Jealous Co-Workers and Silent Managers

[LadyBug1988]

So I've gotten a fairly new job as a receptionist at a car dealership, and I really love it. I like everyone I work with, I like the work I do, and I enjoy the people I work with. It's very laid back, we joke around all the time, there's no micro-managing, and I feel like I thrive. So I've finally gotten the job down well, and I've gotten positive feedback. I'm female and I work with a ton of men, all my managers are male, and have a somewhat macho attitude. They're very cool, and are not petty at all.

 

So they've been trying to hire more women, and have taken on a new sales lady. There are only two other female salespeople , and they always talk to me. One of the female sales associates is from the same country as I am, and we get along very well, she's a very good friend of mine. The other sales woman is American, but she is also very nice and even sold me a car. The new sales women is American as well, but there was something very odd about her that I didn't want to be around. She would rudely jump into peoples conversations, and is in my opinion quite loud, annoying and obnoxious. I never said a word about her, I am very polite and I help her in any way I can, I simply don't go out of my way to fraternize with her.

 

So I'm not sure when this started, but her and the other American girl started complaining to the manager about everything I do. As the receptionist, I don't get a lunch break so I eat at my desk. I never bring fish or eggs or anything totally foul, but the two girls have began complaining about my food and that it smells bad. If I take a break, I won't make my 40 hours, so this would be a problem for me. I also recently had a job interview and one of them overheard and told the entire department including all of the managers. Since it's a low dealership, everyone laughs and jokes with each other, texts, watches videos on their company iPads, and FaceTimes their friends. I text and Facebook at my desk, and the two girls constantly complain to the managers about it. This morning before the sales department opened, I called my grandmother to say happy birthday and they complained about me making "personal calls" on the company line. They even complained that I always look bored, and I'm never doing any work.

 

My job is very important, as I am responsible for all financial transactions and the daily calculation and deposit of all funds for all departments. It's a bit complicated and time consuming, and difficult to learn. I cash out all cars, I answer the phones, I greet customers and page the appropriate sales people, I keep track of dealer plates, and all the company iPads. At the end of the day my job is always done without any issue and I leave on time, I have no attendance issues, nor do I have any issues with my work.

 

The two American girls are getting to the point their complaints are becoming outrageous. They're always in my face smiling and talking and trying to be my friend, then they go behind my back trying to get me in trouble. I am in my mid 20's and they're in their mid 30's to 40's with children and husbands. They are a bit overweight but not at all unattractive, but they are forced to wear the frumpy company uniform whereas I dress as cute as I'd like.

 

The managers have said absolutely nothing to me about this. When I've messed something up in the past they let me know to correct the issue, but now they aren't saying a word. At the end of the night they just ask if my work is done, and during they day they might ask me to do or find something extra, but that's it. My coworkers who told me about the complaints don't want me to say anything, but I really want to talk to the managers about it.

 

Should I ask the managers, and what should I say? I kinda feel like my co-workers may get in trouble because the managers are so no-nonsense and straightforward. I'm just not sure what to do.

[mhowe]

What do you want to say?

 

I don't see what they are jealous of.

[LadyBug1988]

What do you want to say?

 

I don't see what they are jealous of.

 

Thank you for replying, I just can't think of any other reason these two girls are on my case. Do you think saying something is best?

[mhowe]

You are an adult woman. You are going to go to your bosses and say the American girls are being mean?

 

No. Say nothing and do your work.

[annie24]

I've dealt with this before, but I wish I knew what to tell you. I don't have any good advice but I hope you get some good feedback here.

[annie24]

You are an adult woman. You are going to go to your bosses and say the American girls are being mean?

 

No. Say nothing and do your work.

 

I think that the big problem would be if they go and tell her bosses that she's facebooking/calling on company time, looking bored, etc..... and then OP is in a position where she has to defend herself.

[LadyBug1988]

You are an adult woman. You are going to go to your bosses and say the American girls are being mean?

 

No. Say nothing and do your work.

 

The thing is they actually are not being mean to me, they are complaining to the managers. The girls, nor the managers are saying anything to me personally. I'm just wondering if I should say something.

[LadyBug1988]

I think that the big problem would be if they go and tell her bosses that she's facebooking/calling on company time, looking bored, etc..... and then OP is in a position where she has to defend herself.

 

So you think it's best I say something? Because their complaints are getting outrageous... I just don't understand why the managers aren't saying anything.

[mhowe]

Because the managers are happy with your work.

[annie24]

Because the managers are happy with your work.

 

and that's good, if they are good managers, i hope they see through the BS.

