Very Annoyed
Watching a young coworker being taken advantage of, treated like shit and bullied by other workers in another dept (that is supposed to be working as a team, but they "suggest" how SHE can handle all the work as it piles up and they do nothing to help her. ) She is back up and today is the first of 10 days she must work basically alone (with an older woman to relieve her when she goes home but not so efficient )while her boss is off.
I spoke up and stepped in and called our manager to mediate and actually talk to everyone. In the end I was in trouble because I spoke up . "If she has a problem why isn't SHE telling me?" I explained because she is tired of talking and noone doing anything to change things. With that HE got defensive and said he never heard anything from her and spoke to her 3 times today but she didn't say a word. I apologized for opening my mouth. In the end both the mgr and co were talking to her. But she was in tears. But at least she was telling them AGAIN what was going on.
I just wanted to help. (I cannot stand when others are treated badly or emotionally or verbally abused. ) Maybe I need to just be silent... even if it kills me.
Replies
I am like you Kim. When I see someone being taken advantage of. I step in. If someone doesn't stand up for what's right then, the problem never gets fixed. I've done this a lot of times when I worked in factories and in the oilfields. I admire your character in doing this, Hang in there,.
you are very kind. I can see you taking initiative when no one else would. Its tough... I still am glad you were there for someone, who is in distress, it shows you are caring. I often feel that way... that silence would be better than speaking up, its tough. Im sorry that happened, that it didnt go the way you wanted... try not beat yourself up for it. Dont let them silence that part of you that is caring and kind.
You did what you thought was right, and that was very brave.
Injustice is worth defending. I have done it to my determent but would not change a thing. I concur with #Licillegem you acted bravely.
way to go girl, Proud of you. I did it too numerous of times and I was not afraid to tell the boss to do his job either. Gee, I bet the boss was upset because now he has to do something about it. Never mind if people are angry at you, you did the right thing. yea. Hugs
I am only hoping that maybe this time it does not fall on deaf ears. I would do it again. I have gotten much bolder in my old age (very big frown about the old part. lol) After all I have gone through, especially seeing someone so young (and already having issues with her own self esteem ) I watch her try so hard to do all she can while facing nothing but complaints and advice rather than a helping hand. There are bullies who seem content to tear her down. I know what that feels like , but I WILL NOT stand idly by without giving her some encouragement and support.
Sadly , our mgmt. does not like confrontation... so many issues are scolded but then nothing changes. This is one of them.
Remember her in your prayers.
I almost called the labour board to file a complaint. It was bad and I had to walk out a few times too. But I did not back off and I told this old broad so too. A church goer and she treated her fellow workers like dirt. Do you have an Human Resource department where you can file a complaint anonom
her job is in a supermarket and I do not think it is big chain of stores,,,,maybe small chain but doubt there is much of HR dept....maybe....
No we are actually 40 some stores I think now. Corporate does have HR dept . The only thing is... to be "anonymous " means to mail a complaint in. They had a link to the president of the company that I sent an email to once before.... but then they know right where it came from.
If nothing changes, I am going to encourage her and her boss both to go to HR. Unfortunately her immediate supervisor is also a people pleasing wuss who got her title because her daddy works for the company too.
Maybe if you talked to her outside of work, you can make her see that she is worthy of respect. Try to get her to work on her self esteem. Little at a time.
Good for you! I think you modeled for your coworkers and management team what integrity and leadership looks like.
I’m a manager and would have appreciated a team member bringing something like this to my attention FYI. I hate petty tattling but this is not that.
Rmb… thank you. I was feeling like I butted in where I did not belong (which was the manager's objective to get me to keep quiet so he did not have to address anything yet again.)This was the first of 10 days for her to be in charge and try to get everything done with no help (and all this criticism )from these older women who simply want ( and do ) just what they please disregarding the fact they are to work together. I told the mgr if this keeps up the poor thing will have a nervous breakdown before the boss gets back. She needs support and help.
Mary... When she is over in our dept to do some of her work (away from their nitpicking and expecting her to drop her work to HELP THEM) I am constantly planting that proverbial bug in her ear. She comes from a dysfunctional family and is currently in a long term neglectful and one sided relationship. I (and the others in my dept) do tell her time and again just how good a worker and kind a person she is... and that she does deserve better.
She is only 20 and has so much ahead of her. She should not have to dread it.
Veggiequeen, Don't go against your nature. I can tell you are such a special person. Please don't change. We need more people like you in this world, It is so amazingly kind of you to look out for others. You are setting such a good example for this young woman. Stand up for yourself because you are worth it. My mom always told me not to stir the pot and was extremely nonconfrontational. She let the men in her life walk all over her and I unfortunately followed that example.
This reminds me of the time when my new boss was berating me constantly and he loved to ridicule me in front of an audience. At a company meeting, with all the workers and bosses, one of my coworkers stood up and defended me, telling the company how important my job was and how I did such a great job focusing on quality and quantity, better then anyone else could. As with most companies, the ones at the top, could have cared less. Apparently, my job description was to allow my boss to nit pik silly little things that had nothing to do with the work I did. I perceived myself unfairly treated and it drove me into deep depression, and triggered an addiction to drugs and alcohol. My favorite day in the whole 18 years I was a worker there was the day that I quit.
Eventually, the boss I had was promoted to an office job because he couldn't get along with any of the workers. Good for him.
I suspect that the worker you defended will probably quit some day like I did. It's better if she did imho because she will be much happier. The day I quit was when I stopped doing drugs and a short time later, I tossed my depression pills as well.
Now that I work for myself, I treat myself pretty dam good! :)
Bob... and that is a good thing. Sadly, I see her leaving too. (Not sad for her because she should be somewhere she is appreciated and encouraged. Sad for us to see her go also I worry she has not been convinced by the few of us behind her to stand up to others who may do the same)
Bkind… my mom and ALL the women in our family were raised the same way... and sadly, we all followed her path. Avoiding that conflict opened us all up to ridicule and neglect. We sacrificed our own sense of self to make things bearable for others. IT IS OUR TURN NOW!!! (and we need to be reminded just as much as Raina. (the young girl at work)