Hi,
Here's a letter I'm on the verge of sending to my area manager. I REALLY need some input/feedback on whether I should send this, or if there's some other steps I can take.
I have been working in <place> since start Feb, and I have a great relationship with the entire team both front and back of house. There are some major issues with <boss> that, I have tried to deal with professionally and just get on with, but I now need your guidance as I'm really in a bad way - the work is now affecting my home life. I'm stressed and often snap at my partner, I have to arrive at work 20 minutes early just to sit in the car park and steel myself for going on duty. I'm constantly on the point of just giving a heat of the moment resignation, but I love working for <company> and I'm proud to work for you as an Area Manager, so I will never act on that feeling. I do need to share with you my frustrations, for fear that the relationship with <boss> and I will deteriorate to the point where the business is affected.
Around one week after starting, we agreed that I would focus on the bar, as both staff were in need of development.
I engaged both staff weekly for ten minutes when the business was quiet, or during till handovers in the office. I was clear with them that the meeting was for them to tell me about the week, what they felt they did well, what we could have helped them with more, how we could improve in the week going forward. I would take notes and we would agree on what we would do for next week.
Both bartenders responded well, and were really engaged with the idea of weekly, non-confrontational feedback and discussion. Encouraged by the results, I broached the idea to three other members of floor staff, who were similarly enthusiastic. We reorganised the bar ice well layout for a quicker, more efficient service, and took advice from Jonny on the layout of glasses behind the bar. I asked the staff not to place coffee cups in the glasswash - it coats the glasses is sticky coffee ground residue, and can damage the glass wash as it can't remove the debris. The fat from milk jugs doesn't dissolve and it coats glasses, causing smearing.
<boss> told me a few days later cups were to be washed in the glass wash, as "Saturday breakfasts are busy and once you've done one you'll see that. Plus, if we wash them in the kitchen, the chefs either just break them or leave them till the end so we don't have them."
I'm being told to do something that affects our product quality, purely because my line manager is not willing to engage with the BOH team and challenge them on breakage, or ensure that they wash what we need when we need it.
Two weeks later, as these 10 minute meetings were gaining momentum and I was developing a great relationship with the team, I was told by <boss>, at an unscheduled meeting, "These ten minute meetings stop now. I don't like it, and the staff are all talking about it, they're all asking each other what you said to them"
I suggested how strongly I felt that were achieving good results, but this was dismissed. Consequently, I stopped meeting with the team. All the changes in layout of ice wells and glassware were undone.
As I close every Friday & Sunday and open every Wednesday, I place most of the wet orders. In line with my training, I was printing the orders summary from <system> and filing it. I was told that although <training dept> trained this, I was not to do this as it's a waste of paper. This caused some double orders, and a holding stock of circa £5,000. I explained that I was used to restaurants turning over over 30k per week, and would need time to learn our average consumption.
We had our management meeting, again on my day off which I attended, where we addressed the holding stock. <boss> was clear that we can't, "Just make up the order, we need to walk around and see what we need".
That week, during conversation, he mentioned he doesn't bother with wet order sheets as he knows what we consume every week and he just does the order from his head.
He is telling me one thing and then doing another.
I received a text message last week telling me I was no longer allowed to place orders as there were two many mistakes. Next day, I was met with a handover note asking me to place the wet order on the system.
When we received our poor mystery diner, where we lost points for food not being carried on a tray, I engaged staff daily to enforce these standards.
We lost points for the same in the last report. We agreed <direct> would be disciplined since I had issued a letter of concern to her about the same thing two weeks previous.
I drafted an invite to disciplinary, and asked <boss> if I was to do the investigation that day and if he would take notes. This would allow him to chair the upcoming disciplinary.
I was told we didn't need an investigation. I explained the procedure. He argued that note takers weren't necessary at investigation stage, and I again explained the process.
We agreed that I and <supervisor> would conduct the investigation on Saturday and invite her to disciplinary following that meeting.
That same night, I observed him taking food to a table without a tray.
I cannot reconcile being asked to manage staff to adhere to standards that my line manager doesn't hold himself.
If any senior manager were to walk in to a shift where brand standards weren't being followed, and I suggested that this was due to <boss> not following, I know I would be challenged - it's my shift and therefore my responsibility to ensure compliance. I can't reconcile intentionally doing what I know is wrong just because my line manager isn't consistent in his delivery of our standards.