 

How do you know that they are complaining about you to the managers? did you overhear them, or did the managers say something to you?

[LadyBug1988]

Because the managers are happy with your work.

 

That could be true, they told me a story about a past receptionist who was a total ditz and never did the job right. Everyone hated her so the managers gave her vacation days earlier. The day before she was scheduled to return, the managers told her she was fired. I'm taking a vacation in a few weeks and I'm scared of something like this happening to me. I'm confident and it's obvious I do my job well (numbers don't lie), but I'm also unsure of who's buddy buddy with who in management and has more influence.

[mhowe]

Why are you interviewing already? It wasn't good that the ladies overheard that.

[LadyBug1988]

and that's good, if they are good managers, i hope they see through the BS.

 

How do you know that they are complaining about you to the managers? did you overhear them, or did the managers say something to you?

 

Practically all my coworkers (except the girls and managers) told me personally.

[LadyBug1988]

Why are you interviewing already? It wasn't good that the ladies overheard that.

 

I like where I work very much, but I want to find a career in my field. I paid for a master's degree and I'm making little over minimum wage there. So I'm aggressively seeking a position in my field.

[annie24]

link removed

[SophieGrace]

It certainly doesn't sound like a fun situation, and I'm sorry you're going through this. Sounds like a bad case of high school.

However if it were me, I would not talk to management. You are adults, and it isn't managements' job to play the parent in interpersonal relationships.

The truth is your position is an easily replaceable one. And even though the women you mention are technically higher-up on the food chain, they can't fire you. What I would do is stop texting and using Facebook and making personal calls at work, especially job interviews! (yes, even if everyone else is doing it.) If you want to keep the job, be model employee. And I would ask your other co-workers to stop gossiping and sharing those comments with you (and don't participate in gossip either)- it's not serving your best interest.

[alli]

If I were you I would review the company policy book carefully to see if you are currently breaking any "rules". It's probably a good idea to avoid personal calls whenever possible. It hardly seems like a big deal to make a phone call every once in a while, but if you can do it once you are off the clock just do it then. I'd stay off social media sites while at work as well, even if you have nothing else to do at the moment. Even if it's not specifically in their policy to not do those things it just something you should generally avoid doing at pretty much any workplace.

 

Even if you do appear bored, you can hardly put that in a policy book so I doubt you are violating any policies in this manner, nor does the food you bring. I would just continue to eat at my desk. If the management has a problem with it they could have you take a 20-30 minute break & just stay 20-30 minutes longer.

 

If your supervisor isn't discussing any of these things with you as being a problem, keep doing what you are doing (less the social media & personal calls). Also, don't ever tell people you work with when you have applied for other jobs, even if they were your friend. The word gets out, as you can see.

 

I would think if they spent enough time complaining about you the managers might see that they aren't really doing their jobs that well if they are so focused on what you are doing.

[LadyBug1988]

It certainly doesn't sound like a fun situation, and I'm sorry you're going through this. Sounds like a bad case of high school.

However if it were me, I would not talk to management. You are adults, and it isn't managements' job to play the parent in interpersonal relationships.

The truth is your position is an easily replaceable one. And even though the women you mention are technically higher-up on the food chain, they can't fire you. What I would do is stop texting and using Facebook and making personal calls at work, especially job interviews! (yes, even if everyone else is doing it.) If you want to keep the job, be model employee. And I would ask your other co-workers to stop gossiping and sharing those comments with you (and don't participate in gossip either)- it's not serving your best interest.

 

Yea, that's what my coworkers are saying too. It's so unfair because there are people who loudly FaceTime their children in the middle of the show room in front of everyone, people who are constantly playing Candy Crush, people who sleep in showroom cars and in the back offices, people who literally go MIA, people who watch sports events on the iPads, and all types of other crazy things. But from now on my phone stays in my purse and I don't want to hear any more rumors because they're seriously upsetting me.

[LadyBug1988]

Thank you for your response, I'm definitely going to look through the rule book, and from now on my phone lives in my purse. I'm not sure if I can do anything about the lunch situation, but in the meantime I'll try and stick to yogurt and salads. The gossipers in reference sell the least cars and are always doing absolutely nothing, the other day one of them printed out about 20 Haloween themes recipes for her son's future Haloween party on the clock... It really sucks that I have to walk on eggshells like this, but I know it's the only way to smooth things over.

