. Also, there's a lady I work with who's been there a lot longer than me and I feel if anyone's going to get this opportunity then it should be her ... perhaps the only reason they haven't approached her (they said they haven't talked to anyone else about this), is because she's not strong on bringing in new business.

 

[Some People!]

When your office celebrate everything with nights out. I hate it and generally have an excuse. I don’t want to socialise with my colleagues. I’m not able to get out of the Christmas party. Dreading it.

This so much!!!!11

Our Xmas day is mandatory () and there's an evening element that all the cool kids go to until the wee small hours. Hate going, hate seeing SLT doing fucking skits, hate everyone getting wasted as soon as the bar opens, hate eating with them all. I fucking hate mandatory fun.
Some of them really, really look forward to this all year and I feel like that's a bit sad? Imagine looking forward to getting dressed up to hang out with work people who have to be there and getting wrecked in front of them all and being subject to gossip and banter forever more.... No ta. I'd literally rather be working.

 

[Tanne1999]

There’s a £600 bonus happening at work this month. As agency, I won’t be receiving it - despite being temp to perm and will be going permanent next month. I’m not classed as ‘staff’, even though I was involved in the email chain. It’s shit, but whatever, I’ll get over it.

I start work at 9am. I usually turn up for 8.55am to make sure I’m ready by 9am. One of my coworkers turned round today and said ‘I feel like you always make it here just in time. You should be here 15 mins early like me, to prove you’re a good staff member’

To which I replied ‘well I’m not classed as an employee when it comes to getting a bonus, so why would I care about being seen as a good one? I start at 9am, I’ll arrive just before 9am.’

He’s not even a manager and has only been there for three weeks more than I have

 

[TheGlossy]

Update:

After I basically forced my manager to address the transfer date yesterday, his own manager (who offered me the imaginary counteroffer) has been ignoring me and also ignored the confirmation of resignation/internal move my manager sent him cc’ing me. With this type of bullying / dismissiveness, they still wonder why people are leaving?

I still do not agree with the resignation date because it is incorrect as they kept resetting the clocks every time I spoke to them about my move and my manager only decided to acknowledge it yesterday after I forced him to address the transfer date. My manager has since reached out to my new manager. He pinged me this morning saying “Your new manager is not flexible at all in fact”. I then responded “Well, if you asked for me to stay until end of January, it is a bit of a stretch. Protocol says maximum is 6 weeks”. Then he responded and said “It’s 2-4 weeks actually”. Well, if it’s 2 weeks then the original start date on my contract should have been fine. He’s contradicting himself.

In the end, they agreed to me transferring early December before Christmas which is fine by me. I signed the amended contract with the agreed date.

My manager is now panicking and said they considering resigning… yeah right. His manager in the other hand has completely fallen off the radar - guess they don’t like rejection lol.

 

[theweekend]

People logging in when on AL and what not is so unhelpful too, it makes things so messy and confusing. Case in point, today I spotted that information in a certain sheet hadn't been filled in as it should have for Monday morning. The person responsible was on AL so I wrote in our joined team chat asking if anyone can cover for her. The girl in question replies (which is aggravating in itself as then I'm like ? are you on AL or not?) saying she actually had done it and added a screenshot. Long story short it was a miscommunicado and she'd filled in the wrong section. So I said "no worries, can you fill the correct one in today then?" and she replies "no because I'm on AL" ??? then WHY are you online you silly bitch

Literally what is the point? You're only online to clap back at people but not do your actual job, yet no one will cover for you now as you're basically working anyway

 

[TheGlossy]

Those managers need to get a grip!

Anyway, I bet you are counting down the days now you have a transfer date?

They do. They’re absolutely mental. I’ve honestly never seen such behavior from managers. Disgraceful.

I’m so counting the days, I’ve already started drafting my handover today lol. I’m honestly grateful I will no longer deal with such levels of unprofessionalism. I can’t believe I lasted almost 3 years. I’m honestly very grateful they’re exiting my life.

 

[soph30]

“I’m going to the shop, do you want anything”?
When has anybody ever said yes to this? It would be too much hassle for the favour-doer if they didn’t have your item, I’d be too embarrassed- and how do you sort out payment? Just go yourself

 

[Kas01980]

I could write an entire BOOK on the underhand things that happen at my work. But here's this one for starters...this happened to me about six months into my employment with them, I've now been there for 3.5 years. Company is a small independent company with no HR department. Two mates set up a business 16 years ago and it turned into a success, very much work hard, play hard type guys.

Anyway, a young girl works there (who is now the office manager, she's 20 with no experience in management, but because she's extremely well liked, no one really objects to stuff like managing people, that isn't being done) Before she was given that position she was an office junior that also helped out in Credit Control. About six months into me working there people suddenly started giving me the cold shoulder. I earn extremely good bonus from an account I brought with me from my previous employment. Turns out that she discovered she had access to a part of the system that showed who got paid what. It wasn't until one day she started gossiping to me about what people got paid. And then the penny dropped....she had also gossiped to the rest of the team what I was getting paid. People weren't happy that I was earning as much as I was. She actually told me that that was why people were being off with me. I had had this customer for almost 20 years, they came with me from my first employment which started in 2002, then to my second and now to this one (I've stayed in the same industry my whole career) and got the account to a point where they are spending tens of thousands a month, therefor my bonus is good when they are spending big bucks. I've worked my whole life taking care of this customer, and the office junior took it upon herself to have an issue with that when she saw what I was getting paid. And then so did everyone else once she'd told them. Needless to say I had both of my directors into a meeting about it and tore them both a new one.

