I need some advice on a situation that’s going on at work.
At the end of each month, each employee in our 24/7 dept is given their work schedule for the following month. It is an extremely small dept, 4 employees, plus 2 supervisors. We had 5 employees until last two days ago, when an employee put in his two week notice.
When I got my schedule last week, I discovered that I’d be off on Christmas Day, due to it being my regular weekend off. I asked the supervisor if I could have the following Mon, Tues and Wed to go with my weekend and I was told yes. I have this in writing.
The reason I asked for these three additional days is because I’m going to visit my family in Missouri. I have not spent Christmas with them in 13 years.
Today, my supervisor comes to me and says that “we’re going to have to ask you to not take your three vacation days due to a staffing shortage”. I told him that this was impossible, since I’d already told my family I’d be there. He then said that “you may not have a job when you come back”. I told him that I understand that staffing is critical and that I’d work double shifts before and after to make up for it. I was basically told that I should go ahead and take my vacation, but that he’d remember this when evaluation time comes around. I am an excellent employee, I don’t make mistakes, I’m never late, I never call out sick. The supervisor in question is brand new, he just started 2 months ago, so he’s still wet behind the ears. I’m definitely going to call our department director and let her know what happened.
I would probably be willing to cancel this vacation if I had been asked, rather that abruptly told. I haven’t seen my family at Christmas in 13 years, so what’s one more year? But, I think I’m going to stick to my guns on this one. And for the record, I’m officially starting my job hunt tomorrow. This is just one incident of many. He’s also implementing a new schedule…everyone works day shift one day, then evening shift the next day, then night shift for two nights, then off one day. This makes no sense to me, and I resent having my life turned upside down due to their inability to staff a department correctly.
Stick to your guns…look for a job…'tis the season to job hunt. It’s unfortunate your supervisor is starting on the wrong foot. He’s not making any friends and if you have your vacation in writing, take it. If you cave on this, you’ll be caving forever - “ask Eric, he’ll cancel his plans, he always does”.
I sort of have the same situation, long story and not posted yet but likely will be in the next week.
Sounds like he is creating his own punishment. He’s going to be working with a bunch of unpredictable psychotics after a few weeks of no sleep.
Good luck on the job search.
Oy. Yet another new manager who feels he must show the plebes who is in charge. :rolleyes:
Do just what you’re doing. And at your review, there will be a space where you can add your own comments. Add what you said in your OP (The good employee part, not the rest) and make sure you get him to sign it and get a copy.
Is there anyone in HR you feel comfortable talking to? That schedule is sure to tank both morale and productivity…
Two supervisors for four employees sounds a little weird in itself. How much authority does this guy really have?
One possible response would be to design a better schedule (and anything has to be better than what you’ve got, right?), and present it to both your supervisor and *his * boss. Don’t do it as a challenge to your boss’s authority but rather as your positive contribution to workplace efficiency. As part of your presentation you might mention that the current arrangement kept you from seeing your family over the holidays. You might also include documentation about the impact of weird shifts on workplace safety, efficiency etc. If your boss’s boss has any sense he will recognize that your boss has a problem. That should help protect you at evaluation time. If the senior guy *doesn’t * see a problem that’s all the more reason to get out.
Go on your trip, call his bluff. The same thing happened to me several years ago. A few weeks after I got back it was all water under the bridge. If this guy continues to make a big deal over it when you get back, he’s an A-hole, do your best to avoid him or work around him. He needs you a lot more than you need him at this point, seeing how someone just quit.
But the vindictive side of me says, “we must teach this newbie a lesson”.
Maybe you could openly contemplate quitting?
Because as a new manager, having a high turnover does not look good. So if your bigger bosses hear that you guys are unhappy and thinking of leaving, your manager will pay the price.
Or, you could just ignore what I say, simply because I’m sitting in a cubicle farm, dreaming of dastardly ways to get back at my managers.
Whatever you choose to do, document, document, document. You’ve got your permission for the three days in writing. Fantastic. See if you can get your supervisor’s threats (no job when you return, remembered for your evaluation) in writing as well.
I’d recommend that you present all this information to your supervisor’s boss. Your boss needs a quick attitude adjustment, or he’s going to sink the department and cost your company a metric buttload of money.
