Employee too concerned with what i am doing and they report to me. Help!

[preraph]

I'm glad things worked out for the time being. Hope it lasts. There are always a couple of people trying to pull a coup to gain power for themselves. I hate those people. They can work like I did and earn the position.

[Fugu]

Mr lucky sorry you must have misunderstood me, it's not the entire staff, it's a select few. I have staff who were witnesses and backed up that what I said was and has been happening was true. I have staff who are great workers and will do anything I ask without a complaint.

 

I had a meeting with management and they told me they support me 100%. They told me they took care of the issue and I shouldn't have any further issues and if we do then they will be on the verge of being sacked.

 

I am very happy with the outcome currently as today I didn't have a single issue. Everyone had their heads down and were actually working compared to stopping and standing in the corner talking in a group.

 

I had never taken anyone in the office before for anything and I was told by my management that I should , and I finally got the courage to do it.

 

I have been putting up with bad behaviour for way too long and am glad I nipped it in the bud.

 

I think you definitely have to address bad behavior, but I wouldn't rely on your title. I would see this as an opportunity to reset the relationship and communicate more openly with them. On one hand you lay out clear expectations for performance and behavior, but on the other hand, you communicate to them that you genuinely want to help them grow and become better as well. Don't just lead by titular authority, lead by example as well.

[Timshel]

Missingu, it would be beneficial to take the time to observe each of your team members in order to evaluate in which ways they most benefit your company.

 

For example, Tom is an extrovert who may work in short bursts but in that, generates sales/profit. Joan is a skilled multitasker who while somewhat introverted, can accomplish several tedious tasks within short hours.

 

 

Typically, people who feel valued and are let to do what they are good at are less likely to scream at their superiors. Screaming at supervisors is usually an automatic let go and the screamer is fully aware of the possible consequence. It means they don't feel valued and have ceased to care. Short of a mental health crisis, it means that they are not being properly utilized within the team.

Productive professionals neither bully or scream.

 

 

You've received good advice from posters to continue to brush up on your managerial skills. It is an acquired skill and I'm sure you will get there with active listening and experience.

 

 

Good luck!

Edited December 8, 2018 by Timshel

[missingu]

Missingu, it would be beneficial to take the time to observe each of your team members in order to evaluate in which ways they most benefit your company.

 

For example, Tom is an extrovert who may work in short bursts but in that, generates sales/profit. Joan is a skilled multitasker who while somewhat introverted, can accomplish several tedious tasks within short hours.

 

 

Typically, people who feel valued and are let to do what they are good at are less likely to scream at their superiors. Screaming at supervisors is usually an automatic let go and the screamer is fully aware of the possible consequence. It means they don't feel valued and have ceased to care. Short of a mental health crisis, it means that they are not being properly utilized within the team.

Productive professionals neither bully or scream.

 

 

You've received good advice from posters to continue to brush up on your managerial skills. It is an acquired skill and I'm sure you will get there with active listening and experience.

 

 

Good luck!

 

Yes I agree. I have told all my bosses I want to cross train people to do different jobs. The problem is I get a whole lot of attitude from people who just want to do the bare minimum. I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't. If i get them to learn something different then they bitch And if I just have,them do,the same thing all day they bitch.

 

They watch me and what I'm doing and then they ask my bosses what I'm doing and why can't the other leader do it instead. In other words why am i always on the computer and my colleague is always on the floor.

 

My colleague and I have discussed this and he likes the floor and when our supervisor is not there I must be at the computer to do everything. Bookings and stocktake and just be there if anyone needs anything. A lot of the time it is so busy that I need to help out my boss but they dont see that.

 

 

I'm so sick and tired of employees thinking that they have a right to know what I'm doing and i am their boss.

 

I'm the one who is there for all the long hours, at times without a break. I am the one who locks up. I am the one who fixes all of their problems. I am the one who makes sure the product is distributed to the right places and on time.

 

I just wish they would do their jobs and go home, instead of gossiping and bitching all day. But I have no doubt it's the same everywhere you go.

