Work drama

[LuvCuteBoys]

Since I spend more time at work than I do at home, I prefer an environment that I do enjoy being in. What you say may be true but you can also have a close, "buddy-buddy" environment and do a good job. The office I work in is proof of that.

I am not paid to like my boss or even my coworkers either, but it sure does make the days more pleasant.

I enjoy being in my work environment.... but I would never dream of babysitting my coworkers kids or taking a vacation with any of them.

 

[Minnie]

Also, for those who say this is not a good work environment we have actually been complimented on how well our office works together. I have been told we are unique in our company. We really do all get along and honestly up until Friday I could have gone on vacation with anyone of our employees. Not now.

The question becomes though should you..... And my answer is NO.

The lines between manager and employee should not blur to this extent.

With this type of environment perhaps this so called "snitch" did not feel comfortable going to her manager due to the "buddy buddy" situation.

 

[manning]

I'm not sure what that has to do with needing to use sick/personal time?? Our salaried employees are expected to work at least 40 hours per week. I'm sure it's just a formality, because they automatically get a ton of sick time, but at least this way it can be documented.

Because of the amount of work everyone else is doing, it would cause a riot if a salaried employee (especially a manager) worked less than that.

An hourly person can get docked if he doesn't show up. If a salaried person takes let's say 1.5 days off he can only be docked one day.

 

[TLuvsD]

Try to do nothing different tomorrow. Seriously. See of you and your boss can meet off site for lunch (holiday shopping emergancy if explanations are needed). See how her boss reacts. Take time to process that information, then proceed.

I do think you have blurred the lines between professional colleagues and actual friends. As long as you are the boss, you need to maintain a little space. Take a couple of days to process everything and then decide how to proceed. I'd get rid of the Tupperware stuff (oh, are you through with x, great, get started with y. Nothing for you to do, why don't you clock out and get started on your way home) I like the "more professional enviroment statement suggested earlier. But first, find out what the upper management wants.....

 

[PrincessKsMom]

Two points: (1) if no rule was being broken, no one will be in trouble, other than the person who told and (2) sounds like OP is only upset about her boss being in trouble because she knows craps tends to run downhill and she's trying to cover her own butt. Funny, but if the tell they're being "rats" but if you tell you're just being a manager.

 

[Skywalker]

The question becomes though should you..... And my answer is NO.

The lines between manager and employee should not blur to this extent.

With this type of environment perhaps this so called "snitch" did not feel comfortable going to her manager due to the "buddy buddy" situation.

This is so true. I have some serious concerns about someone I work with (numerous fireable offences...NUMEROUS) but I could never go to my manager because she is sooooo buddy buddy with this person. I would feel MY job would be in jeopardy for coming forward with the truth and that is really not fair. I can't sleep at night and probably developing ulcers because of what I know. However I know this employee could easily manipulate her buddy (my boss) into turning it all against me.

So in my situation if I ever get up the nerve to let it all out, it will be above my boss's head to the big boss. Sorry.

 

[Myothername]

Well it appears all is fine and dandy at the office. Boss is in a good mood. Big boss is in a good mood. The two rats are not here today. One, it is normal. Her job takes her out of the office most of the time. The other is doing some work outside the office today. I am actually thrilled they are not here so I don’t have to face them and decide how to handle it with them.
Thanks for all the advice and I am taking note of some of it.

 

[WDSearcher]

If I were the boss's boss, my meeting with my manager would be a strategy session to get rid of the rats that called me. I just don't understand how you could be so supportive of the rats.

Maybe because we've only heard one side of the tale. We're taking the OP at face value, believing that there are no other issues that possibly led to this or that there are no other circumstances that might have put the "rats" in the position they were in ... which was to go to the big boss. Did they go there to be vindictive? Or because they'd tried to talk to their immediate bosses and got no where? Could be either side of the coin. But we've all only heard one side.

If the "rats" had posted a vent that they'd gotten sick of their bosses taking turns leaving early on Fridays and finally took it to the big boss and were feeling badly because they always thought the office was like 'family', but didn't get why some parts of the 'family' got extra perks that the others didn't ... I'll bet the responses here would be along the lines of, "What your bosses are doing is wrong and you had every right to complain."

We only have one POV, so some folks are trying to figure out what the other one might be.



PS. Agree with the people who say it sounds like a middle-school working environment!

 

[Metsfan520]

Maybe because we've only heard one side of the tale. We're taking the OP at face value, believing that there are no other issues that possibly led to this or that there are no other circumstances that might have put the "rats" in the position they were in ... which was to go to the big boss. Did they go there to be vindictive? Or because they'd tried to talk to their immediate bosses and got no where? Could be either side of the coin. But we've all only heard one side.

