Advice on job incident

Toorop

I work in a large retail store and recently had a new Manager start. One evening the Manager was on the phone discussing the store while walking around the shop floor and began bad mouthing and being critical of people and talking about getting rid them, "pushing" certain individuals out by name.

This is a rather a new situation for me and I'm unsure of my position on whether this needs reporting or if this completely ok for the Manager to do although in my opinion completely unprofessional considering this was on the shop floor with both customers and staff to hear.

I have requested and still waiting for a copy of the employee handbook to see what the process is.

Considering the impact it will have on staff morale and the working environment, has any employment law been broken or is this a situation that should be dealt with internally if at all.

Any advice welcome.

jonnygee2

No law has been broken.But no large retail business tolerates this kind of thing. I think you should report it.

If I were you I would write a detailed and entirely factual report of the incident to HR and ask it be kept it confidential. I would also give the names of any colleagues who can verify the incident took place (talk to them first!). Under no circumstances give it labels like 'unprofessional' and instead talk about the reaction from customers and the impact on the stores reputation. Make sure the email is professional, well written and concise.

I can't see this coming back on you because there is absolutely no chance this is tolerable behaviour for a store. Doing this behind closed doors would be tacitly accepted in some companies and frowned upon in others. Doing it in front of customers, that obviously not how people run shops. I used to work in retail, someone who did this would have been fired from any of the places I worked in (there were certainly managers who were absolute ******s in the staffroom but that's completely different).

He's new to the company, odds are he's fired very quickly.

Of course, by reporting it you do expose yourself a little, but that's not always a bad thing. There's always a slim chance that senior management will side with him and turn on you, but I find that incredibly unlikely, and given your new manager is obviously incompetent you have a lot to gain from raising this.

Les79

What personal investment do you have in regards to this issue?

jonnygee2

What personal investment do you have in regards to this issue?

Well, her (/his) new manager is an incompetent twit. This affects not only the staff but also the fortunes business which employs them. I'd call that investment!

Toorop

Les79 wrote: »

What personal investment do you have in regards to this issue?

My personal investment is that I work there and this incident is going to create a poor work environment if not dealt with soon. Gossiping has started and it's only a matter of time before it's on facebook if it isn't already and I would rather deal with it the correct way.

Toorop

jonnygee2 wrote: »

No law has been broken.But no large retail business tolerates this kind of thing. I think you should report it.

If I were you I would write a detailed and entirely factual report of the incident to HR and ask it be kept it confidential. I would also give the names of any colleagues who can verify the incident took place (talk to them first!). Under no circumstances give it labels like 'unprofessional' and instead talk about the reaction from customers and the impact on the stores reputation. Make sure the email is professional, well written and concise.

I can't see this coming back on you because there is absolutely no chance this is tolerable behaviour for a store. Doing this behind closed doors would be tacitly accepted in some companies and frowned upon in others. Doing it in front of customers, that obviously not how people run shops. I used to work in retail, someone who did this would have been fired from any of the places I worked in (there were certainly managers who were absolute ******s in the staffroom but that's completely different).

He's new to the company, odds are he's fired very quickly.

Of course, by reporting it you do expose yourself a little, but that's not always a bad thing. There's always a slim chance that senior management will side with him and turn on you, but I find that incredibly unlikely, and given your new manager is obviously incompetent you have a lot to gain from raising this.

Thanks jonnygee2.
This is a new experience for me, if I were to have an issue with a fellow lowly employee I would just report it to the Manager. Think that's what the handbook say's but don't recall anything about reporting a Manager.

sangie595

Toorop wrote: »

My personal investment is that I work there and this incident is going to create a poor work environment if not dealt with soon. Gossiping has started and it's only a matter of time before it's on facebook if it isn't already and I would rather deal with it the correct way.

There is no "correct way", and the previous assertions that this will be kept confidential and/ or that it can't come back on you are pie in the sky twaddle.

It isn't good management or behaviour, but there's nothing wrong with it. Nothing in the handbook will say managers must be competent or have manners. On the other hand, it will outline the process for dismissing you (or whoever posts it on Facebook), which you might find handy to know.

By all means report it if your personal moral code says you must. But don't be mislead about the likely outcome. At best it'll probably be nothing. Most likely, your name will go to the top of the list of people leaving in the immediate future.

TELLIT01

sangie595 wrote: »

There is no "correct way", and the previous assertions that this will be kept confidential and/ or that it can't come back on you are pie in the sky twaddle.

It isn't good management or behaviour, but there's nothing wrong with it.

There may be nothing illegal about the behaviour but there is plenty 'wrong' about it. Staff matters should not be discussed in areas where that conversation can be overheard. That is most certainly the case is staff members are being named.
It may be that the manager thinks it will scare staff into working harder if they think they may be for the chop but it is an appalling way for a manager to behave.

Takeaway_Addict

TELLIT01 wrote: »

There may be nothing illegal about the behaviour but there is plenty 'wrong' about it. Staff matters should not be discussed in areas where that conversation can be overheard. That is most certainly the case is staff members are being named.
It may be that the manager thinks it will scare staff into working harder if they think they may be for the chop but it is an appalling way for a manager to behave.

There are rare occasions when what the manager did is acceptable for the company, as you say if staff have not been performing or the store itself is under performing it certainly gives a warning shot to people to buck their ideas up. Though it is a one use thing really as then the manager needs to start dealing with the situation properly.


But its probably more likely this manager is an !!!!.

gettingtheresometime

I personally wouldn't say anything but be grateful that you know what the manager is like so you can keep your nose clean.


Don't accept him as a friend on facebook & refuse to join in any discussions on any form of social media....in fact refuse to get in any sort of discussions about it

RichardD1970

jonnygee2 wrote: »

Of course, by reporting it you do expose yourself a little, but that's not always a bad thing. There's always a slim chance that senior management will side with him and turn on you, but I find that incredibly unlikely, and given your new manager is obviously incompetent you have a lot to gain from raising this.

In my experience senior management will back the new manager that they hired, as to not do so would cast doubt on their own abilities.

OP, as others have said, stay off social media with anything work related.