Boss is mad at me for supposedly not doing something that I actually did. Help me out, guys.

[Bartelby]

At one of my various workplaces, we were always being chided about missing deadlines or doing things late by administrators.

It turned out that they were doing things by the book and we weren't, and that this was due to the fact that we had never seen the book they were using.

 

[Bartelby]

I'm assuming nothing, but he writes the following: I do court and facilities maintenance. He may just be the cleaner in that case.

He has been in the job 'a few weeks' and this might have been the first wet day, so he assumed certain things about what that meant, wrongly as it turns out.

A rational boss would have communicated clearly what was required given the weather or clearly indicated after the fact where he went wrong. Getting mad and issuing warnings was another option.

You are assuming the OP is just a cleaner. I am assuming that this is his first job, and that he has a high ceiling and is destined for big things.

 

[gut wax]

This thread is prejudiced against bosses

"Bossist"

"That is not the point. I am superior to all posters on the forum, that is the main thing." - sureshs

 

[MatsPhilander]

Maybe the boss was wrong asking the photographer, but to me sounds it sounds like you made every excuse not to do anything. Then when called out for not doing anything you get mad.

This might sound dumb but you should have washed and folded the towels a couple times at a minimum. Looking busy is sometimes more important than being busy.

I have found in office work over the years there is an art to shuffling papers & looking like you are busy on a computer. Perception is reality for most people.

 

[MatsPhilander]

You are assuming the OP is just a cleaner. I am assuming that this is his first job, and that he has a high ceiling and is destined for big things.

He is the dirty cleaner

 

[sureshs]

Keep a checklist. Check off the items - like bathroom OK.

Show it to your boss.

Also it is a good idea to call or email the boss frequently if you are new to the job. This applies to all positions. It makes the boss feel that you are in touch with him/her. He can then go tell his wife at night how busy he was training the new hire.

Even when I am volunteering at a tennis tournament, I make it a point to announce myself and then periodically check with whoever is in charge. Usually it is an old volunteer and s/he feels really excited about being the leader and having power.

 

[sureshs]

Tell him if he keeps harassing you, you will go to Equal opportunity employment commission and you will file a complaint against him.

This is not an EEOC issue.

 

[Deleted member 23235]

This is a typical problem with small business owners. They pay you by the hour and when things are slow, they feel they are paying you for nothing.

It's quite common in retail shops as well where if no one is coming through the door, the boss will be ranting about tidying this or looking out the back.

The only practical advice is either to be busy re-doing stuff or look busy.

In any event, you need to ask a specific set of questions about what he wants in such circumstances and write them down and date them and, of course, do them.

If he has warned you then this is a legal notification, so document everything!!!

OMG, you would be an employee nightmare... ie. you can't think for yourself of what you can do to improve the business. exactly why robots are gonna replace your mentallity.. i can program a robot easier.
every biz owner is trying to make money... so customers are always first priority... but there is always operational (really more: sales, marketing, accounting, etc...) work that needs to be done (restocking, cleaning, etc...) even when clients are not rolling in... ie. in prep for when a client does roll in.
when i hire someone, i expect you to grow and help figure out what needs to done.
the initial list of stuff of responsibilities, is like a "starter list"... if you can't grow/think beyond that, i'll find a replacement ASAP

 

[sureshs]

OP should quit and work for @dgold44

 

[fireandwind]

OP should quit and work for @dgold44

lol, That is too easy solution. The life is not so easy to most people unless you were born into filthy rich family or royal family.

 

[RobS]

Pretty straightforward for next time:
-Empty the trash even if there's very little trash
-Sweep the floors even if they look clean
-Top off the paper towels and soap if they are not 100% full
-Make coffee just in case one person shows up and wants coffee
-Put ice in the coolers regardless

In the mean time, ask the boss what else you can be doing if you have some downtime.

Being new to the workforce there are a couple things to understand. Employers don't like employees idle on the job or not doing assigned tasks. Employers also don't like complaints and clubs are full of complainers. That full pot of coffee will prevent a complaint in the unlikely event that one single member comes in. If he wants coffee and the pot is empty, he will complain. One goofball will use 50 paper towels in restroom, the next guy will have none and he will complain. If the towels were 90% full at the start of your shift but you still fill them to the max, you can tell your boss you filled the towels 100% when he asks you why Mr. Smith had to dry his hands with toilet paper and not a paper towel. The benefit of performing tasks even when they seem unnecessary is that it will keep you off your boss' radar and it will make your shift pass quicker.

 

[Bartelby]

Yes, well, the guy who is writing all this did think for himself and he got it all wrong.

He has also been in the job only a few weeks and this was probably his first wet day.

His employment does not involve client contact and there were in fact no clients due to the wet weather.

Lists of duties might be a 'starter list', but this is not a guessing game especially when you are dealing with such a low-level job.

The boss is the only failure in this scenario: he was absent. uncommunicative, used a third person as a spy, and ranted at the employee instead of calmly communicating his concerns.

It seems here that employers don't like losing money so when it rains you must realise that you as an employee will be a punching bag for employer frustrations.