If the "rats" had posted a vent that they'd gotten sick of their bosses taking turns leaving early on Fridays and finally took it to the big boss and were feeling badly because they always thought the office was like 'family', but didn't get why some parts of the 'family' got extra perks that the others didn't ... I'll bet the responses here would be along the lines of, "What your bosses are doing is wrong and you had every right to complain."

We only have one POV, so some folks are trying to figure out what the other one might be.



PS. Agree with the people who say it sounds like a middle-school working environment!

I totally agree with you-that was what I was thinking as I was reading this thread.

 

[Disney Doll]

Maybe because we've only heard one side of the tale. We're taking the OP at face value, believing that there are no other issues that possibly led to this or that there are no other circumstances that might have put the "rats" in the position they were in ... which was to go to the big boss. Did they go there to be vindictive? Or because they'd tried to talk to their immediate bosses and got no where? Could be either side of the coin. But we've all only heard one side.

If the "rats" had posted a vent that they'd gotten sick of their bosses taking turns leaving early on Fridays and finally took it to the big boss and were feeling badly because they always thought the office was like 'family', but didn't get why some parts of the 'family' got extra perks that the others didn't ... I'll bet the responses here would be along the lines of, "What your bosses are doing is wrong and you had every right to complain."

We only have one POV, so some folks are trying to figure out what the other one might be.



PS. Agree with the people who say it sounds like a middle-school working environment!

Well, I could agree ith you to a point, but if the OP is not lying (and I have no reason to think she would be), it sounds as if the office folsk who are not management get some perks too....one I believe does her Tupperware stuff on work time, they get to leave early and so forth...I believe the OP said they take turns. So it doesn't sound like they'd have too much to complain about either.

 

[Disney Doll]

Well it appears all is fine and dandy at the office. Boss is in a good mood. Big boss is in a good mood. The two rats are not here today. One, it is normal. Her job takes her out of the office most of the time. The other is doing some work outside the office today. I am actually thrilled they are not here so I don’t have to face them and decide how to handle it with them.
Thanks for all the advice and I am taking note of some of it.

Did Boss share what she and Big Boss discussed?

As far as what to do...I don't think you can trust the rat, so I think you need to plan along those lines a far as how to handle things. Document, document, document....eveything to them in writing/email and print it or save it to a flashdrive so that in the event something happens, you have the information on something other than your work computer.

I worked for an insurance company years ago (late 80's/early 90's...before email) & had a boss who actually entered fraudulent things on the system under my name in an effort to get me fired (long story short...she thought I wanted her job, which I didn't). I had made multiple complaints to HR about her behavior, but she was a protected class so there wasn't much they were willing to do. Anyhow, I realized what she was doing with the fraud thing and called her on it, and had the printouts from what she had done as proof. At the time this occurred it was 6 more months till I was fully vested in my pension from the company, so I wasn't leaving until that happened. And I told her so. She made every effort to make my life mierable but what I did was to do EVERY communication with her in writing. If I had an issue, I would send her a written memo and asked for a written response. Since she knew I had incriminating evidence, she had no choice but to do what I asked. The ay I left, I handed them a copy of the printouts hich showed the fraud and told them if they didn't handle, that I would be sending a copy of it to the State Insurance Commission. She was demoted to doing "special projects" and then either left or was let go shortly after.

My advice to you would be to "professionallize" your workplace a bit more...nomore online personal shopping, no more tupperware activitiy,,,you're all there to work, so work... and document, document, document......

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

I'm not sure what that has to do with needing to use sick/personal time?? Our salaried employees are expected to work at least 40 hours per week. I'm sure it's just a formality, because they automatically get a ton of sick time, but at least this way it can be documented.

Because of the amount of work everyone else is doing, it would cause a riot if a salaried employee (especially a manager) worked less than that.

This is going to sound harsh, but that stinks for you, because the whole world isn't that way. Sounds like you work for a company that cares more about a time clock than employee morale. But if everyone were allowed "breaks" (like at the OP's office), there would be nothing to "riot" about, would there?

I work in an industry in which it is simply not possible to finish your day's work. There is no end - ever. But I still encourage my employees to take off early once in a while - even with work on their desk. Why? Because they work very hard and, sometimes, sitting in an office when you are strung out is counterproductive. Sometimes everyone (including the company) is best served by an employee taking off a little early. And sometimes I just send someone home early because they have been busting their behinds and I want to reward them.

My boss trusts my judgement, as I trust the judgement of my managers when it comes to things like this.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Well it appears all is fine and dandy at the office. Boss is in a good mood. Big boss is in a good mood. The two rats are not here today. One, it is normal. Her job takes her out of the office most of the time. The other is doing some work outside the office today. I am actually thrilled they are not here so I don’t have to face them and decide how to handle it with them.
Thanks for all the advice and I am taking note of some of it.

