Receptionist Accused of Stealing Parcel

Jerryjerryjerry

ceebeeby wrote: »

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

You're certainly not aiming for any "Receptionist / Cheeriest Front of House Award 2011" are you!

The more I read your responses, the more I think you're here on a wind-up. Do you not get that your actions were WRONG in sending the womans parcel back. It wasn't HER fault that there was no parcel entry monitoring system - to me that was your responsibility. That you didn't have one is something that you should be accountable for - your boss isn't expected to do everything and you are presumably employed not as an automatom, but someone who can use their initiative - either that or you're in the wrong job.

Question - you've been in the job for four months - did you apply for the front of house job and understand that it was a receptionist position. Did you state on your application that you were unskilled in some aspects and would require training?

Question - Have you at any time in those four months done anything about requesting training for the aspects of your role that you were unsure about - either in terms of company training, or self-training from manuals, or evening course in administration etc.

Question - During the afternoon, spent on a public chat forum (albeit one I like very much ) did it never occur to you that rather than spend the time bemoaning your situation, you might have actually benefitted your employer (who pays you a pittance) in googling for an appropriate procedure / looking up administration techniques etc.

Please don't blame people who respond. You have posted details that show you to be incompetent in your role, lacking ingenuity in resolving issues and dishonest in your use of your employers time and incapable of acknowledging this!

I acknowledge I was harsh, I'm normally a !!!!! cat - but seriously, if you were a staff member of mine, those questions would only be the start of my queries!!!

Twice, I have requested a list of the names of the people who work in the company. I've been sent a list of the main contacts in each company before. But I don't have and have never had a list of all the names of everybody that works here.

Therefore, if a parcel comes with a name of someone and no company name, the only way of finding out if it is for someone in this building is to ring every company. I can't do that while a delivery man is standing here. They have a very tight schedule and wouldn't be able to stand there while I make 14 phone calls.

I have been given permission to go on the internet, to any site during quiet moments. They are relaxed about the internet. Therefore, i'm not doing anything against company rules.

thegirlintheattic

OP going on internet sites with permission may be ok, but I doubt your boss would be happy about you going online slagging off the company/people in the company. Many organisations make checks on browsing history, and I know if my bosses saw this thread and I was the one who had wrote it I'd be up for a disciplinary if not a P45.

Maybe save forum posts about problems at work for after work.

scheming_gypsy

thegirlintheattic wrote: »

OP going on internet sites with permission may be ok, but I doubt your boss would be happy about you going online slagging off the company/people in the company. Many organisations make checks on browsing history, and I know if my bosses saw this thread and I was the one who had wrote it I'd be up for a disciplinary if not a P45.

.

The OP hasn't mentioned where they work or any other the companies in that building if i remember correctly.
Also, many organisations can check what sites employees have visited but that's it. If they check up on anything that their employees have done without good reason then they're heading for an arsekicking (unless things have changed in the last few years)... So all they will see is that a member of staff has visited forums.moneysavingexpert.com

Jerryjerryjerry

thegirlintheattic wrote: »

OP going on internet sites with permission may be ok, but I doubt your boss would be happy about you going online slagging off the company/people in the company. Many organisations make checks on browsing history, and I know if my bosses saw this thread and I was the one who had wrote it I'd be up for a disciplinary if not a P45.

Maybe save forum posts about problems at work for after work.

Thank you for your concern. You come across as such a kind hearted girl.

And as the poster below has said, I haven't mentioned any names. Not even the City I work in, so you need not worry.

I don't know a great deal about employment law, but I know enough to know I would NOT be up for a disciplinary for posting annonymously on a forum about a problem at work and asking for constructive advice.

Jerryjerryjerry

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

The OP hasn't mentioned where they work or any other the companies in that building if i remember correctly.
Also, many organisations can check what sites employees have visited but that's it. If they check up on anything that their employees have done without good reason then they're heading for an arsekicking (unless things have changed in the last few years)... So all they will see is that a member of staff has visited forums.moneysavingexpert.com

Thank you for that. And you're right, I haven't. I appreciate, on any internet forum, hidden behind keyboards, lurk bitter and angry people who are ready to pounce harshly on anybody they see as vulnerable, or going through some hard times.

