[Darth One]

I think this thread should have more of those workplace prank ideas. This will not only help Judy but the entire working world (I mean me)

[8thgenE92]

Originally Posted by Not_Judy

Here's the story: Due to lack of office space and my position being a new one, I was placed in the only office space they had....with her....no one else would take it. Me being a new guy, I had no choice. She has been here almost 20 years so her built up vacation time is vast. Her back up was the receptionist, she retired last summer. The new receptionist is still in the process of learning her job and is filling in for the "HR" girl who is pregnant and is about to be out on leave. Thus leaving only the "lady" doing procurement, the receptionist and myself in the office. Once HR goes on medical leave for her baby extraction and procurement takes her many vacations, this leaves the receptionist and myself being the only two in the office aside from the plant manager. Long and short of this is that no one else wants to deal with her so they are making me do it. Learning how to be her backup has now turned into learning every single aspect of her job, all while still juggling my job. She has yet to understand that just because I am helping that I still have a job to do. It has gotten severely out of hand to the degree of paging me off my breaks when she thinks they should be over, etc. Going to management and voicing my concerns only makes things worse as the plat manager and "HR" only go to her and tell her what I said thus compounding the issue.

I don't know if someone gave you this answer, but what you can do is document all the work you're doing that is not in your job title, once you make that file you can go to HR and show them the things you did and ask them to pay you more/ for your time. If you show them all the work you did that is not in your job description, you have to be reimbursed. You're basically doing two jobs, but are getting paid for one, they will either give you a raise or basically stop making you help her. I know my coworkers do that and HR just stop asking them to do something that is not in their job tittle. They have to pay you for you time unless you're a salary worker. My coworker says it all the time "that's not in my job title." (which is not because he gets paid less in his position, so they're basically making him work my position for less money)

[1MOREMOD]

Wish it worked that way I could double my pay easy. Good luck with that

[Turkish Pickle]

Originally Posted by Not_Judy

UPDATE:

This particular employee began her vacation last Friday. Work has been nothing short of a nightmare as the key players in the logistics team are all absent this week due to vacations, surgeries, etc. Also, we have been notified that the plant manager has decided to step down from his position and move back home. The employees that have been the backbone of this company for the past 20 years are abandoning ship at an alarming rate. At this point, I feel like Lord Helmet at the end of Space Balls. I continue to look for gainful employment elsewhere to no avail. I can't help but feel that most of you will read this in a depressing monotone dialogue narration, like sad cats diary. All hope is lost.

::Cue uplifting music:: Come Thursday, the menace of a coworker will be back in the office. She will come in to a nightmare of logistic issues that she did not train me for. To boot, the work that she worked so diligently at training me on....I didn't have to do any of it! She will come back on Thursday and have to take care of all this headache plus do her regularly scheduled duties. She honestly thought she was screwing me over by taking these days off then coming in Thursday and then taking the second half of the day Friday off, when in fact she will be beyond covered up all while I finish designing signage for our shipping yard. Ahhhhhh.....if I could only smoke a cigar and have a nice glass of whiskey whilst perusing these forums.....er......I mean diligently working.

(Side note: if you haven't seen Sad Cat Diary google that shit now.....and enjoy)

Good luck dood - wish you the best! Definitely beat her ass to the rat race and be the one that fixed her mistakes, NOT letting her be the one that fixed "your" mistakes.

Originally Posted by MKSixer

Ok, my friend I read the whole thread and there are some great suggestions and I love the idea that you're starting psyops on her. Now it's time to open another front and begin the administrative battle. HR is your friend if you er on the side of the company. Risk mitigation is their task. Let's dive in here:

1. Document EVERYTHING she says to you about any coworker that's negative. EVERYTHING. Time. Place. Target. Words. This will be difficult and you'll have to make a real effort but trust me, it will pay off.

2. Document EVERYTHING she does that's a short-cut to policy and procedures. EVERYTHING. Compare this to the policies and procedures manual your company has.

3. Do you have a common area for supplies. Count her current supplies and acquisition of new supplies. Is she over the limit? Do things disappear? Document all of it.

