Annoying things your work colleagues do all the time? #4

[ChastityDingle]

We must have worked at the same place!

In my case, she'd always leave her jacket on the back of her chair to make it look like she was there. When she returned, she'd have a worried look on her face and nearly always call someone into her office to talk about something (minor) - she was an expert at making it look like she was always "on". She managed to survive many restructurings in her time, mostly because she was also super-nice, a great leader, and had a very good eye for recruiting only the best (people who would deliver so she could sit back). She'd always leave her dinner plate on her desk so when people came in the next day, they'd notice that she'd stayed late enough to eat dinner at the office. The next day, she'd come and say good morning to everyone and then say she was just popping out to clear her head as she'd been working all night ... this happened almost every day! And then she'd return a few hours later ... but always be contactable via mobile for anything urgent. She definitely knew how to play the game.

Another time, I worked for a worldwide consulting firm in the '90s and they were alllllll about showing your dedication and commitment by working until midnight. Even if you didn't have a lot on, but others did (and it was stuff you couldn't really help with as your field of expertise was different), they'd frown upon you for not being a team player if you didn't stay. The same place used to organise a lot of "fun" (= forced fun) events which were staff-only ... it definitely wasn't the place for those who wanted a life and people outside of work.

It's always interesting to me how many people can't get their heads around staff working from home part or all of the time. Even people who I've known for years, who I consider to be relaxed and trusting, have an issue with it. There will always be those who take advantage of the situation, but they'd likely do that if they were in the office all the time, too.

Must be twins!
She used to go into the office on Sundays, from time to time, when there was absolutely no need to do so. Most people kept on the right side of her because she did wield power over certain things like getting a decent parking space, for example. (This was nothing to do with her actual role btw).

I remember one person in particular who was all over her, when they joined a team on our floor, and it was working in that person's favour and then obviously they overstepped the mark in some way and they were probably banished to a crappy parking space or something after that!

When she retired, I'd say she thought the whole place would fall down.
Strangely enough, it didn't

 

[If you say so...]

A few years ago I worked in a small company that had a relatively flat structure aside from the Owner / Managing Director and Operations Manager. I was the only female working with about 15 men.

One afternoon, when the MD and OM were out, one of the guys - who I always found to be very 'off' (I suspected he was on drugs) - walked up to one of the quieter guys in the office and started verbally attacking him. At the time, there was a gentle hum of chatter, which stopped as the bully's voice rose. The quiet guy just sat there, looking down, not giving any sort of reaction, which fueled the bully to then start hitting him on the head.

I stood up and shouted at the bully to 'cut it out' at which point a couple of guys went over and intervened ... I was peeved that they seemed to wait for someone to make the first move! The bully eventually moved away, grabbed his bag and went off in a huff.

When the MD and OM returned, I went straight to the OM and reported what had happened, and he said to leave it with him. I told him I was one of many witnesses but was worried the bully might come after me for reporting it - the OM said not to worry about that. Well, as it turned out the bully was told that I was the one to report it, and he blamed me for him losing his job over it (apparently some things had been leading up to this event, so he had already been issued with warnings). For a while, he would wait outside work and follow me to my car asking why I did it; at lunchtime he'd follow me down the street ... I complained to the police but they were useless. I asked the OM to talk to him - he wouldn't have a bar of it ... it was just awful, but eventually the bully got bored and moved on.

My advice: Be very, very careful about reporting it and becoming involved. Your manager should be the one to report it, and you may be called in as a witness. It's human instinct (I feel) to want to remedy a situation, but it never ends well.

ok thanks you’ve confirmed my worst fears! I won’t be reporting it

 

[blahblahboring]

Absolutely! It goes beyond incompetence and is definitely worth an official warning!

Does this not constitute gross misconduct?

 

[camotea]

Here it is!

Does anyone hate their job? #2

Old thread: https://tattle.life/threads/does-anyone-hate-their-job.14624/ I am on special leave at the moment and absolutely not looking forward to returning but I haven't got a clue about my return date so I've blocked work out of my mind for the time being. 🤣

tattle.life

Thank you very much x

 

[Heidi88]

When I thought my manager couldn’t sink any lower with her pettiness.

A more senior stakeholder I worked with every single day for months left me an excellent good feedback which was directly related to my manager. My manager apparently asked this person they left this good feedback for me because they ‘don’t see what this person is seeing’.

I don’t work directly with my manager, so they don’t have a lot of visibility on my work or how I interact with people work-wise. The fact they had the audacity to question the good feedback I got is beyond disrespectful.

This person is going to ruin my entire career. She’s probably going to screw up my year review and leave me unable to move internally or alternatively, tick the ‘do not rehire’ box if I move externally.

This is mad.

That is awful. Given this person who left the positive feedback is more senior and your manager is questioning this feedback could you report your manager to HR for undermining your work? How did you find out about your manager questioning the validity of the feedback?

 

[OmgObsessed]

Honestly anyone else to the point they're just going to call in sick this week? I'd rather have no money while job hunting than deal with them.

 

[Black.bird]

I wouldn’t say anything, purely because they will be doing this for a financial reason (most likely) and times are tough right now.

Agreed. Plus it's up to the company to investigate if they think toner is being used too quickly. I'm sure they can check out which UserID is sending the most print requests...

