I'm thinking I need xanax or a new job

[autumnnight]

Okaaay...whew.....don't know where else to go with this but I need a vent and some advice.

 

I have a full time job that I have had for a year. It started fine. I am very good at what I do. When I began this job, the boss was in a tizzy about some things that needed to get done asap. According to her, this big bad mean former partner had left her and the company in a lurch. They were dishonest, I sympathized. I got to work.

 

I ended up replacing someone who did not work out. Yay, promotion.

 

The problems started not long after. First, it was a coworker. I think she really liked the former person. I'm not sure. She was...blunt. I am a good gracious polite lady who learned tact from my mamma, so I rolled with it. Then she began cc'ing the bosses every time she wanted to pick something apart. Again, I take my job seriously. I figure the best way to deal with that is to come as damn near perfect as humanly possible 24/7.

 

Then....late fall I go on a trip. I never take a personal or sick day, but I took 3. As soon as I was in the wind, this coworker begins firing off emails about stuff I haven't done. Problem is, I HAD done them. She thought I hadn't been in touch with a couple of clients because she couldn't see it in the sales software. However, the clients and I had been communicating via phone and my work email. Ha! Of course, both bosses micromanage, and they all kept me glued to the computer most of the 3 days I was gone trying to put out the tattletale fire. Note to self - BCC the bosses every communication with clients.

 

Then I go to training directed the bosses directed me to go to. Again, while I am in class 9 hours a day here goes the coworker spinning her wheels again. This time I'd had enough and sort of threw down the gauntlet. One of the bosses confided that the girl has all these problems: special needs kid, single mom, AND a personality disorder in which she really feels no empathy and takes medication. She basically doesn't "get" social graces. OK, so I'll be patient. That is a tough hand to be dealt.

 

Meanwhile there are two other coworkers with amazing backgrounds who are great people people and know their stuff. They get tired of being yelled at by not only disordered coworker but by our bosses who are given to fits of emotion. Within a month, both of these really GOOD people leave.

 

Now the hyperparanoid boss is even more paranoid. Both bosses are getting all of the staff's email sent to them too so they can monitor us. I get that. It's within their right. BUT...if a client emails me and I haven't responded within about 10 minutes, I get forwards and nudges from the bosses just in case I hadn't seen it. Imagine this happening with every email.

 

NOW I find out that not only to THEY read all my emails, so does disordered coworker and another coworker, who can't seem to stay in their swim lane. I was eating with my family the other night. I got an email at 6:10 on a weekend night. At 6:18 I had gotten an email from EACH BOSS asking me what was the deal with this client's question blah blah.

 

Without giving away too much, let me just say that interactivity is supposed to be part of what we do. I was supposed to be part of a helpful product. That isn't what is happening. I am almost embarrassed about the bill of good our clients are sold. I still do MY part 150%, but what the client actually ends up getting makes me sad.

 

I am being smothered, micromanaged, and questioned to death. I am sick of it. I'm looking for another job but you can't rush the process. Oh, and at the prompting of someone, I went to a well known company review site and read the employee reviews. They owe countless former employees tens of thousands of dollars. I'm just sick about the whole thing.

 

Any tips to help my sanity?

Edited March 2, 2015 by autumnnight

[pink_sugar]

Yikes, sorry you have to deal with all that drama. Is there an HR department you can speak with about what is going on since management is siding with this woman? Single mom and special needs child are not excuses. No one made her have this child. When she is at work, she needs to put her issues aside. Good for you for being on the job hunt. It sounds like this company isn't going to be around much longer with the way they are doing business.

[writergal]

It's good that you're already job searching for a new job. Can you utilize head hunters too? That may speed up the process for you. But frankly, if your job environment is that unbearable, why not just quit and go join a few temporary employment agencies and get work that way, until you can land a better full-time job.

[carhill]

Self-employment. Beats any pill. Even on my worst day I'd sooner kill myself than go back to a 'job'. What I love about it is I can fire everyone, including customers!

 

I've got one who hasn't paid me and I've lured a bunch of key pieces of his almond shaking equipment into my shop and there's going to be a hostage crisis presently. It's fun!

 

Life is what we make of it. I tried the pills stuff. Dulls the mind. It's much more fun playing with humans when one owns the sandbox. Try it! Or listen to more reasonable advice!

[preraph]

They shouldn't be putting up with that disordered worker. That's nuts. She shouldn't be seeing your emails either. Ask them why she and the other one see them and why they think you should have to react when they have something to say about it.

 

I wouldn't want any job that requires being glued to your phone on your time off. As long as you're taking those calls, I don't see why they're both tapping you about it. Tell them as soon as you deal with it, you'll email confirming you did. Tell them the flow of emails is redundant and time saved all around if they just look for your confirmation.

[autumnnight]

Thanks so much for all your input. I do pretty well compartmentalizing and putting on the professional happy voice and face. I know I'll survive until I find something else.

 

Carhill, I actually got this job on the road to self-employment. I was doing contracting work in my field for a variety of people, trying to build up my own small business. And when they were so happy with my work they offered me a salaried position, I took it. I have 2 in college so that regular salary looked good - even though it is below the standard range.

 

The positives are I am getting good experience with stable pay, I am making connections while I work, and that will help down the road.

 

I DID decide to turn off electronically at 5:30 every week day. I'll do dinner, down time, whatever, then spend an hour if need be later in the evening. And no more than 3-4 hours each on the weekend days, and only if necessary. I've never been one to stick to "40 hours and no more" because I like to do more than is expected, but I do have a life.