A pissy little rant about workplace relations

[riff]

We are all people and sooner or later on the job, we will step on someones toes (or have ours stepped on). What are we to do about this?

Case in point: myself. While usually I have a reputation for being extremely tactful and diplomatic, there are times when I am a bit direct for some people's tastes.

I may ask questions like "Why?" When I am not supposed to ask why.

Someone approaches me and I know the only reason they are approaching me is because they have some request for computer help to make. It bugs me because while I usually don't mind helping, I get pissed because it isn't in my job description and I very seldom get much thanks out of it- only more requests for shit from people who could easily solve the problem if only they would take the time to learn. These are the people throw up their hands saying "I am a computer idiot" when what they are really saying is, "I don't want to take the time to learn, I want to depend on you to solve all my little screensaver problems."

I get fed up with it. I have been known to say, "I am sorry, I would like to help you, but I have to get my work done." And then be accused of being rude.

Is that rude?

Well, anyway- the worst of all worst is when there is a disagreement, or if someone feels treated unfairly, or rudely, what do you do?

Do you come to me and work it out?
Or do you go to my boss and whine?

Apologies. I will bow down and apologize and smooth things over when someone at work comes and says "riff, yesterday it really pissed me off when you wouldn't help me. I didn't like the way you talked to me."

On the otherhand, if my boss says to me, Miss So & So says you were rude to her, are you a team player? etc. etc. Well, when I get that, whoever it was is pretty much fucked in so far as getting help from me again.

It happens.

 

[juicylips]

Cum work for me riffilicious.

JL

 

[riff]

I got a lot of people telling me that, but I don't want to make any major life changes right now.

 

[lobito]

Just remember this Riff, you don't have many if any at all, "real" friends at work. I prefer to call them "9-5 aquaintances".

When you leave a job, whether or not on your own terms, and no one really stays in contact with you even when you try to with them, then you know they weren't your friends afterall...

If you step on someones toes, you might appologize. But don't think that they would appologize to you, when they do the same.

 

[Cheyenne]

Just remember this Riff, you don't have many if any at all, "real" friends at work. I prefer to call them "9-5 aquaintances".

When you leave a job, whether or not on your own terms, and no one really stays in contact with you even when you try to with them, then you know they weren't your friends afterall...

My best friends are people I met in school many years ago or people I have worked with in prior jobs. It IS possible to make friends at work! A few of these people I haven't worked with in 20 years and we still get together for dinner, etc.
My very best friend in the world is someone I met when we worked together.

 

[riff]

My best friends at work are the ones who come by just to shoot the shit and when I say, "Not now." They say, "You and that damned computer," and walk out.

We find the time to talk later on the run.

And then the next day, it's about the same.

 

[red_rose]

Oh... I know *exactly* how you feel.

And the best part is, I'm no computer wiz.

But I possess special talents... like the ability to set up a sig line... do a mail merger, etc.

Hell, my office mate has asked me 3 times in the last week - "How do I send an email again?"



I used to help out every time... but eventually, it started affecting my work....

Now...if I can't help, I say so.

My boss knows I'm a busy girl. Let them run to her all they want.

 

[riff]

My boss is a cockloving manhater.

She e-mails me every few days to make sure I haven't quit for better pay.

 

[weed]

If they went to the boss, my style anyway, is to go to them, apologize nicely for any misunderstanding and explain how busy you were. Sincerity can work wonders.

If this is just a plain old nasty person....don't bother with them unless it's politically wise.

As for your boss, if they listen well, talk. If your getting too many requests from folks who should know better, let your boss know that. If you talk not, grease up your back and let the shit slide off. Things like this are usually forgotten quickly thank goodness.

Hope it blows by quickly for ya

 

[red_rose]

My boss is a cockloving manhater.

She e-mails me every few days to make sure I haven't quit for better pay.

LOL

Aw... that sucks.

I have the pleasure of working for/with about 10 of those, myself.

If I get serious with a guy and put a picture on my desk... I get hell for it! When the pic comes down, it's always, "Yeah... we told you so."

In fact, the last boss I had at this same company... She went to jail for snapping on her abusive husband one night and lighting his feet on fire while he slept.

Crazy bunch of broads, in general. Although, if a man ever hit me, he'd have to watch out for more than his little toes....

 

[red_rose]

My boss is a cockloving manhater.

She e-mails me every few days to make sure I haven't quit for better pay.

Heeey...I just re read this.

How can you be cockloving *and* a manhater?

She's just using you for sex, isn't she!? lol

 

[VeryBadGirl]

I would try to work it out with you, and if your lack of action was affecting my job (screensaver support doesn't fall into that category, IMO), I imagine I would have to give MY boss a reason why, and let him take it from there. I think that's the generally accepted path of escalation.

Working together is a lot like living together. I have a friend (nurse) who got another friend a job at her office, and after a while, the competition and politics destroyed their friendship. While the friend was fun to hang out with outside of work, and they shared personal values, she was very possessive, suspicious and easily threatened on the job. My friend eventually left that place because of it - and considered it a lesson learned.

With a few exceptions, I only "do lunch" and email friends from previous jobs. This is how our relationships were when we worked together, and it just hasn't changed.

 

[riff]

Well, I am back from doing a bunch of tedious crap for another teacher. Ever listen to 20 machines defragment at the same time?

It's anti-rythmic. Really. I should have recorded it and passed it off as composed disorder.

And it's only gonna get worse as everyone hoot's and hollers about technology in the classroom. I am beginning to think that for most classrooms, very thin clients are the way to go.

In any case, I did my thing. She's happy, the teacher is happy.