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You are a year away from retirement. Who cares where your office is? It doesn't mean anything. People place too much importance on their office, desk and other material trappings in the work place. Petty jealousy about nothing.
Are you getting your paychecks on-time? Do they cash? That's what is most important.
Most companies these days simply have cubicles for employees. I honestly can't see why it would make a difference.
"You are a year away from retirement. Who cares where your office is? It doesn't mean anything. People place too much importance on their office, desk and other material trappings in the work place. Petty jealousy about nothing."
The important thing, at least from a mental health standpoint, is the windows, especially for someone who thrives on contact with nature. It's pretty depressing sitting in a dark, small, windowless box for 8 or more hours every day. They do that in prison, actually. As well as the loss of status that this denial represents. You either get that or you don't...
"I wouldn't have even asked about why the new employees got the office much less made it a thing by asking multiple folks..."
TWO folks, to clarify; my current supervisor, in response to the announcement, and my former supervisor, who is both a personal friend and now retired. I doubt there will be any "tattling" that I asked the latter about it.
I'm pretty close to retirement (about a year away), so this really shouldn't bother me that much, but I'm finding that it really does. In fact, I'm having a hard time getting over it. Perhaps venting here will help.
Long story short: I requested a particular, superior office when it was vacated by the (one) employee in our job with greater seniority only to be told that it would no longer be used as office space and therefore wouldn't be available. This was under one supervisor. That boss retired, another took over, and the new supervisor announced that the newest employee; that supervisor's first hire and a personal friend - the one taking the position of the now-retired colleague of mine with more seniority than I - would be moving into that office. Yes, the very office I had been told wouldn't be available.
Upon reading this announcement, I immediately informed the new supervisor that I had requested this and been turned down, and the response was, "Oh, I didn't know that was a popular office!" And that was it. I also inquired of my former supervisor how an office I'd been told wasn't available suddenly was and was told that it had become available for our use again just before that supervisor retired.
Obviously, no one informed me.
It's my contention that a) the former supervisor should've offered it to me at that point or that b) the new supervisor should've made the correction, offered the replacement my office (which is tiny and windowless, in contrast to the other) and installed me in that coveted space instead of the new employee, who has only two years with this company compared to my 20-plus years of loyal service.
It feels like a slap in the face, not surprisingly.
Although it could be chalked up to an innocent miscommunication during the passing of the baton between the two supervisors, those above them (the HR person and company director) sign off on these assignments and are obviously thus aware both that I had made this request and been turned down and was later dissed when it was given to the new kid on the block instead without even asking if I still wanted it. In fact, I battle seasonal depression, and having access to natural light would be very helpful. I suppose I should've made THAT claim, instead. It would then be an ADA matter!
Would you also have been hurt and angered, and what do I do with those feelings at this point? I've considered pointing out to the new supervisor (who is considerably younger than I am) the error of his ways -- he damaged a long-time employee's morale -- but then thought better of it. After all, I still have a year to go.
Why do you think you're even entitled to the corner office? You imply cronyism, but then you're also older and it sounds like you have considerable seniority. So you should be the boss, right. I mean that's what you're entitled to, isn't it.
Put it another way. You run a business. You've got a corner office. Do you give it to the disgruntled guy watching the clock doing the minimum checking off the days on the calendar to retirement, or do you give it to the young hot shot you're grooming to head the department in five years.
Why do you think you're even entitled to the corner office? You imply cronyism, but then you're also older and it sounds like you have considerable seniority. So you should be the boss, right. I mean that's what you're entitled to, isn't it.
Put it another way. You run a business. You've got a corner office. Do you give it to the disgruntled guy watching the clock doing the minimum checking off the days on the calendar to retirement, or do you give it to the young hot shot you're grooming to head the department in five years.
One doesn't become the boss simply because one is older or has seniority; nor is anyone entitled to it. Management is an entirely distinct career/position requiring a specific skill set, or at least it should be. Office life would be better if it were.
I don't consider myself necessarily entitled to any particular office, but I believe I've earned -- after years of service -- the right to have my voice heard and needs and wants taken into account over someone who hasn't yet earned that right, and I don't believe that happened here.
Last edited by otterhere; 07-09-2018 at 08:52 AM..
I worked for a local small pump maker. I had an argument with a female co-worker and she reported I said things I'd never say to a female (Especially at work) the company and agency took the company's side. So I was "Laid off" and left. Visions of revenge was part of me for three or four months. I finally drove by the company, raised my hand and said "God, you take care of them, I'll not touch them. You do your thing if you feel it is right"
I met one of the people I used to work with, everyone else had been fired, let go or quit. The company was having problems hiring and they are working 12 hour shifts and their debt is growing.....Couldn't be happier. I give them 2-3 years.
Yes, sometimes revenge is a dish best served cold. :-)
One doesn't become the boss simply because one is older or has seniority; nor is anyone entitled to it. Management is an entirely distinct career/position requiring a specific skill set, or at least it should be. Office life would be better if it were.
I don't consider myself necessarily entitled to any particular office, but I believe I've earned -- after years of service -- the right to have my voice heard and needs and wants taken into account over someone who hasn't yet earned that right, and I don't believe that happened here.
To be fair, I think you're right. Not about necessarily being entitled to the office just because you've taken up space for longer.
First boss may have been telling the truth. The office was really going to be used for something else. That or it wasn't and he just told you that because he didn't want to deal with you and knew he was on the way out and kept the office open and simply lied because he didn't want to deal with you and would rather let his successor inherit the problem.
The second boss got left the first one's mess. He really has no way of knowing you requested the office and were told it wasn't available, not that it really matters. Unless there's something in your contract that says office are assigned by seniority upon vacancy, the new hire is every bit entitled to it as you are. Most companies value both seniority and merit as they need both types of workers. You might get two more weeks vacation, priority in approval for vacation, and higher pay than the new guy. Those are typical ways companies show their appreciation for seniority. You might not get the office though as that goes to the new bosses' right hand guy. In some cases it's purely cronyism. It's possible that's the case. It's also possible he's worked with the new guy for five years previously and when he switched ships he brought his number two with him. That's quite common. The new guy in fact may have earned that right based on the five years of previous work with your new boss with a previous company/department. Or he could be a useless sycophant who isn't of any particular use at anything but being good company on the golf course.
Either way, part of good management is clear expectations. New boss should have more clearly informed you that the office wasn't handed out as a perq based on seniority instead of making a stupid comment like he didn't know the big office with windows was more desirable than the converted closest. But then most people aren't good at confrontation, especially when it's sprung on them out of the blue. Old boss didn't do him any favors by letting him inherit the issue. He may have responded differently if he hadn't gone into the situation blind, or maybe he's just not very good at handling personnel and wouldn't have.
I can name that feeling in one word: disrespected.
Understood. Have you considered speaking with the EAP as a "way through" your feeling.
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