Strange/eccentric work colleagues

cannotlogin wrote: »

We had one of those too. The issue was resolved after a number of months but there were multiple meetings where hygiene, health & safety, etc were discussed at length.

Never found out who or why and management just covered it off with the standard "the issue has been resolved" line. No one left the company at the time either do it remains a mystery which is so strange given the lack of discretion in our office.

Seems to be quite common, anyone know the main reason behind it? Dirty protect or medical/psychological issues?

Seriously, this is quite common? The odd mess in a toilet I can just about understand. But outside that unless some kind of sudden illness I just can’t comprehend

castletownman wrote:

Now he is a nice guy, and really loved working here. Hasn't found a job since, and probably has some form of autism. But he would be completely unemployable in a busier work environment.

Yup, more than likely another aspie, all the signs of it anyway, and possibly undiagnosed, unemployment rates with the disorder is shocking, some research showing up to 80% unemployment rate with the disorder, the modern working world isn't kind to us aspies

We had an absolute oddity with us in the last 12 months- she came in to cover a mat leave, but constantly texted the woman she was filling in for asking when she was coming back. We warned her more than once that what she was doing was illegal.

She also told many tall tales about various degrees she held, amazing jobs she'd had before us etc. She then told me she'd interviewed for a job that paid 3 times what she was earning with us, and was subsequently offered the role. I did question how she was qualified for this very niche, high tech role (given that she was in an admin role with us and barely able to cope with that- I constantly had to check her work).

Low and behold, the day she was due to finish with us the role was magically 'withdrawn'. She left anyway and she then texted me that night to say she'd been offered another role that also paid the big bucks with another company.

Last I heard she'd left them after a matter of weeks.

Stheno wrote: »

Well I had a female colleague who tended to have problems with sanitary wear being sufficient and left chairs stained with menstrual blood regularly.

We hot desked, so on the first day of every shift, we would all carefully inspect the chairs at any free desks

She was also found once underneath her desk in the middle of a call (it was a call centre) trying to change said sanitary wear

I don't think that qualifies as weirdness/eccentricity. Now what would qualify is if someone was sniffing the blood stained chairs after she had sat on them. Pretty much guaranteed that someone has done this or at least thought about doing it.

Current area manager

Recent migrant to Ireland and Very vague background and experience.

He’s told us all different stories of where he worked and what he did.

Not just small differences but literally told one of us he was an ex professional soccer player and told someone else of time spent in Asia working on stock exchanges. Stuff that just literally could not both be correct.

To add to that he’s told us different stories as to where he lives in Ireland - ie he told me he lives in town a and he told my colleague he lives in town b.

We THINK he’s doing this to “keep us on our toes” as he gave a local town to each of us.

I genuinely do not think he could do my current role yet he is in a position of managing a team of 6 of us.

A very quick example - he literally did not know what yoghurt is - never encountered it apparently pre Ireland.

Obsessed with YouTube American gimmick sales techniques / upselling tricks/productivity “hacks”

He is not from Ireland and doesn’t seem to realize these “techniques” fall flat on their face in real world Irish business settings.

Sends around emails full of links to these videos to his sales reps and cc’s his own boss who thinks he’s showing initiative and motivating us all when In reality we are in disbelief and eye rolling

In meetings he will reference the links and god help you if you havnt watched it and know what the message in the video is.

A recent example of one video was some Indian guy slowly reading a summary of the “wolf of Wall Street” book

How this translates to selling and stocking food brands in convenience store multiples in rural Ireland is not clear....

Just 2 other quick examples

1.

One of the first meetings we had with him we were discussing the daily tasks we do and someone made a quick comment about how stock rotation in shops can be time consuming and that it can have a knock on effect on staying on schedule for the next shop call

Yer man stops the conversation - “what? What? Stock rotation what is that?”

So we explained that if you have the time you would generally look at the stock and rotate out the stuff that was near sell by date so it would be picked up by the customers in order. Saves wastage and the store appreciates it and it also makes it easier to gauge sales.

He literally hadn’t a clue about what we were talking about. Not a breeze. A whole new world to him.

Cue a 20 min discussion of stock rotation, the principles of stock rotation, principles of stock levels, layout to maximize sales - BASIC stuff you would probably be told on day 1 working in spar.

Knowing him he was probably straight into YouTube after the meeting to watch rakes of videos on it.

He has a habit too of dropping calls/zooms if complicated questions are asked. The joke we have is he has google assistant working overtime haha

2.

Long term employee absolute gentleman (30 years in the company) was retiring and at what would be his final monthly meeting the new area manager made what I would consider unnecessary “cheap shots” at his sales figures for the previous quarter.

We were literally speechless at his carry on. Over the top.

The retiree has more built up experience and know how in his little finger than the area manager will ever have.

Again we suspect he was doing this to get noticed by senior managers -“oh he always has the company interests in focus” type of thing.

Absolutely no need to do it, everyone else spoke glowingly of him and wished him well in his retirement - pure gentleman.