[Mr. Lucky]

 

I just wish they would do their jobs and go home, instead of gossiping and bitching all day. But I have no doubt it's the same everywhere you go.

 

Do these employees do anything good and/or productive during the day? If so, what efforts do you make to recognize and reinforce that behavior?

 

Sounds like a very negative atmosphere. My first goal would be changing that dynamic...

 

Mr. Lucky

[Amy1992]

The problem is I get a whole lot of attitude from people who just want to do the bare minimum. I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't. If i get them to learn something different then they bitch And if I just have,them do,the same thing all day they bitch.

 

They watch me and what I'm doing and then they ask my bosses what I'm doing and why can't the other leader do it instead. In other words why am i always on the computer and my colleague is always on the floor.

 

...I'm the one who is there for all the long hours, at times without a break. I am the one who locks up. I am the one who fixes all of their problems. I am the one who makes sure the product is distributed to the right places and on time.

 

I just wish they would do their jobs and go home, instead of gossiping and bitching all day. But I have no doubt it's the same everywhere you go.

 

Screaming at a colleague is evidently an unacceptable act merit disciplinary action. It also sounds like a particularly shocking symptom of a generally dysfunctional office where you, as a manager, perceive colleagues primarily in terms of being on your side or out to sabotage you.

 

You describe a situation where you are this very hard worker, surrounded by gossipy idlers. That's a mindset one often sees in very competitive workers who seek to elevate their status in the eyes of bosses by denigrating their colleagues. In dysfunctional offices they often progress. In more functional ones they get taken aside for discussions and coaching about good teamwork.

 

It sounds as though despite your promotion, you're still mentally in that place of elevating yourself by denigrating your colleagues. If you don't pull yourself to a more mature and inspiring (to others) level where you can see value in your colleagues and bring that value out rather than focusing on how hard you work and how idle they all are, then you'll carry on contributing to the dysfunctional, political environment that clearly pervades your working environment.

[Malin889]

I feel like you should go straight to HR to get advice from them.

[missingu]

well I'm still having problems. This woman just doesn't get it. She constantly questions staffing, says who she doesn't want to see back. It's disgusting behaviour for someone who isn't a manager to have. She is a troublemaker who spreads negativity and decreases team morale by dragging others into things and what's worse is they cannot see what a piece of work she is. I'm so far over it I want us to work on getting rid of her

[brigit87]

well I'm still having problems. This woman just doesn't get it. She constantly questions staffing, says who she doesn't want to see back. It's disgusting behaviour for someone who isn't a manager to have. She is a troublemaker who spreads negativity and decreases team morale by dragging others into things and what's worse is they cannot see what a piece of work she is. I'm so far over it I want us to work on getting rid of her

 

You are the manager/supervisor and you need to have the respect from the ppl you are managing. There is nothing you can do unless you have the support from the people over you. I know that well. You and me are both in the same situation (sort of) I'm not a manager but I have a more "administrative" job than other workers who've been there for years. The people above me know I'm ready to walk and if they want me to stay then I need their support 100%. At this point I'm pretty sure I have that but who knows?

 

If I were you I'd have my resume out and start feeling around maybe there is a better environment you can work in.

 

My situation is very special and I'm volunteering at another place right now that always has job openings. So, if I really can't take the job anymore where I am there is always this other place that might have a position for me. However, I don't make the money you make and my husband supports me. If I decide not to work at all and just volunteer at places I feel comfortable with then I can do that. We will just have to cut back more.

 

But life is too short for you to feel horrible everyday. Put your resume out there and start interviewing.

[preraph]

well I'm still having problems. This woman just doesn't get it. She constantly questions staffing, says who she doesn't want to see back. It's disgusting behaviour for someone who isn't a manager to have. She is a troublemaker who spreads negativity and decreases team morale by dragging others into things and what's worse is they cannot see what a piece of work she is. I'm so far over it I want us to work on getting rid of her

 

Time to start making a report on her. If you write it up, the management HAS to at least address it.