OMG, you would be an employee nightmare... ie. you can't think for yourself of what you can do to improve the business. exactly why robots are gonna replace your mentallity.. i can program a robot easier.
every biz owner is trying to make money... so customers are always first priority... but there is always operational (really more: sales, marketing, accounting, etc...) work that needs to be done (restocking, cleaning, etc...) even when clients are not rolling in... ie. in prep for when a client does roll in.
when i hire someone, i expect you to grow and help figure out what needs to done.
the initial list of stuff of responsibilities, is like a "starter list"... if you can't grow/think beyond that, i'll find a replacement ASAP

 

[Bartelby]

So if customers are first priority, why do tennis centres jerk them around by making decisions about cancelling due to rain at the last minute and usually some time after you've arrived?

every biz owner is trying to make money... so customers are always first priority.

 

[MatsPhilander]

Yes, well, the guy who is writing all this did think for himself and he got it all wrong.

He has also been in the job only a few weeks and this was probably his first wet day.

His employment does not involve client contact and there were in fact no clients due to the wet weather.

Lists of duties might be a 'starter list', but this is not a guessing game especially when you are dealing with such a low-level job.

The boss is the only failure in this scenario: he was absent. uncommunicative, used a third person as a spy, and ranted at the employee instead of calmly communicating his concerns.

It seems here that employers don't like losing money so when it rains you must realise that you as an employee will be a punching bag for employer frustrations.

Most bosses/managers are abysmal at communicating/setting clear objectives & in motivating their staff. Had one many years back who used to pick holes in everything anybody did, in the end I just stopped caring/trying. Every job has stooges as well like the photo guy-they love stirring things up, or try to score brownie points by trying to make everybody else look bad.

 

[Doc Hollidae]

Yes, well, the guy who is writing all this did think for himself and he got it all wrong.

He has also been in the job only a few weeks and this was probably his first wet day.

His employment does not involve client contact and there were in fact no clients due to the wet weather.

Lists of duties might be a 'starter list', but this is not a guessing game especially when you are dealing with such a low-level job.

The boss is the only failure in this scenario: he was absent. uncommunicative, used a third person as a spy, and ranted at the employee instead of calmly communicating his concerns.

Manager and worker classifications exist for a reason. The manager ensures the worker does his job, while the worker is expected to carry out the duties they were hired for.

In this situation, it's not up for the worker to determine what "looks good" and doesn't need attention. His clean could be a customer's dirty. Especially at a club, appearance and cleanliness can be a factor in increasing or decreasing membership.

If he's hired to clean, then he should be cleaning. In terms of restocking, toilet paper may not have needed to be restocked, but he could have topped off the towels (if they were individual vs. a roll) and the soap. At the very least, he should have swept, emptied the trash, and started folding towels if they had dried during his shift.

Now should the manager have asked the OP what he did before reprimanding him? Definitely. The photographer isn't hired to keep track of the OP, so he can only speak to what he saw, which was only a portion of the story.

 

[Bartelby]

I have made the point that it is not up to the worker to determine what needs attention.

Most people here take the opposite view that the worker is there to take the initiative in defining the role.

This is not my position.

A simple statement from the boss along the lines of 'it's raining, but do everything as normal' would have avoided any issue.

It's counter-intuitive to most human beings to do things when they don't need doing, but this is indeed not how the workplace operates.

And it might seem counter-intuitive to treat the friendly photographer guy who keeps chatting as an enemy, but this is indeed how the workplace operates.

Manager and worker classifications exist for a reason. The manager ensures the worker does his job, while the worker is expected to carry out the duties they were hired for.

In this situation, it's not up for the worker to determine what "looks good" and doesn't need attention. His clean could be a customer's dirty. Especially at a club, appearance and cleanliness can be a factor in increasing or decreasing membership.

If he's hired to clean, then he should be cleaning. In terms of restocking, toilet paper may not have needed to be restocked, but he could have topped off the towels (if they were individual vs. a roll) and the soap. At the very least, he should have swept, emptied the trash, and started folding towels if they had dried during his shift.

Now should the manager have asked the OP what he did before reprimanding him? Definitely. The photographer isn't hired to keep track of the OP, so he can only speak to what he saw, which was only a portion of the story.

 

[Doc Hollidae]

I have made the point that it is not up to the worker to determine what needs attention.

Most people here take the opposite view that the worker is there to take the initiative in defining the role.

This is not my position.

A simple statement from the boss along the lines of 'it's raining, but do everything as normal' would have avoided any issue.

It's counter-intuitive to most human beings to do things when they don't need doing, but this is indeed not how the workplace operates.

And it might seem counter-intuitive to treat the friendly photographer guy who keeps chatting as an enemy, but this is indeed how the workplace operates.

Well if the wants to get anywhere in life, initiative is needed. In his position, their may not be a lot of room to exercise initiative, but one thing he could have done was fold the towels that were being washed. It sounded like he just left them for the next shift. He could have asked a co-worker if there's anything he could help with. He could have asked the Photographer if there was anything he could help him with. That way when his boss asked the Photographer what he was doing, he could have said he completed all his duties and even asked me what he could help with, but I didn't have anything for him. Just offering to help do something outside of your normal duties shows some initiative.

