My Work Rant

[Scott]

I was hired as a computer repair tech at a great buisness. However I was moved up to managing serveral areas of the office. I manage the help desk, the call center, and I handle outside clients.

However I decided to check some stats from the representatives at the call center. (Which is without a doubt the worst office because pretty much everyone is young college students or people without college educations.) We have 5 head supervisors at this place, however seeing the stats I noticed that basically the highest supervisor there was basically doing nothing. So I started to keep an eye on her and after about a week or so of actually working and keeping an eye on what was going on, I was decided to get involved.

I called her into my office and being very nice about it, I said that she needed to stop just sitting around doing nothing and that she needed to start working instead of sitting around in unavailable. (which means you can do with whatever you want and no calls will come to you) I'm very relaxed with supervisors there because they had spent a lot of times a shitty job (people screaming about the dumbest stuff and treating them like crap, all while they HAVE to be nice, one mean comment and I'll fire you.) However when most of your workweek you do nothing and make others do your work for you, that pisses me off.

Next thing I know she starts bitching at me because she'd been there for 10 years while I just came in. So she bitches about how she has all this stuff going on in life and how it's unfair for me to treat her like I did because she had been there the longest. All I wanted to say was "It's not my fault that you were a high school drop out and have nothing but experience at a call center." But I just let it go and told her that she needed to pick up the slack, and quickly.

This lady has been nothing but a complete lazy bum. When people call in, there is a transfer policy. There are the regular reps, the senior reps, the supervisors, then me. Supervisors get the bitchest customers, the ones that swear constantly, scream, yell etc. I'm the last link. In the past month, I have had a total of 1 call put in my desk from the 4 other supervisors (someone who threatened to kill them if he didn’t get what they wanted and would just keep tying up supervisors.) I have had 6 from this bitch alone. When they get to me, I just basically tell them to “fuck off” (Yes, I really do use that phrase) and block them from calling, which is the only way to deal with people that get up to me. So I am not the way to deal with customers, but it's what I have to do. She just doesn't want to deal with people, and it drives me crazy because I have other things to do besides deal with people when I have several other things that require more attention.

So I get put in a sticky position. She's been there longer then anyone, and she is good, when she actually did something. So firing her looks bad because I haven't been there very long and it looks like me on a power trip. I can't share the information with everyone else to prove she's worthless because that isn't professional of me. However she's dead wait and needs to go. So I have to fire her if she doesn't pick up the slack in a week. This is why I never wanted to manage the call center because it’s basically the worst possible area in the entire office. However, I was the newest person qualified to do it, so I got stuck with it. I don’t complain because they pay me very well, but stuff like this is a waste of my time. DO YOUR JOB AND DON’T BE A BITCH, I DON’T LIKE FIRING PEOPLE!

[Trinitis]

wow, are you ok dude? That post read a LOT like one of X's posts..heh

[Scott]

Originally posted by LordAdredrin
wow, are you ok dude? That post read a LOT like one of X's posts..heh

No, I hate people like this. I hate people that don't do their work and others have to pick up the slack.

[Scott]

Oh, and if you ever compare my post to X's, I will kick you in the nuts! :lol:

PS. This also applies to applies to comparing my post to Edines.

[Trinitis]

Originally posted by Gemstone101
Oh, and if you ever compare my post to X's, I will kick you in the nuts! :lol:

PS. This also applies to applies to comparing my post to Edines.

LOL. Sorry man, it just looks like your tired or something..lots of strange wordage in the post that are not normal for you...like the repeating of applies to in the quote above ;)

[Shari]

Ugh...first thought I have..."fire the bitch."

I would see if you can't give her a 3 strikes policy if you don't want to seem to be on a power trip. Every time she starts to slack up, pull her into your office and tell her she needs to start doing her job, you arn't paying her for doing jack.

Explain to her the other people who have been there not only less, but have less experience are pulling their weight better than she is and if she doesn't get on the ball you can always find one of those "newbies" to take over where she's leaving off already, except you would no longer have to pay her.

That sortof comes off as sounding like a threat, but maybe she needs a good kick in the ass to get moving.

Anyway after the third time she fucks up boot her ass and at least you'll have justifications on why you let her go when people start questioning your move.

[Scott]

Originally posted by Jesae
Ugh...first thought I have..."fire the bitch."

I would see if you can't give her a 3 strikes policy if you don't want to seem to be on a power trip. Every time she starts to slack up, pull her into your office and tell her she needs to start doing her job, you arn't paying her for doing jack.

