by simplesally 38 Replies latest jw friends
I think you have two problems. A wishy-washy GSM and a receptionist that should be fired
j--- I agree with everything you said. I am going to re-read this Tuesday and stick to my guns!
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Sirona,
Thanks for the PM. Sounds like you were right, we have the same situation going on. So much of it has to do with petty jealousy, in both our situations.
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X, can you come out and train him for me??
I have had receptionist positions in the past and one of the things that got me hired in one job was when my prospective boss asked me how I viewed the position of receptionist. I felt that my behaviour and attitude toward clients reflected on the entire company, and that customers wanted a receptionist that was welcoming, courteous and professional, and that co-workers needed someone to ensure that that their messages came through correctly and legibly, and that they could trust that their customers would be treated in a way that would make them want to come back. I said it was like people arriving by boat to the USA for the first time and feeling inspired at the sight of the Statue of Liberty as opposed cringing as a garbage scow floated by.
I seriously don't like that she's flaunted her sexuality to you. That has absolutely no place on the job. Your company has a dress code, yet she feels that she doesn't have to abide by it, and it detracts from the professional image that the company wants to portray.
It's going to be tedious and time consuming for you, but you may need to start keeping a log documenting the dates and times and specifics of her inappropriate and unprofessional behaviour. You'll also have to watch your back and make sure you deal with her in an utterly professional manner, without making any reference at all to her sexual preferences or her weight issues (because if you do, those can result in discrimination suits).
It's really a shame that people in these positions are not required to take some kind of entry level training to know how to behave professionally. Sometimes I really think these kids have no clue how to behave on the job and think they can get by the same way they did through high school.
Love, Scully
(((((Sally))))):
But...........he said Tuesday, we will talk to her together.......... I told him, I am not defended anything I said or did. All I know is I hate confrontation, I am wondering what I will say to her in this meeting. I don't want to get into a recital of situations with her. I just want her to do her job and stop getting her nose in everyone's business.
I like what Scully said:
It's going to be tedious and time consuming for you, but you may need to start keeping a log documenting the dates and times and specifics of her inappropriate and unprofessional behaviour. You'll also have to watch your back and make sure you deal with her in an utterly professional manner, without making any reference at all to her sexual preferences or her weight issues (because if you do, those can result in discrimination suits).
IMHO once you get confrontational you've lost the battle! If I was you I would make a log of as many situations including dates of exactly what exchange went on between you and her and present that to the meeting. Let her own actions condem her. You have acted as a manager should, she has acted like a bad employee, let that stand. Continue to be professional and don't get sucked into the emotional aspects, facts are facts distance yourself from any kind of argument.
Good luck and please let us know how it went.
Kate
I like what Scully said:It's going to be tedious and time consuming for you, but you may need to start keeping a log documenting the dates and times and specifics of her inappropriate and unprofessional behaviour. You'll also have to watch your back and make sure you deal with her in an utterly professional manner, without making any reference at all to her sexual preferences or her weight issues (because if you do, those can result in discrimination suits).IMHO once you get confrontational you've lost the battle! If I was you I would make a log of as many situations including dates of exactly what exchange went on between you and her and present that to the meeting. Let her own actions contemn her. You have acted as a manager should, she has acted like a bad employee, let that stand. Continue to be professional and don't get sucked into the emotional aspects, facts are facts distance yourself from any kind of argument.
This is absolutely critical. This type of person will try to sue if fired and thats why management is wishy washy. However, documentation will win court battles and there is a lot of precedent for this. If you document each and every occurrence faithfully, management will have to do something. Yes, you are doing their job for them, but someone has to act in this situation.
Good luck,
Sherry
LOL Sally- sure !! I'll be on the next plane
This "meeting" that he's suggesting with the three of you is, IMO -just not right. This is a management issue and it's simple and clear- she is not doing the job she was hired to do-period. To involve you-another member of the management team- to me clouds that issue and turns it into some sort of personality clash that simply doesn't exist (except with her and that's another one of HER problems) He needs to make it clear that she is there to do a job and she isn't performing that job at any where near the level she should be. And if she doesn't want to clean up her act and do her job, he'll find someone who will-period.
