Thursday 2 February 2012

When the boss is always right.

About a year ago WA my work colleague came to me and said that she was being moved from her office and would be sharing the office with me. She also said that the boss had discussed it with her a month earlier and that everyone knew about the move. Five days later two strong me came in and moved her desk and computer into the office with me. The boss not once came and spoke to me about it which made it clear to me that he was not prepared to give me a say in the matter.
The boss wants us to have a family atmosphere type of business so I also think that because of this he should have spoken to me even if it was just to explain that new staff members were joining us or whatever his reason was for making this decision.
I immediately made an effort to get along with WA although I have a long standing grudge against her. When I had a nervous breakdown I mentioned a harrowing meeting with the boss one day and she said “listen GB, I am not interested”. I never burden people with my problems and like I said I just mentioned the meeting I did not go into a word for word account of what had happened.
Yesterday I get to work and immediately with my lunch and keys still in my hands the boss, WA and another colleague all three wanted help and my attention immediately.
The boss gets priority and he gives me a task to do and I help the other colleague. I put my cell phone, keys and lunch away and WA immediately starts telling me about her son’s medical problem. She just assumes that it is a convenient time for me and she just assumes that I am interested in hearing about her son.
This also happened about six months ago and when I gave her a short remark to show her - now is not convenient - she went crying to the boss who called me into his office and said if I did not watch how I talked to fellow staff members that I would get a written warning.
So while WA is talking to me I am ignoring her and I am checking which orders need to go out on the first trip of deliveries and the boss comes charging into the office and says “GB, you can have your private chat on your own time, I told you the task I gave you is top priority and I want it done immediately”.
WA has always been someone who loves chatting more than working and it was his choice to put her in an office with me. WA does not give me a chance to get a word in and I have asked her before not to engage me in a conversation when I arrive at work we can have a chat later on in the day when she is on lunch. I work right through never taking lunch.
Yesterday WA chatted and interrupted every person at work with her personal discussions about her problems not only on the health of her son but also her financial problems and then the day ended. She had been away from work for two days and she made no attempt yesterday to catch up on any of her work.
She left the office every ten minutes to either go buy snacks or to take a break. I gobbled my sandwich in between phone calls etc and when I came home last night I was exhausted because I am not sleeping right through during the night.