Explain to her the other people who have been there not only less, but have less experience are pulling their weight better than she is and if she doesn't get on the ball you can always find one of those "newbies" to take over where she's leaving off already, except you would no longer have to pay her.

That sortof comes off as sounding like a threat, but maybe she needs a good kick in the ass to get moving.

Anyway after the third time she fucks up boot her ass and at least you'll have justifications on why you let her go when people start questioning your move.

The problem is the three strikes policy doesn't apply to anyone else. You screw up, you're gone. Not to mention she's been doing it for so long. I should have just fired her right there, but I figured I'd give her a week.

I've explained to her what the problem is, she just doesn't get it. She thought she should have had my job because she'd been there and I just moved in and took it, which makes it worse.

[HarmNone]

Just "being there the longest" does not mean one can sit on one's posterior, doing nothing. I am sure this woman knows that, but she has been getting away with it and wishes to continue to get away with it. That is not fair to the other supervisors, to the people who work for her, nor to you.

I agree with Jesae. I would tell her in no uncertain terms that she is to start producing or you will start reducing...beginning with her job. All the "stuff" going on in her life is not relevant, really. She has a job to do, she is being paid to do her job, and she is not earning her pay. As far as the workplace is concerned, that is ALL that is relevant. She needs to understand that she has an opportunity to keep her job, but she will have to prove she deserves to keep her job. Otherwise, someone who is willing to do the job can, and will, be found.

Good luck, hon. I know how this kind of thing can grate on your nerves. It is beyond me how some people seem to get the idea that the world is lucky to have them, and they should be paid just to freaking exist! :grr:

HarmNone has seen a few of these, too

[Red Devil]

lol do you seriously tell customers to fuck off and then block them? can i have ur work number and extension?:wow:

Fire her. Who cares if they think its wrong. If she isn't doing her job then she has to go. I hat emotherfuckers like that myself, and since someone hwo does that usually means I have to pick up the slack in the form of extra weight on my back and less sleep. So yea, fuck her.

[Bobmuhthol]

<<Next thing I know she starts bitching at me because she'd been there for 10 years while I just came in. So she bitches about how she has all this stuff going on in life and how it's unfair for me to treat her like I did because she had been there the longest.>>

If I were in your position, I would have just fired her right there. Or killed her.

[longshot]

Was she always a lazy ass, or do you think she's pouting because she didn't get the position?

Honestly, it probably doesn't matter. There's really only one thing for you to do, and that's get rid of her.

With that attitude, she can answer the phones... in Bangalore.

[Suppa Hobbit Mage]

Having started in the lowest level of the call center, I can relate. Believe me, if she's sitting doing nothing while in Idle or wrap, everyone around her knows it, and resents it. You won't be thought of as powertriping if you action what needs to be actioned.

I my experiences in the past, a "come to Jesus" meeting needs to occur (not sure if your recent meeting counts), where you lay it out for her that she is in danger of losing her job, and needs to turn it around, or lose her job. Be clear, explain the behaviors that are unacceptable, document them, create a plan with her *in writing* on how she's going to change, have her sign it. If in a week she's still breaking your contract, you pull it out, point out her failures, and the termination is cake.

[Parkbandit]

Call ALL of the supervisors into your office and advise them of your expectations. "This is what I want to see and have you do" type of conversation. Set the stage.

When you are done, ask for any questions. At the end, your intentions should be crystal clear and I would even end the meeting with "So everyone is aware of my expectations, correct?" Document your meeting with a peer and put a copy in every supervisors file.

From there, it is your responsibility to make sure your supervisors are living up to your expectations... if they are not, then give them a write up.

3 write ups and it's time to terminate.

[AnticorRifling]

Get something written, paper trails to validate what you do is a key to managment and it CYA, stating that she has been warned about lackluster preformance. Let her know that she's basically on probation, during the next (enter duration you feel proper) if she presents herself as a problem or causes an issue you smoke her. Have her report to you every day about what she did, have her explain it (I know you have the raw data but it's better to have the person justify their self worth), have her do this every day for the next week. The next week have her check in Mon, Wed, Fri. The next week just on Fri to review the week.

Don't make them bitch sessions but make them a time to show where weak spots can be shored up.


ALSO!!!! The attitude of my help desk sucks because it's all young people needs to go. Not all of us are old, not all of us have a degree but damnit some of us have done more leading than most middle managment will ever hope to do, and more than a few of us have good heads mounted firmly on our shoulders!

