Management/Harassment

[BklynGuy]

Last job was crap. Im quiet and shy. Like to stay to myself. I worked there for several months. One day, out of the blue I get called into a meeting with management & am advised there's a complaint against me & Im suspended. I didnt like that as I had done nothing wrong. I was also advised that if it happened again, I would be fired. I went on an interview, they must have called my job because a coworker said they know I want to find another job.

 

It seemed like management would target employees periodically for review and cause problems. My boss said whatever you tell me is confidential. We talk, she then proceeds to tell every staff member what I said. With a freudian slip, I then let something go which I shouldn't have. This makes me a target for another coworker with tenure and power. She calls me a bitch one day, so I cursed back at her after advising her she was wrong to do that.

 

They just lie and keep you in one place. Management was constantly on my back although I was doing my job properly. My transfer request was denied, I wasn't allowed to change my hours after fulfilling my contractual obligations.

I was railroaded into quitting the company through implied threats and sabotage by management. I could have fought it, but decided it wasn't worth the time & energy, so I quit. I was very angry at this because certain priveliges were afforded other employees. I went above and beyond my job's responsibilities & wasn't repaid with anything but harassment and trouble.

 

My college grades were suffering heavily & others were allowed to change their schedules every semester, but I wasn't. Is railroading a common practice?

[curiousnycgirl]

No railroading is not common practice, and frankly it I highly doubt it happened. Dealing with problem employees is a very difficult thing, and generally a managers least favorite acitvity.

 

It is however very common not to allow transfers when someone has only been with a company for months vs. years. It is also very common not to allow transfers of people already recognized to be a problem. Finally it is not common practice to accomodate shift/schedule changes for problem employees.

 

If you are trying to figure out what went wrong at your last job, you might try to be more introspective. If you would like to post some of what they said - perhaps we can help.

 

However posting with a big chip on your shoulder won't get you much sympathy - at least not from me.

[BklynGuy]

It appears this company has a longstanding reputation for holding employees in place and NOT granting transfer requests. I fulfilled my contractual obligations and was never deemed a problem, until I requested a transfer. It is only then that I began being summoned to my supervisor's office every week & they began detailing problems. The bosses didn't necessarily run the business with the best management plan. I feel they were trying to CYA.

 

Only 2 ppl have been transferred within the last 10 years. I am well aware of shady business practices & the grey areas bosses will use to manipulate you to their own will. Anytime an employee put themself first, or their interests, the company began taking steps to get rid of that employee. The same day I asked my supervisor about transferring, the director came in and began questioning me and made several implicit threats indicating they would sabotage my attempts to leave.

[BklynGuy]

Another thing, this was a very "family oriented" environment. Something I learned long ago NOT TO TRUST. I never became a part of the overall group. I did my job, stayed quiet, and went about my business. I believe certain ppl felt as if I didn't like them for this reason. It wasn't personal, just business. They constantly asked me to come to office functions, etc but I had no interset in this. I felt it was best to stay away from coworkers. I don't know if this was the best strategy, but I can say the second I let any info. be known, everyone knew. I wonder if this was a part of their motivation. My boss told me not to stay to myself, it may be a strategy for an office environment, but not for that kind of job environment.

[Heavenly55]

Another thing, this was a very "family oriented" environment. Something I learned long ago NOT TO TRUST. I never became a part of the overall group. I did my job, stayed quiet, and went about my business. I believe certain ppl felt as if I didn't like them for this reason. It wasn't personal, just business. They constantly asked me to come to office functions, etc but I had no interset in this. I felt it was best to stay away from coworkers. I don't know if this was the best strategy, but I can say the second I let any info. be known, everyone knew. I wonder if this was a part of their motivation. My boss told me not to stay to myself, it may be a strategy for an office environment, but not for that kind of job environment.

I keep to myself as well. So of course have been deemed a shy, which anyone that knows me knows I'm not. In my case a few I don't like that much. But will always make small talk, say hello, goodbye, ect. Trust me I am not a phoney person but in the work place you have to slap on a smile even if you don't care for the person. I as well do not regularly attend happy hours, stuff like that. But major events around the holidays, group outings I do bc if you don't management will notice and it will work against you in the long run. If your entire group invites you to something and you are the only person not to go you will stick out like a sore thumb. Everything is about office politics trust me. I had an unfounded complaint made against me which was totally personal but my boss found no merrit in it and told me he thinks my work is great but of course I got called in for this. But you know what I still have to work with the person who did this and slap on a happy smile, ever hear kill them with kindness. Do I like the person or their sneaky behavior, hell no but I have to put up with it .