4. What is your job description? Get it in writing from HR. Ditto for hers. Uncover the spillover and waste from you doing her work rather than yours because she's a lazy slacker. Present it to your management and HR.

5. Now for the coup de gras...when you speak to HR with all of your evidence, you need to go a little whiny millennial bitch and speak their language:

Ms. Stickuptheass, I'm sorry to bother you with this but I've been FEELING really out of sorts and unable to process everything that's been happening since I've been teamed with Jabba. I get so depressed when she speaks negatively about my fellow coworkers in all departments because I know everyone wants to do the best job that they can for the company. It's caused me such a high amount of angst. Ms. Stickuptheass I also FEEL that I'm not able to perform optimally because my job description requires the utmost concentration and I'm constantly interrupted by Jabbas emergencies which I'm certain are the result of poor planning on her part. I FEEL really strongly about this.

You get the point.

This is how you manage that idiot and get her out of your life. The language and posture is very important. The documentation is critical. Don't tip your hand. HR engagement is best served with shock and awe.

Time to play offense. Get it done.

Yes as a "milennial" I can attest - everything nowadays is based on how people "feel" rather than logic. Don't spare an expense (don't spend too much tho) on getting this bitch on her ass again; the more you "employ" your feelings (true or not, a little white lie never hurt anyone) the more she'll start to lose the game you're playing. The one by her rules.

As I said definitely pull the "MAY FEELINGZ ARE HERT!!!!!" card, in the age of #Metoo and shit it can get you far or very deep depending on which side of the equation you are.

[eluded]

Originally Posted by Not_Judy

I'm basically her bitch at this point

Welcome to the work force.

[King Rudi]

Originally Posted by DETRoadster

Beware! People like her like to come back to utter chaos for several reasons:

1) The chaos is an indication that they are needed. They leave = Sh*t blows up.
2) She gets to ride in and save the day. Be the hero. The only one with the skills to solve the problem.
3) It allows her to bitch and moan the entire time she's saving the day that it's all your fault.
4) You are out in the shipping yard enjoying your sweet victory while she is back in the office taking every opportunity to throw you under the bus for the sh*t show that has engulfed the department, while simultaneously telling everyone she's fixing your mistakes. You, meanwhile, and no where to be seen.

You are exactly right and this is exactly the mentality that is being displayed as I type this very statement. I have already heard multiple times this morning, "This place would fall apart without me working here." I came in to work this morning mentally prepared for the shit storm and it's blowing with gale force shit winds (R.I.P. Jim Dunsworth).

Originally Posted by MKSixer

Ok, my friend I read the whole thread and there are some great suggestions and I love the idea that you're starting psyops on her. Now it's time to open another front and begin the administrative battle. HR is your friend if you er on the side of the company. Risk mitigation is their task. Let's dive in here:

1. Document EVERYTHING she says to you about any coworker that's negative. EVERYTHING. Time. Place. Target. Words. This will be difficult and you'll have to make a real effort but trust me, it will pay off.

2. Document EVERYTHING she does that's a short-cut to policy and procedures. EVERYTHING. Compare this to the policies and procedures manual your company has.

3. Do you have a common area for supplies. Count her current supplies and acquisition of new supplies. Is she over the limit? Do things disappear? Document all of it.

4. What is your job description? Get it in writing from HR. Ditto for hers. Uncover the spillover and waste from you doing her work rather than yours because she's a lazy slacker. Present it to your management and HR.

5. Now for the coup de gras...when you speak to HR with all of your evidence, you need to go a little whiny millennial bitch and speak their language:

Ms. Stickuptheass, I'm sorry to bother you with this but I've been FEELING really out of sorts and unable to process everything that's been happening since I've been teamed with Jabba. I get so depressed when she speaks negatively about my fellow coworkers in all departments because I know everyone wants to do the best job that they can for the company. It's caused me such a high amount of angst. Ms. Stickuptheass I also FEEL that I'm not able to perform optimally because my job description requires the utmost concentration and I'm constantly interrupted by Jabbas emergencies which I'm certain are the result of poor planning on her part. I FEEL really strongly about this.

You get the point.

