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I recently started a job as a controller for a mid size company. This is a new position, and the company is growing like crazy. I have a staff of four who reported to another manager prior to my arrival. This manager is the national operations manager who dealt with the billing aspect for my staff. We do almost 800 invoices a month. My staff still go to this person for billing questions, as she has been with the company for eight years, they can come to me, but still go to her. My position is higher than this person, but she doesn't seem to care. We have two meetings a week for the leadership team, and this woman is constantly trying to tell me how to handle my staff. She always prefaces her comments with "well it's just my 2 cents worth." I have a problem employee who I haven't been able to discipline because between this mgr. and the HR mgr. they are afraid I might hurt this employee's feelings. I have over 15 years of management experience. The HR person has a whopping 2 years of experience and is also trying to tell me how to handle my staff. I have a good relationship with my subordinates, so I don't know what these people are trying to prove. I might add that I am more than 25 years older than both of these managers.
At my 90 day review, nothing was said about my actual performance, but the HR mgr. asked my staff what they thought of me???? Which was all that was discussed. Also the HR mgr. told me I need to be vulnerable with my staff. I'm a leader, not a wet blanket. I treat all of my staff the same. I'm always respectful but am not a pushover. My boss has told me he likes the job I'm doing. I've been working for many years and have never had a review like this.
The HR mgr. is so far up the boss's butt it's sickening, the operations mgr. is a kiss ass as well. I purposely told the HR mgr. something just to see if she would tell the boss, she did, but I changed my answer so she may have looked stupid.
The operations mgr. is constantly dumping her work on me, as they were waiting to get an in house controller. I'm working 45-50 hours a week and am sick of it.
I like my job and was hoping to retire from here, but between these two twits, I don't know how long I'm going to last. My boss is great and I have a good relationship with him, but saying anything against these two is not an option. They had a part time controller before me, but I really don't think my boss realizes how much I actually do. I help out my subordinates with their duties which takes about five hours a week, along with 3 hours of meetings every week.
I am the highest paid woman at our company, but I make $20k less than any of the men who have equivalent positions. One of my staff works 50 plus hours a week. She's salaried and management thinks she's the greatest thing ever. It seems they never miss an opportunity to tell me how great this woman is, they even brought her up at my review. This employee came to me and told me she wants to do more than billing, she wants to do what I do, and made a point of telling me her qualifications. It was a weird conversation as I have never had a employee basically tell me they want my job. She's not as experienced as I am or educated. I feel like they want this woman to take my place, but she says she doesn't want the stress of my position.
I've only been in my position for six months. I've been at companies who have experienced tremendous growth before. I get along well with these two managers, but when the HR mgr. suggests I work with my problem employee who is always late by suggesting I coach her on being on time, you know get up earlier, blah, blah, blah.
Am I missing something here? We have a good culture where I work, at least as far as the rank and file employees are concerned.
The operation mgr. has gone as far as telling me when I should have meetings with my staff, etc. Again, I'm not sure what she's trying to prove. She always does this in these leadership meetings.
Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
I don't understand how your subordinate can block your disciplinary action. If you are having leadership meetings and discussing problems (or whatever), your direct report should be free to pipe up with their opinion -- that is what they are there for. You need to have a mtg with the HR director and find out why you are not allowed to hold people accountable for failing to do their job (which, I assume, is what you want to do). Part of your job as a leader is to fix employees who have gone astray; ask how they want you to do that. Without knowing the circumstances, discipline may not be the answer. It may also be that you and this company have completely different philosophies on how to manage.
Well, it's just my two cents worth (lol), but the operations manager might just be your typical pushy, know-it-all, control freak accountant. I've worked at multiple accounting firms and have seen this type over and over again. If you call them on their annoying behavior, they'll cry to management that you're being mean to them and they're only trying to help. Best to be as passive aggressive back to them as possible so they can't pin anything on you.
Be direct in stating your view. Have a formal meeting.
The undermining is not moving any one forward. Keep it to a minimum on the side tracking.
You seem to know the antics of your fellow staff use it to your advantage.
