Random Topic: Workplace Drama

Well, I work with a bunch of nosey, drama queens at Staples and today a couple of things bothered me. Today it was the Store Manager's turn to drive me nuts.

First, the she caught wind that I applied at Macy's from another manager that I was disscusing it with. She had not talked to me for most of the night and I figured she had heard about me applying for another job and took it the wrong way. Then at the end of the night, I told her that I got the job and she said, "Well I heard you applied but that was it." (My first instinct confirmed.) Then I told her, "Yeah and I got the job and will be working there part time for the holidays." Not talking to me all night for applying at another store was stupid. So you can imagine what she then did when I told her that I got the job. After telling her that it was only for the holidays and I'd still be working 2 or 3 days a week for Staples, she started to relax. I guess she was just worried I'd be leaving right away and for good.

Not long after that little incident, she says something else that really puzzled me. She noticed that the pen section was messy and asked me if I had worked this past weekend. I told her "Yeah, why?" She just said it looked messy and she would talk to "My boyfriend" about it? WTF? She was referring to another one of the managers that I'm really good friends with who also worked this past weekend. She was quick to correct herself and said, "I mean your buddy, I don't know why that came out." At first I just thought she was messing around, but after she tried to correct herself, it really started to bother me. (I'm a guy by the way) Does she think I like him like that and let it slip or is she somehow jealous of my friendship with him? I've dated one of the girls who use to work there, so she should realize really quick what my preference is. I know she likes to joke around, but the way she said it was odd and the fact she corrected her self so quickly made it even stranger.

Anyone ever know someone who was legitimately jealous of a friendship of yours? Did they act like she did? And how about when a manager finds out that you applied at other stores when you still work for them?

are you a female?Cloud_Insurance

No, I'm a guy. I guess my post could of clarified that more.

Hm, it sounda a bit odd, and I'd probably agree with you. Either she's jealous of the friendshop, or she's just angry. Maybe she likes YOU? =O Really it's impossible to tell from that short story.

I once new a girl who was pissed off that I spent too much time with friends instead of her (she didn't like my friends), but that was only because she spent all of that time with her friend ignoring me (I didn't like her friends). I offered just tospend time with her, and her alone but she always dodged the question. I don't understand it. It;snotlike she was 'playing' me (since I didn't care) so she couldn't have been getting satisfaction from it.

Oh well, people, eh?

So what. I was called stupid, retard etc by this one employee until I finally brought it to the managers attention. Im usually a guy that likes to avoid confrontation and I kept tellin that stupid bastard to stop calling me out my name, but he continued. And also, my now supervisor is tellin everybody that Im a virgin, and he even called me the f slur for gay people, but that was before he got his little promotion. I really thought of leaving my stupid workplace after I heard he got the promotion. I_Am_Sin_Seared

So what. I was called stupid, retard etc by this one employee until I finally brought it to the managers attention. Im usually a guy that likes to avoid confrontation and I kept tellin that stupid bastard to stop calling me out my name, but he continued. And also, my now supervisor is tellin everybody that Im a virgin, and he even called me the f slur for gay people, but that was before he got his little promotion. I really thought of leaving my stupid workplace after I heard he got the promotion. I_Am_Sin_Seared

I'm sorry to hear that, but that supervisor wouldn't have a job if you report his actions.

[QUOTE="I_Am_Sin_Seared"]So what. I was called stupid, retard etc by this one employee until I finally brought it to the managers attention. Im usually a guy that likes to avoid confrontation and I kept tellin that stupid bastard to stop calling me out my name, but he continued. And also, my now supervisor is tellin everybody that Im a virgin, and he even called me the f slur for gay people, but that was before he got his little promotion. I really thought of leaving my stupid workplace after I heard he got the promotion. MetalGearRex007

I'm sorry to hear that, but that supervisor wouldn't have a job if you report his actions.