This is how you manage that idiot and get her out of your life. The language and posture is very important. The documentation is critical. Don't tip your hand. HR engagement is best served with shock and awe.

Time to play offense. Get it done.

This is where the entire equation becomes very sketchy. HR is not my friend. HR is her friend, literally. The first time I ran into this issue, during the first day of training, when she verbally stated, and I quote, "I can't wait to take some time off so I can see you fall flat on your face." (yes this came from the person training me to do her job, on the first day in the first hour) I go to HR and explain the situation in a non-emotional manner, later that day the difficult co-worker states verbatim what I had said to HR. Yes, the HR girl went straight to her and told her what I had complained about. Not in "Closed Door HR" type setting but more of a gossip type manner. The HR girl is one the gossip group that is constantly in this office whispering and gossiping. Topic of conversation this morning is the TV show Teen Mom on MTV if this helps paint a picture of these individuals.

Policies and procedures only come into play here in the event that it works to the advantage of the company to terminate someone. We have safety directors that blatantly go against company policy for safety standards, we have a 5S/Kaizen "Champion" that straight up refuses to do his job, etc. Nothing is ever done about any of this. The biggest complaint from all employees is that there is no accountability held for anyone in any position, unless they don't like you and want to get rid of you.

As for job descriptions/duties, they refuse to give them; in verbal or written form. The reason behind this is so that they can ask anyone to do anything without the luxury of being able to say, "That's not part of my job or in my job description." This grants said employer to to not set clear guide lines or define any one specific job, i.e. my working in engineering suddenly being thrust into a logistics position. Side note: Said employees previous back up was the HR girl. The reason for me being asked to take of this responsibility is simply due to the HR girl no longer wanting to do it because it's a pain in the ass.

Originally Posted by Never_Enough

Stop letting this company take advantage of you.

I am not a fan of this company taking advantage of me, however; there is nowhere else in this shitty little town for me to make what I am making currently. Without a degree, I am very fortunate to be making what I am making. I do plan to move to an area where there are better employment opportunities but I'm about 2 years away from being able to put this plan in motion.

I have applied for a different position with this company which will eliminate most of this headache if I am chosen. In fact, it will put me in a management role. My second interview is next Tuesday. The only issue with this is that the plant manager, who wants me in this position has resigned and is leaving the company, next Friday.

Originally Posted by 8thgenE92

I don't know if someone gave you this answer, but what you can do is document all the work you're doing that is not in your job title, once you make that file you can go to HR and show them the things you did and ask them to pay you more/ for your time. If you show them all the work you did that is not in your job description, you have to be reimbursed. You're basically doing two jobs, but are getting paid for one, they will either give you a raise or basically stop making you help her. I know my coworkers do that and HR just stop asking them to do something that is not in their job tittle. They have to pay you for you time unless you're a salary worker. My coworker says it all the time "that's not in my job title." (which is not because he gets paid less in his position, so they're basically making him work my position for less money)

This is not at all how things work. To compound the notion of how things work here, I am a Project Coordinator. My job is to asses work to be completed by outside companies, instruct said companies of work to be performed, maintain project scope budgets and timelines. There is MUCH that goes into all of this. Since I have been employed here, on top of my job duties I have been asked to: hang signs on the outside of the buidling, (because our maintenance guys are afraid to use a boom or scissor lift), certify/train our maintenance guys on safe operation of boom/scissor lifts, paint forklifts (yes, an office employee coming in on weekends all last summer to physically tape-off and paint 20 forklifts by hand), hang dome mirrors in the warehouse for forklift visibility (again, maintenance crew afraid to use equipment), train production forklift operators, and general resident genius when it comes to computers as we do not have an in-house IT department.

Originally Posted by Bayerische Motoren Werke

Good luck dood - wish you the best! Definitely beat her ass to the rat race and be the one that fixed her mistakes, NOT letting her be the one that fixed "your" mistakes.




Yes as a "milennial" I can attest - everything nowadays is based on how people "feel" rather than logic. Don't spare an expense (don't spend too much tho) on getting this bitch on her ass again; the more you "employ" your feelings (true or not, a little white lie never hurt anyone) the more she'll start to lose the game you're playing. The one by her rules.

