employees lied to boss about my performance

[Ralph_Kirk]

Originally Posted by buildings_and_bridges

Hi all. I just recently found out that three employees were involved in the same situation. Last year, two employees I supervise, and one that I do not supervise directly, told my boss that I'm not doing any work. One insisted that because of this, she could not work at a public service desk with me, and was permitted to sit in an office all day for quite some time (I once made a thread about her). The second was relocated to another desk to cover when another employee was out sick for a long period of time. The third employee continued to work with me, while I had no knowledge of the fact that he had complained about me.

At the time, I was reprimanded, both for not doing my work, and for pushing my work onto others. However, no official disciplinary action was taken, as my boss said that he lacked proof of their claims. Nevertheless, I began documenting any and all negative incidents, as well as everything that I accomplished every day, so that if someone asked, I could show them a file that clearly stated what all I accomplished any given day. On one occasion, after my boss made a remark about people slacking off, I offered my document about my daily accomplishments for his review. He declined to review it.

Yesterday, I was asked to attend a meeting with two of my superiors, in which I was told that my performance has been exemplary, and it's clear that I was always doing my work. I was also told that I never needed to have any anxiety over whether employees under me thought I'd been doing my work, because they do not evaluate me or have any sort of authority over me. They added that it was unnecessary to keep a log of my daily accomplishments at the job, because I had nothing to prove.

I have two questions about this: Would you believe your superiors were being honest after this meeting? Would you ever trust these employees again?

How much was that really a "reprimand" for not doing any work rather than an advisory that your employees weren't being supervised properly?


From what you've said, I don't have a view of whether you are a "worker-manager" or strictly a manager. Is "not doing any work" a matter of tasks you share with them or your management over them?


Generally, though, when subordinates go over your head, in one way or another it reflects on you as a manager. If your subordinates have issues, it is your job to find out what the problem actually is.

[BusinessManIT]

Originally Posted by LesLucid

No way. Continue keeping the log, just don't talk about it until you really need it. Without it, it's their word against yours. I used to do the same thing because my company wanted us to spend every minute out in the field but only do paper work on our time. That was absurd because there were not enough hours in the day to do that, have any life and be able to sleep at least 6 hours. I took most Monday's as office days and I kept the hour by hour log for every day to be able to prove the hours I worked and emphasize the amount of unproductive administrative work that wasted my time.

I agree. Continue to document no matter what they tell you. If you can get the claim that you will never need to document anything again in writing, then that would be great. But still continue to document.

[Suburban_Guy]

Yup never trust anyone. Keep the log to back yourself up.

[buildings_and_bridges]

Originally Posted by Ralph_Kirk

How much was that really a "reprimand" for not doing any work rather than an advisory that your employees weren't being supervised properly?

You might be right. It wasn't presented that way, but I guess that's what it could amount to.

From what you've said, I don't have a view of whether you are a "worker-manager" or strictly a manager. Is "not doing any work" a matter of tasks you share with them or your management over them?

I'm a worker and manager. I'm a public librarian who supervises library technicians and other paraprofessionals. So, "not doing work" could refer to either role or both.

Generally, though, when subordinates go over your head, in one way or another it reflects on you as a manager. If your subordinates have issues, it is your job to find out what the problem actually is.

I said something similar in the meeting with my boss and his boss, wanting to revisit these issues because something wasn't addressed (I feel). I was told to let it go because it's over and they don't believe my employees have problems with me any longer.

Anyway, thanks to all for the replies. It helps me to get opinions from people on here because sometimes I don't see a problem in all the ways I should.

[thedwightguy]

In construction safety we call it our "off log". It's a record of bullsh//t and incidents where you've been counter manded or observice drug behaviour, but can't prove it...yet. And I'd keep on keeping you log.

I'd also want to know more about immediate "management" that condones/cultivates/overlooks the MEOW brigade that thinks evaluating co-workers is THEIR job. Someone is signalling to them that it's all right behaviour. It's not.

[Frihed89]

I agree with others that it doesn't sound like a very satisfying work place, that and perhaps you need to work a bit on your self-confidence to become more inner-directed by your own goals and standards.

I remember having to fire a really nice guy because he just couldn't get a handle on being a research consultant. I told him I was doing him a favor and pushed him towards academic employment. Now, 20+ years later he is a distinguished professor at a leading university in our field. He thanks me.