I'm sorry that you aren't getting the respect earned. I'd tell that two center person to zip it! Besides you don't accept loose change 😁.
Thanks everyone for your feedback. It's very frustrating because HR wants it to be all rainbows and unicorns. They are so protective of their culture, yet fail to address when employee's are abusing it. My management style is different than my co-workers. I have the old fashioned notion that employees are paid to do a job, not have paid play time at work. I've had my other staff complain to me about this employee's tardiness and disruptive behavior by her constant chatter. She is a marginal employee at best. I was told by management that it's okay if she's late, she's young. She's 30. HR suggested that I coach her on everything she does. I say do the job you were hired to do, I'm not micromanaging anyone.
Thanks everyone for your feedback. It's very frustrating because HR wants it to be all rainbows and unicorns. They are so protective of their culture, yet fail to address when employee's are abusing it. My management style is different than my co-workers. I have the old fashioned notion that employees are paid to do a job, not have paid play time at work. I've had my other staff complain to me about this employee's tardiness and disruptive behavior by her constant chatter. She is a marginal employee at best. I was told by management that it's okay if she's late, she's young. She's 30. HR suggested that I coach her on everything she does. I say do the job you were hired to do, I'm not micromanaging anyone.
Coaching and micromanaging are two different things. She’s not used to your expectations, even if they are what everyone should be doing. Set your expectations with her. Have a conversation with her. Talk to her how you want to see her grow with the company and how she can succeed.
My husband started with a company that had a similar culture. He just expected people to do their job, with no coaching. He was more **** or get off the pot. He didn’t last long, not his choice.
I have been coaching this employee for several months. She's even said she appreciates that I don't micro manage her. I think she knows since nothing is happening to her for being late, she can do whatever she wants. She's only been with the company for a short while. I'm hoping I don't have the same fate as your husband. Thanks for the insight.
I was kind of in the same boat when I stated at my current company as a manufacturing operations manager. There were several "sacred cows" there who were pretty much getting away with whatever while other employees were being held to a higher standard. HR pretty much was looking the other way and I had a floor supervisor trying to tell me what to do.
Frustrating.
I think that one thing you could do that worked for me would be to sit your team down and just do a review of how the department/team is doing and talk about both the good and areas of development. You can also tell them what they can expect from you (communication, integrity, etc.) and then review YOUR expectations such as chain of command, attendance policy and so on. At first, hold these meetings weekly or as often as your situation merits to keep the team motivated and aware of how they are doing.
Deal with the performance/attendance issues separately. Attendance issues are frustrating enough on their own for reasons you already know but it's worse when it's been allowed to continue for a long time with no correction/consequences. Sit this person down and find out if there is a reason for the poor attendance--just in case it falls under an ADA reason or something eligible for FMLA to CYA. If it does not, ask the employee to work with you in developing a plan to improve their attendance. Review the policy and consequences but also let them know that you need them there because the work they do is important. If the attendance issue does not improve then you will have to start the formal corrective action process that your organization follows. If HR is not supportive, find a manager who is.
As to the operations manager who offers unsolicited advice, it sounds like she is trying to feel useful and might feel a bit displaced since you have been hired. She may even feel a bit threatened, evidenced by having people still come to her for the billing. Since you are her boss, I would create a list of duties/job description for her and/or see if there are tasks that you could delegate to her. She should not be dumping all of her work on you; find her some work to do. Also, maybe see if some of her advice is worthwhile?
The employee that management is always talking up might be someone who they have in mind as a successor to your position when you are promoted. I would definitely keep my eyes and ears open on that one; I always get a bit cautious myself when I hear management saying how someone else would be 'wonderful' for my job.
It sounds like overall you have a decent job, it's just working out those few things.
It's obvious you will never be happy there, and it will continue to eat at you as you create more threads about how bitter you are.
You're up against people much younger than you, that collude with HR. A no win situation. In fact don't be surprised if some might be colluding behind your back to undermine and get rid of you as we speak. I've seen it happen. Six months is more than enough time for these things to happen.
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