As I said definitely pull the "MAY FEELINGZ ARE HERT!!!!!" card, in the age of #Metoo and shit it can get you far or very deep depending on which side of the equation you are.

My game plan at this point is to focus on the position that I have applied for keep quiet about everything. I will make no mention of my distaste with her to management or HR as this will make it look like I am complaining. This also removes HR's ability to say anything to her to make her think she is getting to me. I'd rather internalize it all, keep quiet and remove myself from the situation with a promotion. At that time, I will outrank her and no longer have to deal with any of this. Versus playing games with her, I will rise above the situation, thus making better money and furthering my career for future positions by adding to my resume. My plan is not to stay here and make do. I plan to build on my career while here and take my services elsewhere.

Originally Posted by Surg_Capt_R

She probably feels entitled and self righteous because she is part of the furniture. People like that have the grandiose attitude of believing they know what is best for the company. Thinking they know it inside out. When such behaviour goes unchallenged it becomes a habit. She has got away with gossip for so long and creating drama or reporting back to management is probably how she survives. Either to get by or out of fear of losing her job. Whatever has happened has contributed to an unhealthy work culture and possibly one you don't agree with. HR usually refer to it as "interpersonal differences."

So what can you do? If she has no logic or concept of time... she probably lacks respect for boundaries too. These can be tricky people to deal with but it is about pushing back and keeping her from violating your boundaries: "I am working on this at the moment when I have time I will come on to that."

It is about staying in adult mode and being assertive. Stick to the facts. Don't criticise or gasp or rebel... she will try and press your buttons more. Stick to factual responses such as: "Okay I have a window tomorrow I will look at it then." No accusation in that statement. No complaining.

Who knows she might be feeling less rewarded for having to teach you things. It can be frustrating when someone is above your pay grade and you have to do that. Sometimes jealousy even gets the better of some.

So you know the political climate there. What do you? Here are some ideas:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan...fice-politics/

She can put her music on and it may or may not annoy you. You need to find your own way of switching off to her. Different break times might help in the short term but a desk lunch is never advised. Have a change of scenery if there is somewhere else to have lunch - not your car.

Lastly, here are some more ideas:

https://www.askamanager.org/2017/08/...npleasant.html

Your logic and mine are on the same page. This is exactly where I am at mentally right now, ignore her at all costs unless it professionalism and work requires it. My responses are devoid of emotion as are my facial expressions. Of course, she thinks this is her "winning." She demonstrates nothing short of a "bulldozer" mentality. Funny at how these type of people seem to know everything but in reality know very little.

I will check the links out you provided later on and report back. Thank you for your input, helps me feel like what I'm doing now is the right thing.

Originally Posted by eluded

Welcome to the work force.

Not to sound rude, but I've worked professionally for almost 20 years now. This is not my first hostile work environment or dealing with people. I was an area manager for 6 years for a territory that covered half of this state. This thread was created as a way for me to vent and to get ideas of how others may handle or may have handled similar situations.

[CTinline-six]

Originally Posted by Not_Judy

I have already heard multiple times this morning, "This place would fall apart without me working here."

I love when I go to a new office and someone says that, because it automatically lets me know they are the most useless person there.

[CTinline-six]

Originally Posted by eluded

Welcome to the work force.

It's what you make it. Don't like where you work? Change it.

[xander_g]

Originally Posted by DETRoadster

This is genius! Make it so unpleasant that she has to leave. But be smart about it. Go to the doctor under the pretense of massive gas. Then tell HR you have a medical condition of uncontrollable flatulence. Tell them you need reasonable accommodations. Then let the farts fly. By the time she complains you will already have produced a doctors note and asked HR for reasonable medical accommodations. You're pretty much untouchable at that point.

I like this guy

[King Rudi]

Originally Posted by CTinline-six

It's what you make it. Don't like where you work? Change it.

Couldn't agree more. We all have to deal with toxic people in life but these times should be short-lived. If they persist change should made.

[xander_g]

i think it may be time to consult with an employment lawyer Not_Judy

[MKSixer]

Originally Posted by xander_g

i think it may be time to consult with an employment lawyer Not_Judy

This. You beat me to it.

