A boss who has it in for you

cesc77

I feel my boss is waiting for me to step out of line before instigating disciplinary measures.He knows that I am a hard worker but I have made the "mistake" of saying no to him when I couldnt work when he wanted me to.I have several years with this company and am not a yes man,but have pulled my weight and helped out when others wouldnt.

Has anyone had a boss hold this powertrip over their head and if so,what have you done to protect yourself?

kfallon

Just don't step out of line and you're ok!

And if you do get the chop make sure you leave with the line, "Remember one thing, you're not always in your office" and wink.....even if you had no plans whatsoever for revenge it might give him the shits for a few days :P

Naikon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bam1cBQ2jlQ

dr.bollocko

He'll get bored and move on to hating the printer next week. Or the stupid broken hinges on the bathroom window.

Probably best to kill him.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1052
If you want SRS answers btw.
Lemme know.

policarp

Be your own boss.
The boss needs you.
Someone has to do the job.
So unless you think you're not
up for the job, tell the boss to
find someone else...

cesc77

dr.bollocko wrote: »

He'll get bored and move on to hating the printer next week. Or the stupid broken hinges on the bathroom window.

Probably best to kill him.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1052
If you want SRS answers btw.
Lemme know.

Ill forego the murderous option as I know he would enjoy the repercussions:pac:

Thanks for that.I wasnt aware of this section on boards

Pwindedd

policarp wrote: »

Be your own boss.
The boss needs you.
Someone has to do the job.
So unless you think you're not
up for the job, tell the boss to
find someone else...

This will only work if

a) you have so much money you don't need to work.

or

b) you have so little money being on the dole will actually improve your life.

kano476

Had a boss like that in my last job (service engineer), any excuse he would get HR involved and verbal warnings and written warnings over small things. He was just generally a horrible person who had too much power and spent most days keeping tabs on people or checking vehicle trackers and generally making it as awkward as possible for us to complete jobs. In the end I fell out with him when I was made redundant and he told me (through his secretary because he wasn't man enough to speak to me himself) that I wouldn't be getting reference off him.

Most times there is not much chance of winning in these situations. These people generally have the backing of any HR department and unless you are in a union you are pretty much on your own. The only thing is to make sure you have a representative with you (a colleague or another manager) at any disciplinary meeting who can step in and call a halt to a meeting if it's heading towards resulting in disciplinary action. They can also take minutes of meeting.

Your entitled to say no to working extra hours, although never popular from a management point of view. Fair play for standing up for yourself.

unbeat

Take no shyt from jumped up little corporals, theres always a way to win with or without them knowing it. if theyre dumb enough you can do it right under their noses.

cesc77

kano476 wrote: »

Had a boss like that in my last job (service engineer), any excuse he would get HR involved and verbal warnings and written warnings over small things. He was just generally a horrible person who had too much power and spent most days keeping tabs on people or checking vehicle trackers and generally making it as awkward as possible for us to complete jobs. In the end I fell out with him when I was made redundant and he told me (through his secretary because he wasn't man enough to speak to me himself) that I wouldn't be getting reference off him.

Most times there is not much chance of winning in these situations. These people generally have the backing of any HR department and unless you are in a union you are pretty much on your own. The only thing is to make sure you have a representative with you (a colleague or another manager) at any disciplinary meeting who can step in and call a halt to a meeting if it's heading towards resulting in disciplinary action. They can also take minutes of meeting.

Your entitled to say no to working extra hours, although never popular from a management point of view. Fair play for standing up for yourself.

I am in a situation right now where I am defending myself as I have no faith in unions and do not want to drag a colleague into being a witness,

I refuse to be pushed around anymore and am not after compensation should the worst come to the worst,but there are multiple colleagues being brow beaten by this one particular manager.

I am tempted to record conversations and interviews covertly but wonder where this leaves me legally.

Naikon

If you have to engage with HR, it won't be for positive reasons. As they say, HR exists to protect the corporate entity. No matter what the cost. I will NOT engage in petty office politics/rituals. It's just not in me.

One can dream:(

cesc77

unbeat wrote: »

Take no shyt from jumped up little corporals, theres always a way to win with or without them knowing it. if theyre dumb enough you can do it right under their noses.

Theyre not dumb though,they cover every base but use intimidation(gently but persistantly) and cover their own backs so that I am the one who is seen as irresponsible/irrational.

TheZohanS

cesc77 wrote: »

I am in a situation right now where I am defending myself as I have no faith in unions and do not want to drag a colleague into being a witness,

I refuse to be pushed around anymore and am not after compensation should the worst come to the worst,but there are multiple colleagues being brow beaten by this one particular manager.

I am tempted to record conversations and interviews covertly but wonder where this leaves me legally.

You can't use these recorded interviews afaik. If your boss is being a dick then keep a journal and make note of when he steps out of line, having records like this will stand in your favour should you ever need to go to the Labour Court etc. Brush up on constructive dismissal legislation too.

Dyr

cesc77 wrote: »

I feel my boss is waiting for me to step out of line before instigating disciplinary measures.He knows that I am a hard worker but I have made the "mistake" of saying no to him when I couldnt work when he wanted me to.I have several years with this company and am not a yes man,but have pulled my weight and helped out when others wouldnt.

Has anyone had a boss hold this powertrip over their head and if so,what have you done to protect yourself?

Take records of everything, including when you said "no" to him detailing your reasons why. Either as minutes of a meeting or as an email to him or whatever. Keep records and don't accept informal verbal communication as sufficient for a serious issue. If the guy is lining you up for disciplinary proceedings he will be doing the same and it won't be what actually happened that will matter but what is recorded.

Understand your employers disciplinary proceedings and its bullying and health & safety policy. If he's breaching them (or the law ) then I'd pre-emptively drop the hammer on him with HR. HR wont side with you but you'll find vindictive bosses are often cocky enough to cross the line in these areas.

Naikon

TheZohan wrote: »

You can't use these recorded interviews afaik. If your boss is being a dick then keep a journal and make note of when he steps out of line, having records like this will stand in your favour should you ever need to go to the Labour Court etc. Brush up on constructive dismissal legislation too.

But written records can be fabricated. I would not trust written records without some sort of verification. As far as I am aware, recording someone without their knowledge is illegal. I am open to correction on that one though.

kano476

cesc77 wrote: »

I am in a situation right now where I am defending myself as I have no faith in unions and do not want to drag a colleague into being a witness,

I refuse to be pushed around anymore and am not after compensation should the worst come to the worst,but there are multiple colleagues being brow beaten by this one particular manager.

I am tempted to record conversations and interviews covertly but wonder where this leaves me legally.

Not sure about recording informal conversations but your entitled to make your own notes at meetings and respectfully withdraw from them if your feeling cornered.

Seriously though it can be a bit intimidating sitting there on your own. A tactic my last boss used to use was to pack his side of the table with HR people and managers. So when one of us was in trouble we just used to get a union official and some of "the lads" in to make things as difficult as possible.

If there are multiple colleagues being treated this way then i'd imagine that they won't mind attending meetings. Need a bit of old fashioned commie solidarity here!

Ricardo G

At this stage you really need to think about riding his daughter....make losing your job worthwhile

kano476

Naikon wrote: »

But written records can be fabricated. I would not trust written records without some sort of verification. As far as I am aware, recording someone without their knowledge is illegal. I am open to correction on that one though.

You can request a copy of their notes and vice versa at the end of the meeting.