I would, but he's the guy that everybody likes. Im a quiet guy, and dont really talk to anybody, and for some reson Im a target I guess. So if I get him fired everybodys gonna hate me and the little friends I have will probably be uncomfortable around me. I dont know what to do really. He gets away with crap too. He tells off customers and stuff. But somehow he never seems to get in trouble. He's a massive brown noser of the managers so I dunno what's goin on. My time being employed at this place, Ive learned its not about how skilled and loyal to your job you are, its more about how many friends you have. and that sucks...

[QUOTE="I_Am_Sin_Seared"]So what. I was called stupid, retard etc by this one employee until I finally brought it to the managers attention. Im usually a guy that likes to avoid confrontation and I kept tellin that stupid bastard to stop calling me out my name, but he continued. And also, my now supervisor is tellin everybody that Im a virgin, and he even called me the f slur for gay people, but that was before he got his little promotion. I really thought of leaving my stupid workplace after I heard he got the promotion. MetalGearRex007

I'm sorry to hear that, but that supervisor wouldn't have a job if you report his actions.

So yea man, I feel your pain when you tell me your story of how people abuse their power and stuff.

If a supervisor was questioning what I was doing on my time off I would advise them that it is non of their business and I will utilize my free time however I see fit. Thrillhouse

Supervisor yah, but the manager has every right to know. If they can`t use you enough they might as well get rid of you and get someone part time who will work FT and be reliable.

For the TC at first I was going to say you`re over reacting and looking for small things to get mad about but your manager making the boyfriend comment, not in a joking manner, is completely unacceptable. Try talking to her directly about it and she doesn`t apologize or if it happens again go to her superior

Speaking as a former retail manager, I think what your boss may be trying to let on is that having a good buddy-buddy relationship with a manager is not a good thing. She (it's a she right?) might feel that by being so close to him, you might be trying to take advantage of that to try and get away with **** you might not otherwise get away with. I know some companies have some kind of fraternization policy that instructs managers on how they should conduct themselves while working, and although there's nothing wrong with being friendly with employees, there's a conflict of interest that arises when that manager starts becoming too close with them. That could be what she is trying to say, but the way she said it is, obviously, not the right way to go about it. You should've asked her to elaborate more.

I've worked with a few managers that didn't necessarily have the greatest people skills, so I became the one my employees would gravitate towards whenever they had an issue or whatever. It happens, and sometimes they might've felt a little resentment towards me because of that, but professionalism prevailed (sometimes) and they realized it's not a big deal if they weren't the "favorite" as long as the work gets done. This could be the case here as well, and she might've already brought this up with him, but my advice is, for the moment, leave it be. If she makes another offhand remark, then tell her you don't appreciate the comments and that she should just explain what it is that's bothering her.

Speaking as a former retail manager, I think what your boss may be trying to let on is that having a good buddy-buddy relationship with a manager is not a good thing. She (it's a she right?) might feel that by being so close to him, you might be trying to take advantage of that to try and get away with **** you might not otherwise get away with. I know some companies have some kind of fraternization policy that instructs managers on how they should conduct themselves while working, and although there's nothing wrong with being friendly with employees, there's a conflict of interest that arises when that manager starts becoming too close with them. That could be what she is trying to say, but the way she said it is, obviously, not the right way to go about it. You should've asked her to elaborate more.

I've worked with a few managers that didn't necessarily have the greatest people skills, so I became the one my employees would gravitate towards whenever they had an issue or whatever. It happens, and sometimes they might've felt a little resentment towards me because of that, but professionalism prevailed (sometimes) and they realized it's not a big deal if they weren't the "favorite" as long as the work gets done. This could be the case here as well, and she might've already brought this up with him, but my advice is, for the moment, leave it be. If she makes another offhand remark, then tell her you don't appreciate the comments and that she should just explain what it is that's bothering her.

elblanquito_81

Not a doubt in my mind that you were a manager haha, nicely said.

Not a doubt in my mind that you were a manager haha, nicely said.

I_Am_Sin_Seared