I was coping with all of the above, just, until today. I accepted that <boss> was acting as a GM and it's his restaurant. I can't change my manager's behaviour, so I resigned to just doing the best job I could with the resources I was being give.
Today, I received a text message (15th March) , which outlined some failures of mine from last shift (14th March). I missed <health & safety paperwork & financial filing> . It states, "if u wish to continue work for me u need to up ur game a lot more".
To put in context, that day, I received a phone call telling me my partners sister was in hospital having been assaulted with a knife and a baseball bat - I was admittedly distracted and not focused 100% on my work.
This is not an excuse, the work needs done regardless of personal problems, but I believe it provides some context as to why I wasn't at my best.
My issue is that not only was my job threatened via SMS on my day off, but that often, when <boss> works 8-8 and I work 12-Cl, I find the safe handover and fire sign off not completed from that morning.
We invited <trainer> to deliver line cleaning training, which I attended despite being off that day. I had to leave at 3pm to collect <spouse> from a training course. <Trainer's> training lasting until around 4pm.
Our bartender was asked to clean the lines on Monday 5th March but didn't. I asked her why, she said she forgot. I made it clear that it was to be done the following Monday morning (12th March)
I asked <boss> how she'd got on when I came to work on Tuesday. He told me he'd instructed her not to do it, as he couldn't supervise her to make sure it was done properly.
I could accept this, but for him then asking me to clean the lines the next day (14th March), unsupervised. I had received the same training she had, but I was expected to do the same task, whilst serving breakfast from 9am.
I didn't have a member of staff until 1030 that morning.
There are various other standards that he does not enforce, which I will not list at it will seem petty. They are all things that I was trained in on <training dept> and told that they MUST happen. Individually, I can deal with it, but taken in context with the above, it creates a confusing, unprofessional and difficult working environment for me and for the team.
I appreciate this might sound weak of me, but I do not feel I can speak to <boss> about this. His above actions lead me to believe he is disengaged and not interested in what I have to say or do if it's not "his way".
I am constantly worried about my financial situation, as commuting to <place> has raised my monthly travel from £75 to £250. I'm always worried that if I do or say something, that <boss> will hear about it from the staff and I'll be told not to do what I know is right, what I have been trained to do.
I love working for <company>, and I am glad that you have asked me to stay in your area instead of transferring back to <previous site>. I could deal with any one or two of the above, even the travel costs, but to have my job threatened by SMS on my day off is at best unethical and flies in the face of all we say about treating out staff with dignity, respect and integrity. There was nothing in that message that couldn't have waited until my next shift, where we could have discussed it in private.
I don't know what else to say or what to ask for. I just need your help and guidance. Really, I'd like to move, again, to another restaurant in your area and continue to work for you.
DONT SEND IT
Hi Goldie,
Do not send your letter. No good will come of it. You will only put a target on your back, trust me I have seen this done many times and the outcome is always the same.
What I would do is listen to the "my boss finds fault with me" podcasts and "angry boss" podcasts. These will give you the tools to handle the situation.
Again, I would advise STRONGLY on not sending the letter. Even if you are 100% right and have documentation you will not come out the winner. I would recommend documenting the issues, particularly those that go against company policy. Make it detailed - dates, times, and who said what. Keep this record at home. This way if things ever blow up becuase a company policy was not followed you will have some protection.
The only circumstance I would recommed using such a letter is when there is an ethical or employee/public saftey reach. In those cases you have an ethical and professional duty to speak out. I dont believe the examples you provided rise to that level.
Hope this helps
Frosty the snowman...
Hi Goldie,
I'm in a similar situation and I agree with JRLZ: Don't send the letter. Listen to the "my boss finds fault with me" and "angry boss" podcasts.
Personally, I would start looking for another job. If it is possible to request a transfer within your company to another location without bringing up any negatives at all, that might be one avenue to try. HOWEVER, I have to say when you are having trouble with your manager it is VERY difficult not to let it color how you talk about your work within the organization, may be easier to go some place where you have a clean slate. In one of the podcasts Mark says "Stay frosty" --- I now keep a copy of the lyrics to Frosty the Snowman and sing them whenever I am tempted to vent*.
Life is short. The workday is long and you work hard. Find a place with good people to work with. You will be happier for it.
AJ
[*edit: this is probably not quite what Mark had in mind, but it works for me]
Guys, Thanks for your
Guys,
Thanks for your feedback, and I think in my heart of hearts I knew this was the answer. Cope; do my best work; make a career move.
I suspect I just needed to hear it from someone else. We're all just human after all.