I'm torn because (a) it's NEVER okay to steal; and (b) it'll end up impacting the innocent workers. As a small business owner myself, I know what it's like having staff steal from you.

Last week, I posted about two of our three very fancy coffee machines being stolen by an employee who has since been let go. The company has decided not to replace them, and to keep the remaining one for clients only, no exceptions. It's even been moved to a locked cupboard. Employees now have to buy their own, or stick to plunger or instant coffee.

The printer this lady was using for her other business is the only one where you don't need to punch in an ID to use it, so working out why all the supplies are diminishing so quickly might be a hard task.

Anyway, I pulled her aside this morning and told her that what she's doing is not okay and she needs to stop. Setting abuse of company facilities and supplies aside, she is absolutely exhausted and looks like a zombie most of the time. You have to pick your battles - but it's also up to people to speak up when they see something happening that isn't right.

 

[emmer_moans]

When your witch of a teammate has sprayed so much perfume that you feel sick. My sense of smell is not great at the moment so for me to be knocked back by it, it must be really bad.
Im wearing a mask too and my nose is running and eyes burning from it.
Yet another reason to dislike her.

I once worked with someone who I swear their perfume smelled of piss. It used to make me wince

 

[rosemarina]

@Shoequeen2, I had a boss who would grab mr to talk for an hour st ten to five every day. It made me miss my Tube, and drove me mad.

whs

 

[WeHadFunRight]

My colleague can’t seem to think for himself. He has a more senior role to me (but we don’t work directly together apart from on one topic where for some reason I seem to manage him and direct him). He is my maternity cover while I’m away from February and I think my boss will lose the plot with him.

he seems to misunderstand things a lot and I’m not sure if that’s because he genuinely struggles to follow what people are saying or if he is simply not listening - I think it might be the latter. Then just now he said basically the same of someone external that we work with. I am struggling with him.

He is a really nice person but his laziness is really getting on my nerves recently.

I feel like a mother goose with a very annoying gosling right now. Baby should be a walk in the park when it comes

 

[TheGlossy]

Is this the same psycho woman manager from earlier in the thread?

Yep. Same one. At this point, why am I even surprised when she comes up with this type of stuff. I can’t have a conversation with her without her saying something condescending or rude or out of line.

 

[wishiniwasskinny]

I am currently working on this large team project with 10+ people. As part of this large team, we have a couple of sub-teams but meet on a regular basis as a large group to discuss progress.

This girl at my level keeps initiating all these unilateral decisions without submitting them to the larger group. Therefore, it looks as though she’s taking on more initiative than the rest of us. However, it could be the rest of us had the same idea, but wanted to discuss in a group call first before going ahead (especially if they gonna impact the whole team).

I’m so annoyed because she’s acting like the de facto PMO when she was never appointed as such. She’s management’s golden child, so they will use this to promote her.

Today, we were on a call and I’m usually the quiet one but wanted to give my perspective on something. She cut me off mid sentence and said ‘sorry’ in the most condescensing way as if I was the one who cut her off and continued talking. I went quiet after this. How rude.

I’m so annoyed. She’s getting a lot of visibility as it is. She can give other people a bit of space too.

Is she the coffee / breakfast bringer ?

 

[TheGlossy]

Someone I’ve never ever worked with and who is part of my immediate team just asked me for 360 feedback. I’ve only had non-work related interactions with this person. How am I supposed to give feedback? Feedbacks aren’t about how nice or funny you are.

 

[KindnessWins]

In my company people can stay off on long terms sick. Once their company sick pay ends (after 6-12 months depending on circumstances) then ssp kicks in. So they don’t get wages but are entitled to keep all company benefits

 

[no-no]

I hate this too! I have colleagues who act like toddlers throwing a paddy! Nobody calls them out on it.

I can't believe yours turn their video and mic off

It’s crazy how some people carry on

I know and if they turn the mic on to respond to a direct question it’s like waiting for someone to answer an intercom

 

[camotea]

Is there a thread to talk about how we hate our jobs and need to escape?

 

[Hellofish]

I know the type...

So Jane works three days in the office, and two wfh but when you cover for her holidays you have to do five days in the office regardless. Aaaargh.

Yep exactly that

 

[TheGlossy]

that says enough about her. she knows no one will hunt genuinely honest feedback with their name attached

Exactly.

Also, her manager has direct access to these feedbacks as soon as they’re submitted. If I write something she doesn’t like, I’ll basically dig my own grave. She is obsessed with appearances and has this idea she’s an ‘amazing’ manager, so it won’t sit down too well with her to have negative feedback attached to her name.

 

[Onthehop]

Oh my fucking GOD. This girl who’s just joined us from a different team SLAMS the keyboard everytime she types. It’s as if she’s angry at the keyboard or something!!! There is no need to punch each key goes right through me

Are you working with my ex colleague?

 

[Black.bird]

Sounds really petty. At my workplace it’s all hot desking so I sit somewhere different almost every time I’m in the office.

I don’t mind it, but they go on about how we all need a DSI assessment regularly and may need to get our chairs adjusted, but how likely is that when we’re constantly moving?

That's a good point ... and imagine how much downtime must be involved with people readjusting chairs, etc.

I know of people who have taken their own chairs into workplaces because they've had back problems and needed something really good. But there's still no guarantee that others won't use it (and adjust it) when they're not there.