A jumped up pr1ck was one of the nicer descriptions on whatsapp that day

Anyone else following this thread just in case they recognise themselves?

If anyone wants a laugh look up the following link


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eRbEg5HosBo

Yer man sent that around quoting the title “best sales pitch EVER”

We were rolling around laughing at how to utilize that in kinnegad or urlingford to get the shop to buy an extra box of hula hoops off us 😂😂

tylercheribini wrote: »

I have never met somebody in my life who isnt a bit strange,some more than others of course.

you need to meet me, just to see:D

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

If anyone wants a laugh look up the following link


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eRbEg5HosBo

Yer man sent that around quoting the title “best sales pitch EVER”

We were rolling around laughing at how to utilize that in kinnegad or urlingford to get the shop to buy an extra box of hula hoops off us ����

Sounds like your guy has no qualifications relevant to his job and no experience and is just completely winging it and you have to say fair play to him he seems to be getting away with it for now.

Reading through this thread makes me appreciate my work colleagues, apart from someone who chews a bit loud and gets a bit grumpy occasionally I could have no complaints.

Oh he has a very extensive CV and qualifications pre coming to Ireland, if you believe him.....

anplaya27 wrote: »

Nor if you are an Irish Sign Language user. Huge unemployment rates and poverty in our community unfortunately. The majority who do have employment tend to work in very poorly paid jobs. You tend to be isolated from mainstream society.

yup, im somewhat aware of other disability sectors, precarious employment is an extremely serious problem for society as a whole, all we ask for is a fair chance and just a bit of respect, we have things to offer to society, if only we re given a fair chance

mariaalice wrote: »

Did work with someone years ago whose whole life was avoiding work, he could sit and do nothing for hours on end, also bizarre conversations about how he could not do physical work and appeared to think he was being taken advantage of by being asked to do physical work. Could never decide if he was a chancer or had mental health issues.

possible psychological issues going on there alright

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Just 2 other quick examples

1.

One of the first meetings we had with him we were discussing the daily tasks we do and someone made a quick comment about how stock rotation in shops can be time consuming and that it can have a knock on effect on staying on schedule for the next shop call

Yer man stops the conversation - “what? What? Stock rotation what is that?”

So we explained that if you have the time you would generally look at the stock and rotate out the stuff that was near sell by date so it would be picked up by the customers in order. Saves wastage and the store appreciates it and it also makes it easier to gauge sales.

He literally hadn’t a clue about what we were talking about. Not a breeze. A whole new world to him.

Cue a 20 min discussion of stock rotation, the principles of stock rotation, principles of stock levels, layout to maximize sales - BASIC stuff you would probably be told on day 1 working in spar.

Knowing him he was probably straight into YouTube after the meeting to watch rakes of videos on it.

He has a habit too of dropping calls/zooms if complicated questions are asked. The joke we have is he has google assistant working overtime haha

2.

Long term employee absolute gentleman (30 years in the company) was retiring and at what would be his final monthly meeting the new area manager made what I would consider unnecessary “cheap shots” at his sales figures for the previous quarter.

We were literally speechless at his carry on. Over the top.

The retiree has more built up experience and know how in his little finger than the area manager will ever have.

Again we suspect he was doing this to get noticed by senior managers -“oh he always has the company interests in focus” type of thing.

Absolutely no need to do it, everyone else spoke glowingly of him and wished him well in his retirement - pure gentleman.

A jumped up pr1ck was one of the nicer descriptions on whatsapp that day

It’s long past the stage where a heave is required to get rid of this idiot. Should not be too difficult

screamer wrote: »

I’ve managed so many of them at this stage I could literally write a book on it. I won’t give specific examples but I’ve seen some hair raising behaviour, for some people was the start of a breakdown. All IT people I might add, dunno, it seems to be an industry with a very unusual blend.

many on the spectrum, we re an oddity, but its all a bit of craic, the modern work place isnt really well setup for humans, as whats actually wanted is obedient robots....

tylercheribini wrote: »

“The problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts, while the stupid ones are full of confidence.”-Bukowski

Id take the company of the quite office "weirdo" any day of the week over the nattering empty vessel.

Yes indeed, having worked in a section full of caked-up extroverts I was the odd one!

Stheno wrote: »

Well I had a female colleague who tended to have problems with sanitary wear being sufficient and left chairs stained with menstrual blood regularly.

We hot desked, so on the first day of every shift, we would all carefully inspect the chairs at any free desks

She was also found once underneath her desk in the middle of a call (it was a call centre) trying to change said sanitary wear

This isn't odd or eccentric. The poor lady was probably suffering.

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

I wish?!

Senior management love him so far. They think he’s a breath of fresh air.

I think your team need to let him hang him self then...all that crap with social media is fine and dandy but they’ll want to see results soon

Wanderer78 wrote: »

The modern work environment is becoming less designed for humans to exist as humans, as what is wanted is obedient worker drones, who all behave the same, this is having detrimental effects psychologically on the worker drones, apologies, humans!

Humans will always have a kink, thats why were humans.