Has this woman held the job as Receptionist before? If so, where was it acceptable for a front desk person to dress the way she does? If so, where was it appropriate for her to take incomplete messages? One of the things we have as a requirement for being a Receptionist being sent out to clients of ours is that you have to have at least 3 years of verifiable and satisfactory experience in that capacity in the past. Too many people say "oh, he/she would be good on the phone" simply because they have a nice phone voice. It's a very important position and it takes the right person. She clearly isn't "IT"
To involve you-another member of the management team- to me clouds that issue and turns it into some sort of personality clash that simply doesn't exist (except with her and that's another one of HER problems)X -- this is how I feel as well and why I don't want to be there. I don't want to have a friendly little chit chat. It's not a personality thing. The other day my boss said it was too bad she has chosen to confide and lunch with Itzelle (the girl who works in our porter/housekeeping department). I asked him why that was too bad. He said well it would be better if it were you.
I kinda laughed and told him that I didn't want that to happen either. I feel being too friendly with her would create bigger problems. Familiarity breeds contempt. I told him this was a place of business, not a tea party and I don't think it's necessary for friendship to exist in order for professionalism to exist. I come to work to work and don't have time to spend on petty issues to assuage some twit's feelings or weird personality problems.
There was an incident with her a salesman. He was trying to fix the copier and she acted like she owned it. She yelled at him to leave it alone. She was pacing and yelling. Finally when she got her body over the salesman's, he was crouched down trying to unjam some paper, he kinda swatted her off the top of his body. She accused him of grabbing her and yelled at him. Well, this incident went up the ladder in the wrong way.........and she lied. I saw the whole thing and yet my GSM never ever asked me about this. This is another reason corporate is so upset with the way he is handling our Receptionist Situation.
If I wanted to handle personality issues and workplace 'relationships' I would have gone into Human Resources. For God's sake, I just want to go to work and get my work done..........I don't have the time or the patience to try to even deal with this girl.
Sally, you need to face some of YOUR fears and step up to the plate.
Your HR people have told you that you can write her up for her attitude.
Do it.
Right now this little dipshit has you pegged as all bark, no bite.
It's time you bit her.
And, if you haven't been doing it before now, you need to start documenting every infraction and offense. Create a paper trail that will support management's decision to fire her AND will support the decision of your State Labor Department not to pay her unemployment claim because whe will be fired with cause.
My question is, (am I the only one wondering?) Are these two having a fling? Seriously, once I worked in an office where a coworker behaved exactly like your receptionist, and WOE the clothes she got away with wearing. It wasnt cleavage she was showing, she wore the shortest of shorts. Reason why she got away with it all? She was doing the boss. Could this have anything to do with why he is so ineffective at getting her to behave? Maybe they are involved with each other? Just wondering..
The other day my boss said it was too bad she has chosen to confide and lunch with Itzelle (the girl who works in our porter/housekeeping department). I asked him why that was too bad. He said well it would be better if it were you.Good grief Sally!! It sounds like your boss has some pretty sexist views himself which are only facilitating the problem with this employee further !! "all the girls should hang out together" BLECH! And you are so right- it's not a tea party- it's a business and it's not about friendships (although those can happen too). It does appear though, that corporate recognizes that he's part of the problem and not the solution. You are definetly on the right track and it sounds to me that you are more qualified to be holding his position than HE is !!
My daughter started working a couple of years ago on a volunteer basis. Last summer they put her on the payroll. She'd come home and tell me some stories about working with others and one of the things that I stressed to her repeatedly is "this is work. You don't have to like everyone you work with and it's okay if you don't like them or they don't like you-just do your job. You don't have to invite them to your birthday party !!"
Wouldn't it be great if we could all work with real grownups?
Let us know what happens along the way
XW
I can only assume she hasn't been fired because of somebody wanting to avoid a lawsuit. Sheesh, she's begging for it.
From everything I've read you need to assume this person will need to be fired. I've heard stories like this so many times in termination lawsuits I've reported. You've gotten some good advice here and you should keep a detailed log of dates, incidents of unprofessional conduct, details of what you said, she said, et cetera. These are the things an attorney will ask you about if she is fired, she files a lawsuit and your deposition is taken. Specifics are everything.
I would go back and write a detailed history of this woman's conduct along with specific dates when things happened. Build up your evidence. For all you know, she wants to get fired so she can sue.
