Supervisor is hard to work for

[Strung_Out00]

I just got a call from my supervisor at work concerning a file she found in my personal folder on the company's computer network. More specifically, it was a business card template. She asked what it was doing in there and I told her that it was simply something I did just for the hell of it. I told her that I had no intentions of actually using them and she could just delete the file. She was convinced that I am using the company to "misrepresent myself for personal gain". I assured her that this was not at all the case.

 

She then said that my explanation wasn't good enough and she wanted to discuss the matter in person. I replied that my explanation would be exactly the same and I apologized to her saying that I never would've done it if I knew it would be an issue. It was literally something that took me five minutes to throw together. I wasn't wasting a ridiculous amount of company time and I had no malicious intent. Delete the file, tell me not to do it again and it's a resolved conflict.

 

I did feel she was out of line calling my cell phone after work hours instead of waiting until tomorrow to confront me about it, especially when she didn't want an explanation over the phone. Why even bother me about it on MY time if that was the case? Maybe if she worked a normal work day she could interact with her employees, but when your father is the executive director, I guess you get preferential treatment and get to come and go as you please.

 

She seems like the type that gets an idea set in her head and no amount of explaning will change her mind.

 

I'm actually afraid I might lose my job over something that I thought was a non-issue.

[avman]

Well but it's not a non-issue. Many companies have specific rules in place prohibiting employees from holding another job or moonlighting. Or at least not having another job that may cause a conflict of interest. The company may also be concerned that you are planning to strike out on your own and take their clients with you.

 

Like it or not she does have the right to investigate this. And copping an attitude about it certainly will not help you. I suggest you simply cooperate and answer her questions truthfully and candidly. That's your best chance at convincing her there is nothing to be concerned about.

[Strung_Out00]

Well but it's not a non-issue. Many companies have specific rules in place prohibiting employees from holding another job or moonlighting. Or at least not having another job that may cause a conflict of interest. The company may also be concerned that you are planning to strike out on your own and take their clients with you.

 

Like it or not she does have the right to investigate this. And copping an attitude about it certainly will not help you. I suggest you simply cooperate and answer her questions truthfully and candidly. That's your best chance at convincing her there is nothing to be concerned about.

 

That's exactly what I tried to do, but no amount of explaining would change her mind. It's like she wasn't even listening to what I was saying. I was polite and even wanted the matter resolved before we ended the call. I screwed up, I was wrong, and I apologized to her.

 

After I gave my explanation, she said "I still don't understand...." So I explained to her again, and she repeated herself. "But why would you do it?" I tried to explain again in different terms. I truly did what I did just for the sake of doing it. I had five minutes to kill, so that's what I did. It would be a different situation if that information is available to the general public on the company's website, but it's only able to be accessed by about a dozen other staff members. It wasn't printed or even handed out. It's nothing more than a file in my folder on a closed network.

[renaissancewoman101]

Be careful, with the economy being the way it is now and companies cutting back on employees and laying off people, they can use this against you to fire you and NOT have to pay you unemployment.

[annie24]

i don't understand. did you misrepresent yourself with a title you don't hold?

[Strung_Out00]

i don't understand. did you misrepresent yourself with a title you don't hold?

 

My title is Lead-off coordinator which is exactly what is on the business card. I almost put "Team Awesome" on it just as a joke since I was screwing around anyways. In hindsight, I wish I would've actually put "Team Awesome" on it, then it would've been obvious that I was just messing around.

[annie24]

it makes sense to me to have a business card, so that when you meet people at conferences or anywhere else, if they have an interest in your company they can call you.

 

some places you should order the business cards directly through the front office though.

[Strung_Out00]

it makes sense to me to have a business card, so that when you meet people at conferences or anywhere else, if they have an interest in your company they can call you.

 

some places you should order the business cards directly through the front office though.

 

Right, but the templates and company logos are all in unprotected folders, my thought process said, if these folders aren't password protected then they fine for me to use. At this point in my job, I really don't need a card, I truly did it just to do it and saved it just in case I actually would need it. I had no idea that what I did was so incredibly harmful.

[annie24]

are there some sorts of rules against having business cards?

[Strung_Out00]

are there some sorts of rules against having business cards?

 

Not that I was told or if there are, I am unaware of them. Other staff members in the company office have them, so business cards are allowed, but I wasn't told who could and couldn't have them. I've also never had one, so I was also really curious to see what my name looked like on a bonafide business card. I used the company's official business card template. curiosity killed the cat, if I recall correctly.

 

I'm afraid that no matter how much I explain myself she will still not "hear" me.

[karvala]

So she's calling you out of hours, and refusing to listen to your perfectly truthful and plausible explanation of an activity which isn't harmful to the company in any way, is engaged in by other employees, and isn't even against any rules that you've been made aware of? Sounds like she's got too much time on her hands, and is probably out to prove her loyalty to her father in a way that wouldn't be out of place in a bad gangster movie.

 

In your position, I'd be tempted to wind her up about it, but you don't need the hassle really, so just play the whole thing down as much as possible. Essentially, act as though your not bothered about it, or her reaction to it, and it will just go away. I don't see you losing your job over it.

[AuthenticAuthor]

Forget the business card; the op admitted that he was slacking off for 5 minutes. To such a supervisor, that may be enough to get fired.

 

I suggest the OP start printing up resumes at home...just in case.

[renaissancewoman101]

Forget the business card; the op admitted that he was slacking off for 5 minutes. To such a supervisor, that may be enough to get fired.

 

I suggest the OP start printing up resumes at home...just in case.

 

Slacking off for 5 minutes is NOT a sin.

 

Most people at work slack off WAY more than that

[orchidrose]

Slacking off for 5 minutes is NOT a sin.

 

Most people at work slack off WAY more than that

 

I don't think that AA was implying that that was inappropriate; I think he was saying this boss, given her behavior, may view it that way.