Glad to hear it. Just keep in mind that experienced managers have seen stuff like this before. Trust their judgment until you are given a reason not to do so.

I do agree with some posters about not getting as close to your reports in the future. As a manager, I have learned that you want a close relationship with your reports - one that includes deep trust - but not a friendship. Why? Because you do not see things as clearly with friends - the friendship clouds your judgment. As a manager, it is your job to mentor and mold that employee. To do so, you have to be able to see weaknesses and be unafraid to make demands. Friends can get defensive when confronted by other friends at work - but they feel very differently when confronted by a trusted manager. Someone that they believe has their back and brings up issues in an effort to make everyone stronger.

Develop as many friendships in the office as you please, but try and keep the direct reports off the list.

 

[Acklander]

OP, is there any possibility that it wasn't a "rat" situation??? Maybe the big boss called the office looking for the manager, and person answering the phone said that she had gone home for the day. It could be something as simple as this that started the whole ball rolling.

 

[Myothername]

My boss did share quite a bit and although my boss still has a job there are issues regarding, numbers, budget, etc. I knew this already but didn't know it was so serious. Also, turns out 2 people told the big boss about this issue and 2 people told the big boss an out and out lie about another time when my boss was out for another matter. I just hate that now we have a rat in the office. I did tell my boss that I am not going to say a thing to the rat because the rat may be out of a job simply due to no work for her and I don't want her to be able to say she was fired out of retaliation. I am going to very closely watch the rat though and make sure she is doing only the work she is supposed to be doing and not working on tupperware crap.

 

[Disney Doll]

Are the numbers off becaiuse opf the rat's not doing her work, but doing her tupperware instead?

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

This is going to sound harsh, but that stinks for you, because the whole world isn't that way. Sounds like you work for a company that cares more about a time clock than employee morale. But if everyone were allowed "breaks" (like at the OP's office), there would be nothing to "riot" about, would there?

I work in an industry in which it is simply not possible to finish your day's work. There is no end - ever. But I still encourage my employees to take off early once in a while - even with work on their desk. Why? Because they work very hard and, sometimes, sitting in an office when you are strung out is counterproductive. Sometimes everyone (including the company) is best served by an employee taking off a little early. And sometimes I just send someone home early because they have been busting their behinds and I want to reward them.

My boss trusts my judgement, as I trust the judgement of my managers when it comes to things like this.

Oh, I didn't mean that we don't get breaks. I actually get quite a bit of vacation time and all federal holidays. We can take time off... we just use our sick/personal/vacation time. I honestly have more than I know what to do with. If I needed to kick out early, it would never be a problem. Our manager also has some discretion to allow people to go home early without using their time.

Someone had said that sometimes salaried employees work 80 hours, other times they work 30 (or something like that). Our salaried employees are expected to account for 40 hours. They can use personal time... they don't have to actually be there 40 hours every week. But it is tracked so that nobody is taking advantage of the situation. That's what I was trying to say...

I've been with my company for almost fifteen years... it's thriving and I'm pretty content. For the most part. LOL.

As another poster pointed out, I'm just trying to see both sides of this story. Because there is always a second side. Not because I think the OP is lying, but because different people have different perspectives on things. The working environment would make me uncomfortable... sort of in the same way that people tell you that you shouldn't try to be your kids' friend, in the same way I think a boss shoud keep a professional distance. And if I had kept reading before responding, I would see that you actually agreed with this part

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

...Someone had said that sometimes salaried employees work 80 hours, other times they work 30 (or something like that). Our salaried employees are expected to account for 40 hours. They can use personal time... they don't have to actually be there 40 hours every week. But it is tracked so that nobody is taking advantage of the situation. That's what I was trying to say.....

I can't claim to have worked in many places as a salaried employee. This is only my 3rd such job, though those jobs span almost 20 years. But, in all 3 jobs, salaried employees only had to track days in which they never showed up at the office. We just don't track hours worked for salaried employees - not in any way. If we did, I suspect that some of my managers would be asking for pay increases.

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

I've been with this company so long that sometimes I forget there are other ones I honestly have no idea how it works in other places, but I do know how it works in mine... mainly because it's nearing the end of the year and almost every day we're getting reminders (whether it applies to us or not) to turn in the information! Also, 99% of the salaried employees are working well over the 40 hours a week... so I think this is just in place to weed out the bad seeds. And for that, I'm appreciative.

After reading the OP's updates, if these employees are flat out lying then no, I don't support them. But everyone automatically assumed that they were being spiteful, vindictive, whatever... and I was trying to show that just because it appeared that way, that might not be the case.

Ugh. So glad I'm NOT a manager.