For most people, you'd only post for help on a forum, if you were in need.

I guess there are people who only attack those in need as it makes them feel a little better than being in the gutter as they usually are.

scheming_gypsy

I must admit though, i've had to laugh at a few things on this thread.

1 - somebody telling you to tell your boss that he should email 14 other companies who rent offices in the building, and tell them that they're not allowed to let people have personal parcels delivered.
2 - Shared network folders for 15 companies
3 - getting sacked for anonymous posting

poet123

I think this thread is sliding downwards! My opinion is that the OP should have had training, but that she hasn't, and has been left to make up the nuances of the job on the hoof. Some people simply cannot do that, and have to have a framework to work within. It is a fact of life that we do not all work in the same way.

To me, in the OP's position, on a Reception desk, the first thing I would have instigated was a signing in/out book and a parcel receipt book, as a bare minimum. I would also have emailed all the offices and requested that if personal parcels are to be sent to reception I should be informed beforehand if at all possible. I would also have a return to sender policy for any parcel that was uncollected after a 7 working day period. I would then accept any parcel which arrived and follow those procedures. As long as everyone is aware of them there should be no issues.

Re the disclosure on the internet, companies do take this kind of thing seriously, and even without identifying details those involved ( and with a vested interest in stirring- like the complainant!)would know which company the OP was referring to. It would not be a sackable offence but would not be viewed particularly well either.

My advice to the OP would be to use initiative, and think about the easiest, most professional way to do your job, consult with your boss, and then put those procedures in place. You will be happier, and the job will be done more efficiently.

custardy

poet123 wrote: »

I think this thread is sliding downwards! My opinion is that the OP should have had training, but that she hasn't, and has been left to make up the nuances of the job on the hoof. Some people simply cannot do that, and have to have a framework to work within. It is a fact of life that we do not all work in the same way.

To me, in the OP's position, on a Reception desk, the first thing I would have instigated was a signing in/out book and a parcel receipt book, as a bare minimum. I would also have emailed all the offices and requested that if personal parcels are to be sent to reception I should be informed beforehand if at all possible. I would also have a return to sender policy for any parcel that was uncollected after a 7 working day period. I would then accept any parcel which arrived and follow those procedures. As long as everyone is aware of them there should be no issues.

Re the disclosure on the internet, companies do take this kind of thing seriously, and even without identifying details those involved ( and with a vested interest in stirring- like the complainant!)would know which company the OP was referring to. It would not be a sackable offence but would not be viewed particularly well either.

My advice to the OP would be to use initiative, and think about the easiest, most professional way to do your job, consult with your boss, and then put those procedures in place. You will be happier, and the job will be done more efficiently.

that could be problematic
how would you be returning them?

scheming_gypsy

It would also depend on the position of the company who employs the OP. If they're just employed to do x,y and z then they'd be limited to what they can try and implement.

Requesting details of private parcels being delivered isn't a policy but just a request so they end up at the right place; and having a parcel book isn't a policy that affects other people either.
If you go refusing everything on the basis that they don't follow a procedure you implemented when it's not your place to... then you might run into trouble.

Jerryjerryjerry

poet123 wrote: »

I think this thread is sliding downwards! My opinion is that the OP should have had training, but that she hasn't, and has been left to make up the nuances of the job on the hoof. Some people simply cannot do that, and have to have a framework to work within. It is a fact of life that we do not all work in the same way.

To me, in the OP's position, on a Reception desk, the first thing I would have instigated was a signing in/out book and a parcel receipt book, as a bare minimum.

Some people simply cannot use their own initiative at work because even if you wish to order a pencil, you have to go through certain levels!

In this company, the first thing I noticed was that people were simply walking in and out of the building - sometimes running. I mentioned to my boss the need for a signing in book. He ummed and arred about it and said "he'd look into it". Then I asked again a week later. I also emailed him asking about it. He then finally said he'd bring it up at the next management meeting. Then he finally gave the go ahead after 2 months.

I don't work for the type of company that you can use your own initiative in. I moved a plant once, because it was getting in people's way. I was told that it wasn't the done thing. That the big boss chooses where plants go.

I could go on, but I wont.