Rant- No one ever told me work would be just like high school!!!

Nrdgrrl

I swear, it just dawned on me that the group I work with acts like high school students. It's insane. They're in their mid to late twenties up to their fifties so they should be out of this phase by now, don't you think?!?

My dad always told me to work hard, be on time, act and dress professionally, and everything would be fine. He was partially right. He never told me that co-workers get into cliques, the girls that were both mean and popular in high school are still mean and popular as ever, that it's not who you know, it's who you suck up to, etc. etc.

Ugh

I want to take my toys and go home, pout pout.

Nrdgrrl

Thanks, I feel all better now.

ray a

Why don't you and PAhr form a support group.

psrcello

I'll be glad to join the support group! I've got two female employees (one in her 50s and the other in her 60s) who are going at it right now ("Mom, she's lookin' at me - make her stop lookin' at me!) I have another employee in her 60s who collects aluminum pop cans - she swears that a couple of other employees are stealing them from her.

Some days, I fell like Miss Frances from Ding Dong School!

rad

Sounds like you work with me! I agree that those annoying girls in high school become annoying girls at work. I do my best to stay out of the office clique thing, it is so level conscious here and anypone with a different opinion, attitude or philosophy is seen as an outsider. That would be me!x:D But since I've always been that way, (I TRY to be diplomatic, big-picture oriented, out to help the little guy, ask questions, voice opinions in a constructive way) I'm used to it and I know I can look at myself in the mirror every day and know that I was a good person who acted professionally and was kind and fair to everyone.

Whatever

I currently have two women who have to work together and got into an argument. They stopped talking to each. As a result, they were both given written warnings that if they cannot work in a professional manner so that their jobs are done properly, they would be terminated. Now, they only talk to each about business. Oh yeah, the argument was over whose granddaughter was prettier.

Don D

Some might say ('SOME', not me now) these women who are acting like the girls they used to be, now need a good dose of the same thing they needed when they were girls in high school. Maybe you can arrange it. I've said all I'm gonna say about it.

Human Resources Manager

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 09-26-03 AT 09:30AM (CST)[/font][p]I have worked in the exact same scenario. The whole management staff was based on a big clique system that went all the way up to the owner. Trust me, if you were not in this clique, you would never advance with the company. I was definately not in the clique. I, too, believed that if I just worked hard, did a good job and bent over backwards to do everything I was asked, I would advance. I suffered with the company for 6 years, 3 working directly under the management which was as far as I would ever go. The only thing I learned is that they would be happy to continue to take advantage of my willingness to please without ever rewarding it. When I finally came to my senses and left, it was one of the happiest days of my life. I also learned that there are workplaces where everyone gets along, and don't behave like children (thank heavens!)

NicoleLee

I have a DIRECTOR who is about 13 on a daily basis! She constatnly tries to start trouble between her managers ( a firestarter as my mom would call her), and often I am the target of many nasty shots through the day. She hates that I do not need her help because, omigod, I am competant (Did I spell that right?)!!! She has a severe problem with anyone under the age of 35 (which includes me-25). She is always pointing fingers at others, and accepts no responsibility for anything! Everyone agrees that our agency would be a totally different atmosphere if she were gone. Oh, and she constantly makes rude comments to our managers, but also hits on them, and I swear, if I have to hear about her non-existant sex life again, I will scream! She is a sexual harassment claim waiting to happen! I feel like I am in JR HIGH around her!

System

We have two cliques - the "Sharks" and the "Jets." Last week I disbursed a memo about socializing. This week I had a representative from both groups come in to justify themselves and blame the other.

We need good managers. All the positive attitute and teamwork posters in the world won't work because no one believes they're posted for them. Sometimes supervisors themselves help head up a clique.

Yes, it's like high school, only now their getting paid.

Good Luck.

"Sam"

Leslie

NicoleLee, I firmly believe that your director had a sex change operation and became my pain in the butt director. He's snide, denigrating, and sometimes just downright nasty. So maybe he's just the evil twin brother!

ray a

Leslie, does your director ever log onto this forum?

Leslie

No no no, not my HR Director, a director of another department that will remain nameless - until he does something so rank that we end up in court!

ray a

Oops, I read your post wrong. If I remember, you mentioned something about this person once before in another thread.

We have a relatively new director that I had a run-in with this month. Now others are having problems with her and she is becoming known as the Intimidator.

Don D

I tried to tell you what these women need and you won't listen to me.

marc

Clique, what's a cligue? Is that what I do to make the mouse work, only in french?

I bet every office has this going on. Why would we think people change just because age happens? I think it takes some sort of lightning strike, or as Don D suggests, they need a good dose of ??? - what, castor oil, a spanking? It is so nice living in my world, my license tag should say oblivious.

ray a

Don, I'm sending our Intimidator your way. I'm sure you are just the man to take care of her.

Parabeagle

So, do they call you Officer Krupke? x;-)

Cheryl

I understand completely! I'm HR/Payroll prior to that I was the AR Manager. I have worked for the company 7 years.

In my payroll hat I discovered two "Co-workders" padding their timecards. Leaving for lunch and not clocking in and out. Saying they were working a 9 hour day. Collecting OT. Anyway, I brought this problem to their Managers attention and they blame me! They won't even speak to me! They make snide remarks! I'm trying very hard to be pleasent and just do my job! I could just scream! They were basicly steeling from the company and it is my fault for doing my job! I just don't get it!

Yes adults act like children!

Sorry! I need to get that off my chest!

marc

They weren't terminated? Nice message to send to your workforce. It is OK to steal from the company, even if you get caught. Did they even have to reimburse the company for any of this?

Cheryl

No they just got a verbal warning!

HRQ

Some of our favorite lines we've picked up from the kids in our schools; (and we actually use them in jest)
"You're not my friend anymore"
"You can't come to my party"
"You're not pretty anymore" (my VP's daughter gave us this one)
"Nanny nanny boo boo" (my 3 year old's personal favorite)

We really do have problems similar to yours. Two women in the office regularly complain about each others hours, work habits, and just about everything else. Then they go on smoke breaks together every couple of hours.

I'm fairly sure that if a coworker frustrated me so much that I b#$%@&;d about her all day long (and vice versa) that I would NOT want to spend my smoke breaks with her!

Go figure.

Whatever

Whenever my kids first words to me were "Mom, I'll love you forever, if....", the answer was an automatic no without knowing what they wanted

Don D

I remember the prayers of all the boys in high school..."Please, God, if you won't let her be pregnant, I swear I'll never again (insert your favorite sin). All the OTHER boys that is. I was a perfect gentleman.

rad

I didn't know boys said that prayer too.

Whatever

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 09-29-03 AT 09:24AM (CST)[/font][p]I just hope they didn't do it on school grounds. ( ambiguity intended)

Don D

YES - They did
and
YES - They did

ray a

But, Don back when you were in school one of those two "its" probably was legal.

scottorr

I have found that most of the popular girls that I went to HS with stayed in my hometown, never got educated, never become more than accounting clerks. I still see these types of girls here at work, still trying to win prom queen and always back stabbing each other. In high school popularity was everything, but now that I'm an adult, I kind of look down at that type of behavior. I decided a long time ago that I would stand up for myself and what I believe in, even if it meant being unpopular because in the end I know I'll be a better person for it. If I were you I would let it go, it will make you a better person and a better employee in the long run!