Really feeling down... major problems with job

LegacyUser

Not sure if this is the right forum but would prefer to be unreg for this.
Going to bore you all now lol.

I work part-time in retail, not gonna be too specific. It was basically just a job to pay for my car and some money to save for whenever I finish uni etc but I made good friends in the process and I've now been there for well over 2 years and I haved also moved up in the workplace.

There have been a few times where I wasn't happy in my job but in the last 6 months or so under a new manager, I've been completely miserable. The boss has made life very difficult for me and things had been going downhill ever since she publicly reprimanded me in front of other staff and customers for complaning about a work related issue. Ever since then, she has given me totally menial jobs, and far too many tasks to cope with in a single shift, often resulting in my work not getting done making me look like I'm not capable. I have been put on the work rota at different times from the manager (which I'm almost glad of but it looks totally obvious that she hates me). Many other little things have happened but what really got to me was last week I turned up at work to find my locker had been taken away and all its contents. I was not contacted or present when this happened and I'm pretty sure that's breaking the law. I know that the employers have every right to search your property but surely you have to be there? That was the last straw for me and I still haven't been given my property back.

Under the circumstances, it looks like I should just quit as its only a part time job, but like I said, I've made good friends (most of whom are getting fed up as well), and I have also worked my way up and do not want to start anywhere else from scratch. I feel completely miserable and any night before I have to work I never get a good night's sleep because I'm worrying that much. I've been very tempted to take a grievance procedure against the manager as it's impossible to approach her but I'm worried she'll make my life hell if I do.

Any views on this would be greatly appreciated. Hope I didn't bore you all to tears!!

Jack B. Badd

UnregGirl0808 wrote: »

Many other little things have happened but what really got to me was last week I turned up at work to find my locker had been taken away and all its contents. I was not contacted or present when this happened and I'm pretty sure that's breaking the law. I know that the employers have every right to search your property but surely you have to be there? That was the last straw for me and I still haven't been given my property back.

What have you done in response to this?

LegacyUser

Because I haven't been working with that manager, I've asked other managers who say they don't know anything about it, so I haven't found out any more info on what happened.

pookie82

Ask any manager that you're dealing with for a chat. Tell them you want to report the missing property formally and also issue a formal complaint about the treatment you're receiving. Make sure you get to talk to someone who's above your manager and if at first go it doesn't gain results - persist. Have a talk with a general manager re the property thing first - that's definitely not right so don't just ask a couple of questions and then let it go - and then issue your complaint. MAke it clear that you're not out to cause trouble but feel pressured and targeted at work by one person. If your workmates are also unhappy and notice that things are not above board, maybe talk to them and ask if they'd all be willing to say something. (This probably won't work out, as people love to bitch about a crap job but rarely have the guts to get together and confront the problems). But you might be lucky if others are fed up, and there's strength in numbers.

If none of this gets you anywhere, at least you haven't sacrificed a life-long career by speaking up. You may like he job and your workmates but no part time job is worth sleepless nights and that amount of stress. It's just not good for you, so take measures to address it, or leave. If you're boss is reprimanded from above then she'll more than likely wind her neck in and lay off. If not, like I said, you're not losing out on a major career opportunity by having to leave and no job is worth that amount of stress.

Good luck!!

LegacyUser

pookie82 wrote: »

Ask any manager that you're dealing with for a chat. Tell them you want to report the missing property formally and also issue a formal complaint about the treatment you're receiving. Make sure you get to talk to someone who's above your manager and if at first go it doesn't gain results - persist. QUOTE]


Hit the nail on the head here, thats exactly what you should do. the least it will do is let the person know your not going to take sh*t from them!

estar

start taking notes, keep a diary of everything

if you are given a list of tasks, ask for how long she expects each
to take. take note of that.

if she shouts at you, be calm. remember that the person who
shouts, is the person who has lost control and power.

i would take all the notes that i can, and then approach a hr manager
with them. the fact that previous to this manager you had been
moved on means there is a clear line demarking where you
began to underperform.

dont give up your job without a fight. even if you end up
leaving because of it, if you make a complaint the next
person she victimises will find it easier to be heard.

the other option is to kiss her as& and make up with her
and apologise, and seek amends - along the lines of
cant we get along etc etc

since this is a part time job and you can most likely find another
one i know which option id be taking.

what you have to remember though is that hr procedures
are usually useless. they will just put a mark on her record
and leave her in her job as shes full time and your part time.

however if she looks for promotion and has more than one
record she will find it hard.

LegacyUser

Thanks for all the advice guys, I recently started taking notes of things (like the locker incident) and have written a letter of complaint (but haven't actually done anything with it yet!). Only thing is, she's the highest in the place and so I'd need to go to HR if I want to take matters further- and I wouldn't know how to go about doing it, and I'm sure as you've already said, very little will come of it. She's not the sort of person who takes things well and is very crafty and basically rips you to shreds, so I don't know if I could discuss things with her, but I will ask about my property cos I really can't let it go. It was mostly rubbish but it was still my stuff!
I always thought I was quite good at my job until this all happened :-( nothing is good enough and I'm feeling totally unappreciated.

Thanks for all the advice so far!

LegacyUser

Got my things back finally, but no explanation or apology. Don't really want to get into an argument by saying I was annoyed about it but feel like I can't let it go :-(