Like I say, that's just ONE example of the shit that goes on at my work. Sad to say there is plenty more than that. I can't leave because like i said, I'm very well paid for my role and would take a serious drop in wages if I went somewhere else, and let's be fair, is not ideal for anyone with the current cost of living crisis. So it's a case of "shut up and put up (with it)"

I actually have the day off today but I'm not enjoying it because I'm constantly worried and have anxiety as to what's happening and being said about me while I'm not there (it's very much like that)

 

[ItsMeMelZ]

I can't stand disorganized senior people who need to be given the same information multiple times. If you don't have support staff you need to make time to read your emails, absorb your calendar and check you have all info you need. It's infuriating when someone keeps causing chaos requesting meetings are pushed out last minute because they can't keep on top of their inbox or calendar.

 

[JustmeKC]

We’re all sick of covid, but I’m also tired of people coming to work with covid symptoms. Almost 50 % of our office are out with it, and senior management are trying to keep it quiet. then I found out a senior colleague flew between 2 offices in different countries this week knowingly having tested positive that morning.

 

[theweekend]

The culture at my new employer has an extreme obsession with small talk. Now I am not one for pleasantries, I don't add (in my opinion) unnecessary "how are you"'s to every IM and email, but fuck me it is insane how much time they dedicate to it.

Mondays are my busiest day, I have to work over my hours as standard and I'm in meetings from 10am to EOD. I'm in a team of 6 and throughout the day I have multiple back to back meetings each with a different combination of those team members. We also have multiple group chats for each of the different streams, as well as a team-wide chat and then a team chat without management etc.

I was on AL last week and got asked first thing how my holiday was on direct IM by 4 of the other 5 members. I then got asked how my holiday was on the team-wide chat and in the sans management chat. First meeting was with my line manager and another team member, 10 minute chat about my holiday there. Next meeting, also with my line manager and another team member, another 10 minute chat about my holiday. Team-wide meeting - you guessed it, asked about my holiday again. Please bear in mind each individual has already heard my response at least once on direct IM, team IM, sans management team IM, and at least one other meeting, if not all 4.

I hate it so fucking much and I just don't understand it, they take it so seriously and expect you to give them a lengthy detailed description of how your weekend was. They do round the rooms every Monday where everyone has to talk for at least 10 minutes about their weekend as if it's not already been discussed ad nauseum in the team chat!!! And "yeah it was good thanks" does not suffice, they grill you like it's a fucking job interview and if you try and give a brief generic response they will sit silently to force you to continue!!

It is the weirdest thing ever and puts me in such a bad mood, its so pointless and inefficient and by the time I get to the meeting with senior management after lunch I literally want to scream when they ask me how X was.

 

[TheGlossy]

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.

 

[Rodneytrotter]

Im quiet at work, naturally shy, keep myself to myself. Popped into the staffroom at lunch to text my daughter. Whilst doing so, a colleague who is a gobby cow cracked a joke at my expense and everyone laughed. I was so embarrassed and then I was fuming, I hate being laughed at. I was just minding my own business, there was no need.

 

[House of Tea]

Colleagues who send an email and then approach in person five minutes later with 'did you get my email?'

I just check my inbox and say 'yes its there' and then return to looking at my screen and tapping away on my keyboard.
I'm not going to deal with it any quicker because you've come all the way over to point out that you've sent me one.

If you ever go on productivity courses they tell you to check your email twice a day. Fat chance when you have people checking if you got their email. Just because the method of delivery is fast doesn’t mean the response will be.

 

[Run 101]

I don't like it when anyone uses my desk ... obviously it's not "mine" but it feels like my little corner of the world / my safe space for when I'm at work ... I was away at a workshop yesterday and someone decided they wanted to sit there (it's not a hot desk), and they left it really messy, adjusted my chair to a weird setting that took a while to get back to normal, changed my desk phone ring tone and stretched my headset! They seem to do this a lot (at various spots around the office) ... probably because their own desk is a pigsty.

Someone keeps pinching my fruit chutney from the fridge, too. I've put a sticker on it with my name, along with a message asking people to please ask me if they'd like some - not to seem like I'm policing it, but more from a coeliac perspective (I don't want contaminated - with gluten - cutlery going in it), yet the message isn't getting through. I guess I'll have to take to keeping my lunch bits and pieces at my desk.

When i worked in an office years ago - i had someone use my PC while i was on holiday - ther desk itself was a mess when i g ot back the PC search history was another story - i had to report it!!!

 

[Hairraiser]

I worked my last shift on Sunday.
I didn’t get a signed card or anything
Not arsed about a gift, I know times are hard for people but abit of acknowledgement would have been nice. 6 years of hardwork and dedication in the NHS.

 

[JustmeKC]

I worked with a woman who ate reheated fish at her desk every single day. Each day she'd feign a faux apology like "sorry guys I know you're probably disgusted" and yet she'd carry on no fucks given

Fish & eggs should be banned from communal environments

 

[If you say so...]

people who lie to try and cover up a mistake. just admit to it and fix it or ask for help to fix it - we all make them so i don't understand why they try to cover it over.