OH problems at work

andygb

The OH has been at this place for six years, and everything has been OK. However she had a change of supervisor three years ago and has had nothing but problems. This person is clearly being very picky all the time, and has marked OH down in appraisals unfairly (other people have done exactly the same and not had a problem.
Yesterday the OH came back from work in tears, because she has had to do one piece of work three times (and has got someone else to check it), and the supervisor is still not happy. I have had a look at the piece of work (she brought it home to work on it), and the supervisor has definitely contradicted herself on the comments and recommendations.
She has been advised on her timekeeping (taking an extra five/ten minutes at lunch), despite the fact that she is always getting in early, and does not take tea or fag breaks (nearly everyone else does take these which probably adds up to half an hour over the course of a day)
Just lately the company have taken on some younger staff, and I have advised the OH to make a note of everything which happens (a kind of diary).
I am worried about my OH's health, because with me out of work, all this is putting so much stress on her.
Is there anything else which she can do, or are they trying to force her to leave?

maninthestreet

Can your OH take up her grievances with the supervisor's manager?
Perhaps she can take the said piece of work to them and ask for their opinion on whether it is satisfactory or not?

aileth

andygb wrote: »

She has been advised on her timekeeping (taking an extra five/ten minutes at lunch), despite the fact that she is always getting in early, and does not take tea or fag breaks (nearly everyone else does take these which probably adds up to half an hour over the course of a day)

Maybe she should start turning up just 'on time' and taking the tea breaks that everyone else does if being early and not taking them means nothing in her favour.

A diary is also a very good idea, but I'd notify HR or the supervisor's manager of her concerns.

andygb

maninthestreet wrote: »

Can your OH take up her grievances with the supervisor's manager?
Perhaps she can take the said piece of work to them and ask for their opinion on whether it is satisfactory or not?

The overall manager is having an affair with the supervisor (who is probably doing all this as some kind of power trip IMO).

andygb

aileth wrote: »

Maybe she should start turning up just 'on time' and taking the tea breaks that everyone else does if being early and not taking them means nothing in her favour.

A diary is also a very good idea, but I'd notify HR or the supervisor's manager of her concerns.

A kind of "work to rule" had occurred to me, but they have been getting more and more work, and unless she gets in early, she will then be criticised for not getting the work done.

NowRetired

Years ago when my work banned smoking I didn't smoke but I soon took it up to get the same breaks as everyone else.


The same cigarette lasted me 5 years. :rotfl::rotfl:

Jordo

I doubt she is being managed out of the business, and I don't think there's anything she can do, other than have a one-to-one with the supervisor to clear the air, find out if there's a problem.

Get her into a room and simply ask if there's something up - the supervisor's reaction will say a lot.

ValHaller

Forget it, wipe the slate clean, join the relevant union. Start a diary. Take it from there.

Tiddlywinks

How big is the company? Does it have an HR team? Does it have a staff handbook? Fair Treatment at Work policy?

Keeping a diary is a good idea - but make the comments factual only with no opinion.

As to timekeeping - your OH has walked into that one. Regardless of the extra hours she's working (or what others get away with), there is a set period for lunch and if she exceeds that without prior permission then she is late - that's just the way it is. She needs to ensure that she doesn't overstep any of the easy to prove rules of the business.

She should also look at the ACAS website and could call them to ask for advice.

Joining a union is also a good idea.

andygb

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

As to timekeeping - your OH has walked into that one. Regardless of the extra hours she's working (or what others get away with), there is a set period for lunch and if she exceeds that without prior permission then she is late - that's just the way it is.

I don't really agree with this point, because the supervisor is late back from lunch every day (she goes to the gym, and takes between 75 and 90 minutes), and my OH takes lunch with several other staff - who are not being reprimanded for doing this.
When my OH questioned the supervisor last year about this, the reply was that everyone has different duties (which was not true), and that my OH's duties required that she take exactly one hour for lunch (again not true, as they have a team of eight, who have similar/same duties, and all of whom occasionally take more than anhour - only slightly - for lunch).
This is a clear case of discrimination/picking on one person, something which this supervisor has done to a couple of others who have now left the company.
It is quite a large company, and I have told my OH to diarise everything, and then to have a word with HR (which is at another site).

Tiddlywinks

andygb wrote: »

I don't really agree with this point, because the supervisor is late back from lunch every day (she goes to the gym, and takes between 75 and 90 minutes), and my OH takes lunch with several other staff - who are not being reprimanded for doing this.
When my OH questioned the supervisor last year about this, the reply was that everyone has different duties (which was not true), and that my OH's duties required that she take exactly one hour for lunch (again not true, as they have a team of eight, who have similar/same duties, and all of whom occasionally take more than anhour - only slightly - for lunch).
This is a clear case of discrimination/picking on one person, something which this supervisor has done to a couple of others who have now left the company.
It is quite a large company, and I have told my OH to diarise everything, and then to have a word with HR (which is at another site).

Whether you agree or not isn't the issue - your OH has a contract to do x hours with x lunch... if she is working outside of those hours without permission then the supervisor has every right to talk to her about it.

If your OH feels she is being treated differently then she needs to follow internal policies to address this (and a diary will help).

But, she is still making herself an easy target by not sticking to attendance times. Your OH needs to tow the line whilst gathering her 'evidence'.