Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Memo: My Boss is a Chump

Today, I came to the conclusion that good bosses and a positive work environment belong in the same category as unicorns and calorie-free ice cream—things that don’t exist.

Even since I admitted that I was ready to move to another institution for a different experience, those around me have taken pleasure in polluting my work space. They revel in telling my boss the fictional rumors they create—they lie about me leaving work early, yet forget to tell him how I attended a program with a 101 fever. They also neglect to mention how they spend their entire day playing Words with Friends or posting pictures to Instagram, all while I am busting my hump to get my work done so I can go home at a decent hour.

It would be too easy to remind my supervisor which employees arrive to work dressed in sloppy jeans and dingy sneakers instead of a professional outfit, or those who take 2-hour lunches. But, I refuse to defend myself by pointing out the failures of others, because I know it would do no good. Unlike my co-workers, I am not a petty bitch. I try to believe that eventually their laziness will be their downfall; however, until then, I have to work extra hard just to avoid being yelled at by the spineless jellyfish that is my boss.

To top it off, this afternoon he sent us a passive-aggressive memo listing, in detail, our responsibilities as well as when we need to report to work, just in case I had forgotten. For your reading enjoyment, I have included a few gems: “You are expected to report to your assigned desk chair at your prearranged time and leave at the prearranged time. Leaving early is not permitted unless permission is given for a request made at least 72 hours in advance” and “You are permitted to request release from office/desk duties when time is slow, but only if all employees vote in the affirmative”.

As soon as he hit the SEND button, the little coward slinked out the back office door and headed home with barely a wave. So much for the maturity of grown men in professional positions. 

3 comments:

  1. I have never heard of a Res Life job with defined work hours like that. Normally you can make your own schedule since you are attending programs and dealing with things at night. Sounds like kindergarten. However a supervision structure like that is going to cause people to act like children, you get want you expect.

    Good luck in finding something that works better for you. Nothing perfect exists, but there are definitely places better than what you are describing.

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  2. Likewise, your Res Life experience sounds very dissimilar to the duties that Hall Directors perform at my university. It's a much more laid-back environment. Everyone has their own office(s) in different halls, and they work hours from 9 AM to 3 PM at their leisure. They can rearrange these hours at will, provided they have no appointments and make them up during programs or other events. For all of the flaws of my university, they do seem to treat the Hall Directors well.

    You are very wise for sticking to your guns and approaching their criticisms professionally. If you are stuck in this kind of a militaristic environment and you are looking for greater challenges, I wouldn't be afraid to leave. I hope something works out in your favor soon!

    ~Shane

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  3. Shane is right! Dealing with it professionally only means that you are more mature than them. I’m sure you’ll soon find a place worthy of your talents. Good luck!

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