Consult with an employment lawyer as you're doing the data collection I suggested. Begin an exit strategy. Immediately.

This is a highly toxic work environment and it will overwhelm you immediately.

Good luck, my friend - mk

Originally Posted by xander_g

i think it may be time to consult with an employment lawyer Not_Judy

This.

Not necessarily because your co-worker is a shithead, but because of the work that is expected of you in her absence.

The second you start dropping hints about speaking to attorney regarding Dept of Labor regulations and overtime, etc. I'm sure management will solve this issue real quick:
https://www.dol.gov/whd/overtime_pay.htm

[King Rudi]

Originally Posted by xander_g

i think it may be time to consult with an employment lawyer Not_Judy

I have considered this but had thought about waiting until I am ready to leave as I have seen in the past what happens when employees sue their employer.

Originally Posted by MKSixer

This. You beat me to it.

Consult with an employment lawyer as you're doing the data collection I suggested. Begin an exit strategy. Immediately.

This is a highly toxic work environment and it will overwhelm you immediately.

Good luck, my friend - mk

You think I should start now? My thoughts were to see if I get the new position, see how the new plant manager will fall into his position and whether or not something will change when he assumes his new role; then if nothing changes to go this route. Thoughts?

The behavior being demonstrated by, not only the employee I share an office with, but others as well is due to comment I made prior of no one being held accountable for their actions. From a chat I had with the exiting plant manager last week, he stated that his is an impossible position. He is unable to terminate employment without going through proper channels, thus making it almost impossible to get rid of problem employees unless they severely fail to comply with policy or procedure i.e. fighting, guns, clear visibility of inebriation, etc. Also to paint a clearer picture, the employee whom I share an office with reports directly to the production manager, who in essence runs the facility, the plant manager is nothing more than a figure head; they also have about a 4-5 year shelf life. The production manager has been here for 20+ years and "babies" the employee in topic. Further more, the production manager is not an employee of this facility but works for "corporate" which means no one here is able to touch him; his supervisor is in another state. Seems that this company has built an impossible scenario from top to bottom.

[wdb]

Employment lawyer? Maybe it's me but I'd have to be in quarter mil territory before I'd bother with all of that.

[Turkish Pickle]

I'm not too knowledgeable in how all this stuff would work out, but given (apparently) that you can't even be asked some very basic and unhurtful questions during an interview

them not giving you explicit job duties and coverage sounds sketchy, not to mention the whole gossip between HR and the person you practically filed a complaint against.

i'm really unsure on how you could work it out within the office tbh, getting a lawyer could help you (on the simple basis that if they straight up let you go - you can cause more trouble if you're stubborn like me). in turkland yeah you'd be SOL but some countries still have some form of justice...

[8thgenE92]

Originally Posted by Not_Judy

This is not at all how things work. To compound the notion of how things work here, I am a Project Coordinator. My job is to asses work to be completed by outside companies, instruct said companies of work to be performed, maintain project scope budgets and timelines. There is MUCH that goes into all of this. Since I have been employed here, on top of my job duties I have been asked to: hang signs on the outside of the buidling, (because our maintenance guys are afraid to use a boom or scissor lift), certify/train our maintenance guys on safe operation of boom/scissor lifts, paint forklifts (yes, an office employee coming in on weekends all last summer to physically tape-off and paint 20 forklifts by hand), hang dome mirrors in the warehouse for forklift visibility (again, maintenance crew afraid to use equipment), train production forklift operators, and general resident genius when it comes to computers as we do not have an in-house IT department.

that blows man, but for me I work for the county building in Los Angeles, and you cant get away with stuff like that unless I am in a supervisor position which I am not or a higher position. For me, HR knows it only takes one law suit or even a complaint to the mayor and someone will be fired. I deal with people who have complained to the mayor in the past and now when those people come in we all have to bend high over water to help them and make sure they are "happy." It really just depends where you work and has that place in the past been sued.

[bimmer456]

I have a d bag co worker who wishes he was the boss but is at the bottom of the org chart. He must be butt hurt having to report to someone much younger than him. Must be a reason why they did that.