[missingu]

Time to start making a report on her. If you write it up, the management HAS to at least address it.

 

 

 

I am documenting absolutely everything every day.

[missingu]

I am and have been being bullied for over a year now. Basically I was friends with someone in the workplace and as soon as I became her boss, she complained to me about everything she could until i told her that what she was complaining about was none of her concern and to please just do her job.

 

Ever since she has had a vendetta against me, I am a victim of character assassination as there are people who don't like me and I don't know why. I never had any problem with those people but they have a problem with me. They are new to the business and act like I'm the worst person in the world when they haven't given me a chance.

 

I go to work feeling sad, I am excluded by my working group and ignored. I don't engage in gossip as I find that to be quite unprofessional, I just want to do my job and go home to my family that I love. Work is all I think about on weekends and when I get home and I can't comprehend how a woman over 30 years older than me can be so nasty.

 

She watches everything i do all day and complains to my boss if she thinks I'm not working hard enough. She has started staring at me all the time, and it's starting to get on my nerves. She has gotten everyone on side (the other older women) and painted me as the bad girl.

 

How can I overcome this problem? Why are women so jealous. It's hard when I was one of staff and now since i was promoted above them they are so nasty. I don't think I'm better than them in any way, I'm just a bit more strict than what they are used to. I'm not on a power trip. I just want to get the job done well and go home.

[Art_Critic]

What does your boss say about this, normally when drama like this occurs in the end both people wind up leaving/getting fired..

 

I would also call what she is doing as not being a team member and creating a difficult place to work which is reason for being fired.

 

Why not fire her ?

[d0nnivain]

This problem has been going on for a while & you posted about it before https://www.loveshack.org/forums/platonic/business-professional-relationships/670736-does-behaviour-deserve-written-warning

 

Perhaps it's time for you to look for another job where you come in as a manager. To paraphrase the Bible, a newly minted manger is not respected by her former colleagues.

 

If you are the boss, you can't be excluded from your own working group. Somewhere in here you lack the leadership assertiveness to take charge. A fresh start where you have no history with the subordinates may be best.

[Wallysbears]

My department admin copped an attitude with me a few weeks back for a few days in a row.

 

I pulled her into my office, explained it wouldn’t be tolerated, she doesn’t have to like me but her responsibities were XYZ and I expected them done...or I would speak to her boss (admin staff technically report to the office manager)

 

She explained she was stressed over ABC personal matter and apologized. I offered to help however I could with that.

 

Problem solved and life moved on.

 

Can you speak to her and address the situation? And try to resolve it?

[Geraltt]

When I was a youngster and was having trouble with a bully at school, my mother said, "Just ignore it and he'll go away."

 

She was wrong.

 

Bullies take that as tacit acceptance; not standing up for yourself is an invitation to continued bullying.

 

The only thing that stopped my bully in his tracks was a punch in the mouth and a bloody nose.

 

Now, I'm NOT suggesting that you get physical with this bully, but you are going to have to stand up for yourself, clearly and in no uncertain terms. Privately (do you have an office where you can close the door? If not, go off-site), let them know that you know what they are up to and you have had enough. Take notes, with dates, times and exact words/phrases used.

 

Deal with facts, not feelings.

 

And bear in mind that if you're her superior, that doesn't mean you should also be her friend. One of the biggest mistakes new managers do - I did this too when I first was managing people - is try to be everyone's friend.

 

You're not there to be their friend. You're there to manage their skills and abilities to get the best from them and further the aims of the organization. You can be friendly but you do not have to be their friend.

[Wallysbears]

Leadership 101:

 

Praise publicly and often

Criticize privately and infrequent

 

Address with her privately the issue

Praise her in public for what she does well

[Mr. Lucky]

I am the victim of upward bullying

 

First off missingu, there's no such thing. There are simply employees that do their jobs, and employees that don't. And there are known and proven systems for reinforcing the former and addressing the latter.