[chitown9]

Do you receive job performance reviews periodically? ...chi

[ParisPaulette]

I take a bit of a different mind on this one. First, you need to treat this as a boring topic to coworkers who are "reporting" this to you. "Oh really, odd. No one has said hooey to me about it. Hey, did you...then switch the topic." Act like it's the most boring, nontopic in the world and say something like, "If anyone has a problem, they are free to put things in writing, otherwise this is all just fluff." When your coworkers see you treating it as not a big deal they'll likely treat it that way too and ease up on the whole thing. I always suspect people's motives a bit who do the whole "those people over there don't like you" kind of thing anyways. Sometimes they are the ones creating the drama. Not saying that's what's happening, but it's odd to me that if these women really had that much of a problem with you they wouldn't just say it or put it in writing to you.

 

Next, I would go to my immediate supervisor and ask for a brief meeting. Tell him you've been hearing some odd rumors about some coworkers complaining about you, but they haven't come to you and you want to just know if he is happy with your work and everything is okay. And yes, I would go to just him since he is the one in charge and it is his job to handle anything that threatens company morale. Don't be accusatory or upset, just say you want to make sure it's all good and that he's happy with your job performance. Chances are either he'll say "Those two hens, yeah don't worry about it. It's sort of obvious what they're doing and we all make fun of them in the breakroom" or he'll look at you blankly and say, "This is news to me." And if so shrug it off then drop it.

 

Third, treat these women as if you haven't a clue they're complaining. Be professional, be cordial, totally ignore them beyond that. Neither be approving or disapproving in your treatment of them, be a wall on which nothing can stick period.

 

Fourth, be professional. Just because someone else is doing it doesn't mean you should in regards to actions that are done on company time that shouldn't be. Because all it takes is for one of the managers or the bosses to decide it's their butt on the line if a higher up sees something and then the house-cleaning can start. And all the "I did it because so did Joe, Lisa and you's" in the world won't save you or your job.

 

The fact is I suspect one person is simply trying to stir up drama at the workplace and maybe start a "she did this" "no she did that" war at work. I've seen it before as a former manager. And that's where you have to be more professional, refuse to enter the game, and make sure your immediate supervisor is happy with your work and has your back. Outside of that treat them like the office hens they and your tattle-tale coworkers are being and ignore them with a faint, slightly bored "I could care less" attitude.

[lostandhurt]

Okay I am the boss and have from time to time some of my people complain about a coworker. I usually know a little about what is going on before they actually tell me but I always take it with a grain of salt and get both sides before I do anything if I do anything at all. Different personalities don't always mix well and from what I know some people are not happy unless they are stirring the pot at work.

 

If you worked for me and were in this position I would want you to try and resolve this yourself but since this seems to be one sided with them supposedly complaining about your work I would want you to come to me and simply ask me how I thought you were doing, if there was anything I thought you could improve on and if I thought there was an issues with the way you did your job overall. Basically this opens the door for dialogue in a more casual way. If he answers in a positive way then that puts the seed in his head that you are a good worker because he told you so and any complaints he gets are from people that need to mind their own business.

 

Get out a head of this but take the high road like you have been. Also if you need to make a personal call just ask the boss real quick. "It is my moms birthday today, would it be okay if I called her to wish her happy birthday" Then when the evil stepsisters complain about it he will say "I told her she could call her mother" and they will look petty.

Also state labor law states that you are allowed breaks away from your work station. I know dealerships have unique ways of working their employees but you do have rights.

 

Lost

[Snny]

NEVER EVER EVER talk about interviewing for another job at work. That WILL get you fired. An employer may decide to interview someone else to replace you and then let you go depending on their need.

 

I like where I work very much, but I want to find a career in my field. I paid for a master's degree and I'm making little over minimum wage there. So I'm aggressively seeking a position in my field.

In the real world, companies don't give a crap about your situation. You work in the retail world and they have needs and objectives to meet. Also you are putting yourself at risk by accessing social media on company Internet where they can track you or dig up any "dirt" to "prove" you are unfit to stay employed at their company.

 

The complaint about saying a quick happy birthday to a grandmother is baloney depending on company rules. Always check with a supervisor if you aren't unsure. As for food, those women it can be argued that they need cultural sensitivity training.

[derroax]

If you want to speak to your managers, I'd ask them for feedback on my performance and whether they feel there are any areas for improvement. If the girls managed to bend their ears, they will say something about it. If they don't mention it, it's because they don't mind those comments. You're looking for another job anyway so don't get sucked into the drama. They love playing he said she said games, and the likelihood is that they can play them better than you. Don't stoop to their level.

[derroax]

Just read Lost's reply and saw he said exactly the same thing. I fully agree.