[AnticorRifling]

Ohh if you need an example of the afore mentioned action plan let me know. I know I'm only 23 but I've had to deal with alot of managment and I have several different methods, depending on the situation, and I'm happy to site general examples.

[Skirmisher]

Well SHM, PB and Anticor hit it on the head.

Follow existing disciplinary action procedures. Document the hell out of everything and get her on warning for not doing her job properly.

Then its up to her and you will be in the pink no matter what.
If she cleans her actup fantastic, if she doesnt then you still have one weak link out and can replace it with someone better suited for the position.

Its interesting because I was just talking to another family member about a situation like this and explaining how the disciplinary actions that we utilize really should be seen as a helpful corrective tool by both the person being desciplined and those having to enforce the policies. Unfortunately many people in the US today are sorely lacking in the profesionalism needed to not take such things personaly as an attack on them and fail to take advantage of the chance to correct the actions in question.

Disciplinary procedures should be used more by supervisors in my opinion, not using them in an attempt to not appear mean or what have you will only cause more ill will in the end with the problem individual thinking that "Everything was fine till this jerk got on a power trip" kind of situation.

Ok, well I didnt mean to go on forever....ahem...so sorry heh.

Good luck with this idiot and let us know how things turn out if you can.

[DeV]

I think you'd be doing the company a favor by firing her. Im sure others have recognized that she's a lazy bum. I'd get rid of her with no regrets.

[Pierat]

Depending on what part of my season I have anywhere between 10 to 50 to 200 people working for me. We have a phrase here, we dont fire people often since we really want them to stay and for them to work good, so we say "They fired themselves". Ive always kept to a policy of being very very honest with my employees after reaching a stage that you seem to be at. If I were in your shoes, I would literally call her into my office and state it like this " I have a problem..... I have a employee I really want around, I know shes capable of really good work, she may be going through whatever, but shes getting what "seems" from your point of view to be nothing done. If you dont see results in about a week you feel like you have no choice, and that upsets you... It upsets you because you feel that its not in her best interest or your companys.....
Also say that you dont want to start off your career there by getting rid of some of its best employees. (Yes, compliments might help) Then finish it off by asking her nicely to please help you out.

I know this is a different approach, and its actually very manipulative... it makes you seem like a nice person though, and sort of pulls out the remaining strains of hope and life from them. If that doesnt work within a week, then you explain to them that they fired themselves, you put it as plain as you could a week ago.

[CrystalTears]

Speaking as a rep who has to pick up the slack when someone feels they don't "need" to do anything because of their "seniority", can her.

I mean if they're going to take up the slack, at least they'll know it's because they're less a person, not because of a person that's getting paid to fan her ass all day.

I wish people would stop using their personal life as a crutch to dismiss their responsibilities. Fine, if you have a crisis, it's for a day or so and then you move on. More than that is just freeloading and it pisses coworkers off because now they're just all excuses.

When the guy here rants about how he's been in customer support for over three years and not going anywhere and should be given... something.. not sure what he could possibly be handed cause even he doesn't know what he wants... I tell him to STFU and quit if he hates it so much cause I hate taking his calls. He pouts and walks back to his desk and goes ready. Yeah that's what I thought. :fu:

[Soulpieced]

I'd say the main point I have to make has been said by a few people. Make SURE you get everything you can in writing and documented. Just in case this lady is a psycho and will attempt to make a lawsuit (worst case scenario), you have obvious proof. There is no excuse for sitting around not doing anything, and get the stuff in a contract or something of that sort.

[Scott]

Well, she's fired. I came in today and she took an hour break, and then came back on the phones and sat there for 15 minutes doing nothing. I live monitored everything so I called her up, told her to pack her things and go, she was not going to finish out the day. She cried, and swore at me for about 10 minutes and then packed up and left.

So, after sitting up in my office for awhile, I thought, well I better go down and talk to everyone who this is going to effect. On my way down stairs, I came up with an idea. I called all the other supervisors together and told them that I would sit on the phones as a supervisor (except when something really important came up) until we find someone to take her place. It was really embarrassing because I'm certainly not great at that job. There's like 5 phrases you can't say "No, Can't, I don't know, THEY instead of WE (as WE are a company) and "You HAVE to." Needless to say I spent all day down there giving everyone a laugh with my sad display of telephone skills. I also talked to everyone in the floor and just to get to know everyone.