[Kolyan2k]

Originally Posted by Not_Judy

She will smile and act as if she is your best friend until you leave the office and then everything you just said to her is mentioned to everyone that follows.

Yeah I know those type of people

[bimmer456]

Originally Posted by Kolyan2k

Yeah I know those type of people

I always thought it strange that there are people who are nice to you in front of your face only to talk shit when you're not around. Some folks think these people are their friends but they have no idea lol.

[King Rudi]

Originally Posted by 8thgenE92

that blows man, but for me I work for the county building in Los Angeles, and you cant get away with stuff like that unless I am in a supervisor position which I am not or a higher position. For me, HR knows it only takes one law suit or even a complaint to the mayor and someone will be fired. I deal with people who have complained to the mayor in the past and now when those people come in we all have to bend high over water to help them and make sure they are "happy." It really just depends where you work and has that place in the past been sued.

Yeah, from a legal stand point this isn't a place that I want to take legal action for something like this. Now if a wrongful termination case were to present itself that may be a different story.

Originally Posted by bimmer456

I have a d bag co worker who wishes he was the boss but is at the bottom of the org chart. He must be butt hurt having to report to someone much younger than him. Must be a reason why they did that.

In my career I've been in many positions where my subordinates were older/much older or more qualified or more educated. This usually always causes some form of resentment. The issue is whether or not they were qualified or not it falls in the hands of the decision makers. I have found that those that feel like they should be the boss are usually lacking in a multitude of areas. Those that "know" everything always seem to know very little.

Originally Posted by Kolyan2k

Yeah I know those type of people

Toxic is the only description for these individuals. Sadly they outnumber those of us who are genuine people. I've come to realize the only way to deal with them is let them feel like they are winning. Any attempt to anything else will only cause conflict. I just allow them to think they have it all figured out and move on about my business.

Originally Posted by bimmer456

I always thought it strange that there are people who are nice to you in front of your face only to talk shit when you're not around. Some folks think these people are their friends but they have no idea lol.

I've noticed that most of these types of individuals "friends" aren't really their friends, they just tend to be more kind than people like me. I have a hard time not calling people out on their bullshit. I've learned to just recognize it and ignore it, but still hard not to call them out on it.

[King Rudi]

Interesting development over the past week. Someone has been coming into the office during the night or in the wee hours of the morning, before she comes in and is playing games with her. For example, last week someone came in and emptied her stapler and then took all the staples from the supply closet. That day, we sent the receptionist to go buy staples; the next day someone straight up took her stapler. One day last week someone unplugged the phone line connected to the wall and she almost lost her mind trying to figure out why her phone wouldn't work until I looked and noticed the phone wasn't plugged in. The next day, someone double-side taped her phone receiver to the base. This week, someone took the batteries out of her cordless mouse, so she replaced the batteries. This morning someone straight up took her mouse; left the dongle in the computer but she has no mouse. Since we do not have in-house IT and I'm the Project Coordinator of course I am asked to solve the issue. I get her a wired mouse (USB) but the only open USB port on her computer doesn't work. As of now, she is unable to do anything with her computer and with sales orders being what they are for us right now, production schedules are changing quickly which is causing her an amazing amount of stress.

I can not begin to explain my level of delight I am taking in all this office warfare. The greatest thing about all of this is that I'm not the one doing it and she is so pissed off at whoever this anonymous person is she has redirected her focus of bitchiness from me.

This is hands down the greatest thing to happen in this office in the past 2 years. Even if the individual who is doing this is brought to light, I can foresee a copycat coming in directly after.


Update: I just overheard her telling her supervisor about the aforementioned chicanery. She actually locked her mouse and other desk accoutrements in her filing cabinet; which means this cheeky bastard went through her desk, found the key to her filing cabinet and then executed said mouse-nappery. I must say, the level of respect this nameless, V-esque character is getting from all of the other employees here is fantastic. The only thing I would do differently is to leave ransom letters for exchanges of said office equipment, such as 200 green M&M's to be delivered by the flag pole by 2:00 P.M. (Do not bring the police or HR) in exchange for safe return of the mouse and stapler.