 

Agree with d0nnivain, there are challenges in managing those who were recently peers. There are countless resources, start with the "One Minute Manager" and work from there.

 

Sorry, but at this point, she's not the problem. You are...

 

Mr. Lucky

[preraph]

It's important to have hire/fire authority when you take over a managerial position especially when friction and resentment can be predicted. I had a similar thing happen to me. A guy I worked in the same office with later ended up under me. He wanted my job before I got it. He was a real jerk and turned the rest of the office, a small group, against me. But I negotiated hire/fire authority before I accepted the position because been there, done that. I did get rid of him, but he wasn't the last problem person since he'd poisoned the pool. He left when it became obvious he was now on my bad side.

 

Cross your T's, don't do anything reportable. Write that person up every time you catch her at something and let upper management know she's undermining you with gossip, and making false accusations and put it IN WRITING so they can't just ignore it. File one copy with your superior. If nothing is done, file it with HR or his superior until someone does something.

[missingu]

I have a few employees who seem to think it's their business to know what I am doing all day. They speak about it behind my back with other employee, saying how useless I am and saying what would she know about being a manager anyway?

 

They watch me like a hawk, always guessing that I'm doing nothing which is of course completely incorrect.

 

What makes my employees think they have any say in what I do. I even have one who will go over my head all the time with different complaints and refuses to have me sit in on meetings. MY bosses tell me I'm doing a terrific job and keep up the great work. Im kind of tired of being micromanaged by my own employees who have zero authority.

 

I should mention I used to be on their level until I got promoted and ever since I've had nothing but trouble. How do i fix this problem I'm sick and tired of their smart ass attitudes and comments on things when I know they couldn't do my job for a day.

[d0nnivain]

We've been over this. Because you were promoted from within you are not getting respect.

 

If this is going to get fixed you have to fix it. I'd tell your boss that you feel the other employees are being insubordinate because they haven't accepted your authority & that you are going to speak to them.

 

Then I would call a meeting & lay down the law. Put it all out there.

 

"I'

m

now the boss & you will treat me with respect due to the confidence the company put in me. I will no longer tolerate insubordination. If you don't like & respect my authority, there is the door. If you continue to waste company time gossiping or speculating about my job rather than doing yours, there will be consequences. Are we clear?"

 

You have to be the Boss. You are no longer their friend.

[Mr. Lucky]

We've been over this. Because you were promoted from within you are not getting respect.

 

Spot on, though I'll also add you're not modeling effective leadership.

 

What you describe is just like high school all over again - cliques, gossip and rumors. And now as then, the more attention you pay to it the more credence it gets. "It must be true, right? missingu was so upset over it she spent the morning in her boss's office talking about it". Lather, rinse, repeat...

 

Simply focus on doing your job and, as d0nnivain said, requiring them to do theirs. Avoid the water cooler, break room and any non-task related discussion. If their performance doesn't improve, terminate one of them, the others will get the message.

 

Stay above the fray and the issue will go away...

 

Mr. Lucky

[preraph]

They're undermining you. I had one who tried popping into my office for just about the same reason and I put a lock on the door and got rid of her as soon as I had something actionable on her.

 

It is never a good idea to take a managerial job unless you have hire/fire authority. Just in the future, make that a condition of taking a position.

 

If you're not acting like a boss, you need to start. You will not be their friend anymore, so don't even try. Boss them around and if they sneak around seeing what you're doing, tell the person, Don't you have anything better to do? Do I need to assign you more work?

[S2B]

Keep them so busy they don’t have time to see what you may be doing.

 

When I’m busy... I am not concerned with others work - I am just busy getting my work done. If needed give them twice the work they have now - they obviously havetoo much free time to be nosy.

 

If they can’t keep up - let them go.

[mrs rubble]

We have managers who used to be on our level here too. One in particular is not well respected. Why? Because she uses work time to travel to and from work, she takes extra long morning tea and lunch breaks, and she spends at least an hour wandering around gossiping with everyone. Are you doing anything like this missingu?