It seemed to turn out good, since most people told me they never got to meet previous people in my position. So I may have ate my own words because I'm absolutely horrible when it comes to handling those people. I normally just swear at them and block their number, so now I have to be somewhat nice to them. For anyone that has a call center job, I really feel for you, because it's a difficult job.

I think it worked out good. I got to meet everyone face to face, including the new hires, all the way up to the supervisors. I got to talk with everyone about things the liked and disliked and what I could do to help them. And I also got to give everyone a good laugh handling calls.

[GSTamral]

Firing people is something you just have to do in the best interests of the company. In my time, I've done the following, and all of my employees are corporate.

1) sent someone home for wearing open toe shoes
2) sent 4 people home for arriving at work unshaven
3) warned 1 person and put them on probationary status for 30 days for wearing a religious symbol in the open, and not underneath their shirt.
4) fired a person for displaying political signs on their car in the parking lot, as well as signs in their cube.

All of those decisions seemed hard ass at the time, but to be a good manager, you HAVE to represent the ethics and culture of the business. If I had an employee that wasn't working and just taking breaks on a repeated basis, I wouldn't just fire them, I'd have them escorted out of the building and I'd have their personal belongings mailed to them. Having an off day once in a while happens. Having off days all the time, or weekly, and you can have off days for someone else's company.

[Scott]

That's not me. I personally don't have a problem with anything you do as long as it doesn't effect others. Religous symbols (within reason), jewelry etc. That isn't a problem for me. Unless it's a disturbance to someone, then it isn't a problem. My door is ALWAYS open and several people have come in to my office when there is a problem, and I handle that accordingly.

When I have meetings and have clients in, everyone does dress to perfection. Cubical employees take everything down except for family pictures. Anyone in an office that will not be visited takes everything down, unless they keep their door shut and window blinds closed (If they have a window that is visible to someone walking by.) Everyone wears dress clothes, tucked in, dress shoes, and no jewelry except for one earring in each ear, a watch, and necklesses that are tucked into the shirt and not displaying any symbols. I inform them that someone is coming in, and they do what is asked. I've NEVER had a problem with that.

I always found that being relaxed is the way to go, but keeping a tight leash on any problem that arises. Such a case was an employee who didn't shower often. She looked nice, but she smelled like a sock. I basically informed her that she needed to shower, and find a new job. The problems I have encountered since working have been from previous people in my position, and I pretty much handled everything except for this person (which of course is now handled). Do your job, you'll keep it. Work your ass off and I'll give you a raise.

The reason that this descision was a tough one was because previous people in my position hadn't said anything, and actually loved her, so she expected the same from me. I've always found that when you give people freedom, they'll work harder for you, and I haven't had any problems.

[Scott]

Oh of course, none of the above apply to me, and anyone who is active in the office. I am NOT allowed to have any religous items, I'm not allowed to have my office filled with posters and stuff. As a person in my position, I do need to keep a neutral stance. How fair would it be for me to have religous symbols in my office, only to tell someone else they had to take them down because it was making someone feel uncomfortable. Or how uncomfortable it would be for someone to come in my office and see crosses and then tell me that someone who has a cross on their desk is making them uncomfortable. It does depend on the position, but anyone corperate is not allowed to have any religous symbol on display.

[Souzy]

Originally posted by GSTamral
Firing people is something you just have to do in the best interests of the company. In my time, I've done the following, and all of my employees are corporate.

1) sent someone home for wearing open toe shoes
2) sent 4 people home for arriving at work unshaven
3) warned 1 person and put them on probationary status for 30 days for wearing a religious symbol in the open, and not underneath their shirt.
4) fired a person for displaying political signs on their car in the parking lot, as well as signs in their cube.


MY GOD! U R MEAN! I wouldn't be surprised that you work for a corporation, cos you're evil and stuff.

Anyway, the AM office manager irks me, cos by the time I walk in to kick her out, she leaves me a whole bunch of crap that she should've been doing when her ass was here. So, I end up doing most of her work for her and fixing her errors as well. Which takes me about a good hmmm...3-4 hours just to do? Then, I'm doing most of my work for the night, which is a pain in the ass! I don't understand what the Hell she does for the 8 or 9 hours that she's here.

Welps, that's my rant, cos I just finished her shit load, heh. I'm just taking a breather and venting. Anyway, bitch on Scott. :smilegrin: