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

[Ensay]

My manager (the one who made my day to day horrible in the last few weeks) has asked us for written feedback on her.

I honestly dont’t want to give her any. Not only because of her terrible attitude in the last while, but also because she gave credit about my work to someone else and has not given me any kind of feedback on a project I worked my behind on. Only the project lead did, but she’s disregarded it, so my performance on this project was thrown under the carpet.

She wants us to give her feedback on the HR portal but I’m honestly thinking of leaving it blank.

What should I do? Should I go along and give her feedback despite her behavior or leave it blank?

It's a tricky one because if you refuse to give feedback, she'll probably want to know why. Obviously you can refuse to give an explanation, but that will likely be an awkward conversation.

That said, I gave feedback for a manager once and, even though a lot of it was positive, he made some snooty remarks to me about the developmental feedback I provided. I ignored it, but it was annoying because I know if I'd made it all positive, he'd have told me no one's perfect and that developmental feedback is important!

 

[TheGlossy]

It's a tricky one because if you refuse to give feedback, she'll probably want to know why. Obviously you can refuse to give an explanation, but that will likely be an awkward conversation.

That said, I gave feedback for a manager once and, even though a lot of it was positive, he made some snooty remarks to me about the developmental feedback I provided. I ignored it, but it was annoying because I know if I'd made it all positive, he'd have told me no one's perfect and that developmental feedback is important!

She says the exact same thing!

 

[JustmeKC]

Thank you.

I agree. If I give her negative feedback she’ll use it against me. However, knowing her, no feedback will equally be used against me as a sign of me being ‘disengaged’ and she will 100% ask why I didn’t give her any feedback.

She’s the type of person who stated that someone remaining occasionally silent on a call means they’re ‘disengaged’, so imagine what she’ll say about the lack of feedback on her. However, I’d rather give no feedback than to give a politically correct one to boost her ego without addressing the areas of improvement.

In any case, she sees a problem in everything I do (down to making a fuss about where I sit in the office). I’ll just remain silent and hope to find a better team soon.

Is there someone you can speak with in your Talent team about the lack of anonymity? 360 feedback is so annoying. I had over 50 requests for feedback from people I have worked loosely with and I think completed half of them!

 

[TheGlossy]

Is there someone you can speak with in your Talent team about the lack of anonymity? 360 feedback is so annoying. I had over 50 requests for feedback from people I have worked loosely with and I think completed half of them!

The company provides the option for the requestor to request either anonymous or identifiable 360 feedback. It’s up to the requestor or to pick their preference. There’s no company restriction in this regard.

My manager voluntarily chose the non-anonymous option.

Luckily, no random person asked me. Some people are over the top with these feedback requests.

 

[Rxt156]

The company provides the option for the requestor to request either anonymous or identifiable 360 feedback. It’s up to the requestor or to pick their preference. There’s no company restriction in this regard.

My manager voluntarily chose the non-anonymous option.

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

 

[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.

 

[JustmeKC]

The company provides the option for the requestor to request either anonymous or identifiable 360 feedback. It’s up to the requestor or to pick their preference. There’s no company restriction in this regard.

My manager voluntarily chose the non-anonymous option.

Luckily, no random person asked me. Some people are over the top with these feedback requests.

That’s so rubbish. Declining to participate sounds like the best of bad options.

 

[DA Stella]

**Warning: if you're eating don't read this.
Young woman who works downstairs in the shop comes upstairs to my department to poop in our bathroom. Maybe she wants more privacy as ours is only used by about five women. Problem is, she is not careful to make sure "things" are fully flushed. So "things" are left in the toilet for the next person to enjoy seeing I nearly upchucked my protein bar when I saw that.
At least there's another stall although it's the ADA compliant stall and I feel guilty using it.

 

[Hello Kitty]

When someone calls you non-stop for help. I've had 6 calls from someone today and it's only 11am. Go away and figure it out yourself!!!

 

[Heidi88]

A colleague who is ignoring my emails just declined a meeting I set up for today. I sent the invite days ago and he declined with 7 minutes notice. I had an agenda on the invite and his calendar was free.

I look after the budget and his dept are overspending and he isnt responding to any queries I send him....some of which would actually help him get back within budget. There was no explanation, no proposed new time, no apology.

 

[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.

 

[mee43]

I hate the notion of 360 feedback. Sorry but I’m not helping the managers write their appraisals. Maybe if they got to know their staff, instead of barely managing a good morning/goodnight, they wouldn’t have to ask others to tell them what their team is like!

 

[Ensay]

A colleague of mine swanned off on holiday last week and said all her activities were wrapped up and no cover would be needed.

However, predictably the tit has hit the fan on one of her work items and it's now been marked as very urgent, with muggins here having to pick up the pieces on top of my other work.

If she'd just been honest with me then I'd have asked her to do a proper handover, but I didn't request one (nor did she offer one) given she said everything was fine. Her boss isn't happy and I'm even less happy!

I hate it when people go demob happy and coast for the last few days before their holiday. It's so selfish because she was obviously thinking "oh well if anything happens when I'm off, it's not my problem!" I'd never do that because I know I'd return to an unhappy boss, but she doesn't seem to care.

 

[Hellofish]

I hate not having my “own” desk. I waste so much time logging on and off of scrrrns and setting up first in one place then in another.
Equipment is at such a bare minimum that you’re forever playing musical chairs so that everyone has a spell of access to what they need.
Makes me feel like a spare part rather than a valued employee.

Agreed. We hit desk with a laptop each and I hate it. I don't even have any draws so constantly lugging tit about because I've nowhere for pens or notes. Drives me mad and I feel like a floating person without a space!

 

[DA Stella]

It seems crazy to me to not have assigned work areas. I have an assigned desk in an assigned area. How are you supposed to be organized when you don't have a designated work area??
---
Also, people who ask you to do X. So you do X. Then they ask if you did Y. No, you didn't ask me to do Y, you only asked me to do X. Then they're annoyed you didn't do Y. Well, next time tell me you need me to do X and Y and I will!
Communication. It's a very useful thing.

 

[TheGlossy]

I think a lot of companies have a hot desk policy these days.

I personally think it is nonsense. A lot of people like stability and sitting at a different seat every other day is not great and doesn’t necessarily have a good effect on one’s concentration.

 

[petitspois]

I think a lot of companies have a hot desk policy these days.

I personally think it is nonsense. A lot of people like stability and sitting at a different seat every other day is not great and doesn’t necessarily have a good effect on one’s concentration.

It’s something bosses love but everyone else hates

 

[HelloStereo]

I think a lot of companies have a hot desk policy these days.

I personally think it is nonsense. A lot of people like stability and sitting at a different seat every other day is not great and doesn’t necessarily have a good effect on one’s concentration.

True. Our company has more employees than office space so we have to book our desks and hot desk.

I miss the days where I had my own desk and knew where my snacks / pain / favourite mug was

 

[Mollywobbles]

Agreed. We hit desk with a laptop each and I hate it. I don't even have any draws so constantly lugging tit about because I've nowhere for pens or notes. Drives me mad and I feel like a floating person without a space!

In my last office everyone who didn’t have a permanent desk had a box (old paper box) to store items such as pens, stationery, mug, cuppa soup, photo of pet dog, etc.
There was a cupboard to store the box and it meant you did have to lug stuff about but could personalise your desk.

 

[TheGlossy]

It’s something bosses love but everyone else hates

Not sure if bosses love it. It’s mainly because a lot of companies had hiring sprees during the pandemic and don’t have enough desks.