Mean people who are dumb and mean

[sneaky ninja]

Ugh. Mean people.

As of Monday, my coworkers and I will be under the supervision of a new lab manager, who apparently obtained the position by having a lot of retail experience, and a strong desire to move up the Walmart ladder. Whatever their criteria were for picking managers, none of it involved actual lab experience. Kind of an essential part of the job, you would think.

This isn't at all surprising, since hey, we work at Walmart, so we all saw it coming, but I've yet to talk to one single person who thinks training our new manager, who will be getting paid more than we are to do her new job is a good idea. Who would give someone a job they know nothing about? That's like making me manager of the automotive department, and hell, I can't even drive a car, let alone fix one. When someone needs help with something they're doing in the lab, how will their new manager save them?

Out of the goodness of their hearts, and a desire to put these silly issues behind us, Tracy and Jennifer kindly extended new manager Kimberley an invitation to go out to the pub with us on Friday night, in celebration of our old manager's stepping down (it's such a crappy job that even a woman with ten years experience couldn't even stand it anymore after being manager for only a year and a half). We thought that was pretty nice of us, and it would give Kimberley a chance to get to know us in a casual environment.

But, noooo....because she's so "professional", little Kimberly decides that socialization with her coworkers would be INAPPROPRIATE. That was Friday, she wasn't even our boss on Friday. What does she think she's better than we are? Did it escape her notice that our present manager was the one who planned the whole thing, because she's NICE and she LIKES US.

I feel really, really bad that I haven't even met the woman yet (she walked into the lab the other day, stared right at me, yet did not have the tact to introduce herself), and I feel I may be judging her too quickly, but everything I know of her so far is that she's mean, and she's kind of a bitch, and she doesn't know how to run our machines. But I mean, I was willing to give her a chance, see what she was like, and she totally shafted us, like hardcore. It may be mean to think so, but I would kind of totally love to see her crash and burn, thinking she could handle a job she knows nothing about. Which makes me a mean person, which is what my rant is about, but I am mean out of HURT, not because I think I'm better than anyone else.

[Sophira]

sneaky ninja, she obviously is severely crappy at managing, especially if she didn't even bother to introduce herself to you. I do not envy your coming months working with her. If she does prove as bad as you predict, perhaps if enough complaints are lodged by you and your coworkers, something can be done? I don't know how those things work.

I know different managers have different perspectives on what level of socializing with employees is "appropriate," but it's too bad she couldn't be cool with it.

[Nekra]

While its true, she could be a stupid bitch. Its also possible that she is in the uncomfortable position of having to let some people go. With that in mind she might have decided it would be easier for her not to become socially involved with someone she might have to get rid off next week.

Also you can have very good managers who know only a little of what it is their staff does. As long as they realise that they know shit and keep to managing their personnels time and resources so that the engineers/staff can simply come in and get on with the job they are doing with the minimum amount of hassle. In small teams the manager has to be able to take over and assist in a crisis, in a larger team i would hope there is enough resilience built in that the other staff members can take up the slack leaving the manager to trying to make their jobs as easy as possible.

[Kyros]

[quote="Nekra";p="687394"]While its true, she could be a stupid bitch. Its also possible that she is in the uncomfortable position of having to let some people go. With that in mind she might have decided it would be easier for her not to become socially involved with someone she might have to get rid off next week.
[/quote]

I don't know how it works at Wal-Mart, but I work at a Target which I assume is similar and generally it's the higher ups that have the say in the firing, not the department managers.

Oh and Sneaky, I feel your pain. More than once i've had to help train someone who was going to become my manager. I always found it awkward as hell.

[wocket]

Sneaky, I feel you.

But, maybe with the "no interaction" thing - she might just be nervous as Hell and trying to be The Good Productive Manager. That's no excuse for snubbing you, but it goes a ways toward explaining her attitude.

[jimkatai]

Actually, it is strictly against Wal-Mart policy to fraternize with people you are over. She could easily get fired and they take that stuff with massive seriousness. I had my CSM get demoted for that reason because she took some coworkers to breakfast. As to her skill in the lab, I doubt the difficulty of dealing with (sorry but it is Wal-Mart and I have worked there) the dumbed-down photo equipment would be more necessary than knowing how to manage people and situations with the customers. I get what you are pissed off at, because I went through a lot of the same stuff, but don't blame the chick. She's just doing her job.

[sneaky ninja]

I know it's against policy to date people who are under you, but you would think hanging out outside of work would be okay. Our old manager did it, and it didn't cause any problems. Then again, it's not like I'm actually that familiar with any of Walmart's policies, so I have no reason to doubt you.

And yeah....our equipment is pretty dumb, isn't it

[Arc Orion]

Sneaky should quit and go work for the Deparment of Redundancy Department.

[Bigity]

Yes. I find it hard to come up with large amounts of pity for people working at minimum wage jobs. Not to say you can't do better, but really what do you expect at locations like Walmart or Taco Bell?

Lee Iacocca? Nope.

Posted Mon Oct 30, 2006 3:06 pm:

[quote="sneaky ninja";p="687453"]I know it's against policy to date people who are under you, but you would think hanging out outside of work would be okay. Our old manager did it, and it didn't cause any problems. Then again, it's not like I'm actually that familiar with any of Walmart's policies, so I have no reason to doubt you.

And yeah....our equipment is pretty dumb, isn't it [/quote]

I come from a military service world. The seperation between worker bees and boss bees is pretty strict. The idea that the manager shouldn't be hanging out with some employees isn't shocking to me.

[Sophira]

It's a rant thread, Bigity. Just because she makes minimum wage doesn't deprive her of the ability to complain about her current circumstances.

[Bigity]

Who said she can't vent?

Think of it as a prod to move on to bigger and better things.

[Blaze]

The advantage of a brand new manager is that if you're good, you can drive her absolutely crazy making her worry about things that don't need to be worried about.

[Nukinblackmage]

I think the whole "don't fraternize with the peons below you" bullshit is just a hold over from when the rich snooty assholes rules everything and didn't want to bother talking to the lowly foundry workers. Complete bullshit if you ask me.

[Bigity]

[quote="Nukinblackmage";p="687504"]I think the whole "don't fraternize with the peons below you" bullshit is just a hold over from when the rich snooty assholes rules everything and didn't want to bother talking to the lowly foundry workers. Complete bullshit if you ask me.[/quote]

Depends. In the military, an officer is treated as an elevated person. You do what they say, when they say, within certain guidelines, such as illegal orders. You cannot elevate a person to that level in the eyes of soldiers, if they are constantly out drinking with the officer, or see him at his worst constantly.

It's a fairness issue also. If the officer goes out drinking all the time, the folks who don't drink have a problem. That's why officers are free to mingle at functions that don't seperate people out. Backyard BBQs, for example, are fine, if every member of the unit is invited. A movie party at soldier's house with only 4 folks invited, no ok.

Just because a practice was started for reasons that are now outdated, doesn't mean the practice is useless or no longer needed.

[Deacon]

/me rubs his temples in little slow circles...

Nukinblackmage, perhaps you should become a self-sustaining adult in the workplace before you comment on such matters.