 

[Bartelby]

He says he left towels for the next shift as per work routine. I'd guess that this might be due to the items still being in the dryer.

There were no co-workers to assist as far as I can tell and it's not immediately obvious what the photographer is doing there and why the roles would intersect.

He asserted his initiative by establishing a wet weather routine and he got it wrong.

In all probability if he had went around binning everything that was barely used he would have gotten into trouble for being wasteful.

If it's wet, then the centre loses money so 'suck it up, buttercup' and don't take your frustrations out on the staff.

They are not responsible for the weather or your poor supervision. The guy here clearly wants to do the right thing.

Well if the wants to get anywhere in life, initiative is needed. In his position, their may not be a lot of room to exercise initiative, but one thing he could have done was fold the towels that were being washed. It sounded like he just left them for the next shift. He could have asked a co-worker if there's anything he could help with. He could have asked the Photographer if there was anything he could help him with. That way when his boss asked the Photographer what he was doing, he could have said he completed all his duties and even asked me what he could help with, but I didn't have anything for him. Just offering to help do something outside of your normal duties shows some initiative.

 

[Nostradamus]

This is not an EEOC issue.

It is . It really is. You have to read between the lines

 

[Bartelby]

We are not dealing with Aaron Schlossberg here, as far as we know.

It is . It really is. You have to read between the lines

 

[Hmgraphite1]

Tell the boss you made executive decisions regarding what work needed to be done, and that he doesn't need to be concerned about the work under your department. If he has so much extra time that he doesn't need to attend to his own work then maybe he should stay home and take a cut in pay. Clearly he just likes to do jobs that aren't required just to look busy and has probably been doing this for years just so he looks important. You should probably talk to his boss about relieving him of his duties and taking them on yourself since your method allows for extra time to get things done. Congrats on your promotion, you are a forward thinking individual who is empowered to improve the status quo and should be recognized for your superior work ethic.

 

[Bartelby]

Although this is meant to be ironic, it is a little too close to the truth of the matter to function as such.

The fact is that the employee made a few decisions based on the wetness of the day absent any direction.

We have no indication that in the few weeks he has been employed that there has been any complaint about his work.

As most people around here do, there is a constant vacillation between telling our friend 'to do his work by the book' or 'take some initiative'.

You are obviously in the 'do it by the book' camp.

Tell the boss you made executive decisions regarding what work needed to be done, and that he doesn't need to be concerned about the work under your department. If he has so much extra time that he doesn't need to attend to his own work then maybe he should stay home and take a cut in pay. Clearly he just likes to do jobs that aren't required just to look busy and has probably been doing this for years just so he looks important. You should probably talk to his boss about relieving him of his duties and taking them on yourself since your method allows for extra time to get things done. Congrats on your promotion, you are a forward thinking individual who is empowered to improve the status quo and should be recognized for your superior work ethic.

 

[Deleted member 23235]

He says he left towels for the next shift as per work routine. I'd guess that this might be due to the items still being in the dryer.

There were no co-workers to assist as far as I can tell and it's not immediately obvious what the photographer is doing there and why the roles would intersect.

He asserted his initiative by establishing a wet weather routine and he got it wrong.

In all probability if he had went around binning everything that was barely used he would have gotten into trouble for being wasteful.

If it's wet, then the centre loses money so 'suck it up, buttercup' and don't take your frustrations out on the staff.

They are not responsible for the weather or your poor supervision. The guy here clearly wants to do the right thing.

that's fair,... OP did write to ask advice... and good points about being wasteful (ie. i come from a "do not waste" upbringing)
and if the OP is young, and new... maybe the mgr could be blamed for not giving enough instruction... (i've known alot of bad managers that expect you to read their mind)
but to me it seems there were things the OP could have taken initiative on... even if the initiative was to reach out and ask for more rainy day responsibilities (ie. manage your manager)

 

[Bartelby]

In service industries where labour costs are the main business cost, some employers can't cope psychologically with the concept of downtime due to, in this case, wet weather.

 

[Hmgraphite1]

Although this is meant to be ironic, it is a little too close to the truth of the matter to function as such.

The fact is that the employee made a few decisions based on the wetness of the day absent any direction.

We have no indication that in the few weeks he has been employed that there has been any complaint about his work.

As most people around here do, there is a constant vacillation between telling our friend 'to do his work by the book' or 'take some initiative'.

You are obviously in the 'do it by the book' camp.

I'm not sure which camp i'm in. I was merely looking at the situation from an alternative point of view for purely comical purposes which were close to reality yet seemingly reversing the tables. I never needed to be managed, always took a lot of initiative and got the work done of two people. I also go by the book because when implement things efficiently it doesn't slow you down. My main peeve with mngrs are their 'put out the fire' style which creates much more work down the road and leads too overload stressful conditions due to there shortsightedness.