Hi, I need some advice?

Hi, I need some advice? Or experience sharing at the least? I am a warehouse employee, in a leadership role, for an extremely large and popular online shopping destination. I started at the bottom 4.5 years ago and altho I have a degree and 20+ years experience in retail management, I had my youngest son, total of 2 boys, at 40, the pregnancy keft me unable to work, unqualified for unemployment and no income for 18 months. My husband handled the financial burden and I jumped at a decent pay, full time overnight, full benefits plus extras opportunity with zero insight to on job expectations. I excelled immediately but learned along the way, normal expectations of a safe, hostile and harassment free workplace were out. Just because you do well, you either have a target on your back, who you know success or well, quit. So over the years, have had to go to HR a few times for incidents to protect myself and move depts a few times to escape regular bullying, hostility and verbal abuse from coworkers includong management, twice now, due to my "whistleblowing" I have been demoted and transfered, removed from the manager that caused these conditions. I am expected to perform at twice the average rates and productivity of other associates, and have just now been demoted a third time due to this incident -

Last Friday night (630p-7am) I was confronted by my boss in a public setting on why I wasn't still performing my duties as well as hers, she was late to work so I am expected to do both jobs, I politely told her because I needed to cover stations for breaks and wasn't able to. She called me stupid and walked away, in front of several coworkers. This has been a normal and unfortunately accepted behavior for months, nothing too mean but called out for not performing in our department management chat room, while she is elsewhere in building not doing her job. I have gone to management several times and inquired about lateral moves to different areas in dept, was placated a few times there and always told to calm down, it isnt a big deal. The following night, last night, I took it upon myself to start in an excepted area but away from main, I was confronted by the same boss and told " I say where you go, I will do and say what I please, this is MY department, you wanna go? get your s**t and your sorry ass victim complex self out of my department. You are a piece of s***. Now go cry and know nobody cares"

Sooooo, if you're wondering, yes, I have had these situations before, am I a victim? No, I am enabler, put head down, do what I do, and I'm pretty awesome at it. I make more money now than any position at 25$ plus stocks, amazing benefits and health insurance and my family deoends on this. I do not want to quit. My Ops Boss did not do anything, my Boss that was standing there did nothing, she commented later that it was not a big deal and I was questioned by a third boss on why I didnt ask to be moved. I am stupified at this point. My Ops Boss ( goes PG, PA, AM, Ops, Senior Ops) has known me since his first day, knows my situations were ALWAYS valid, he transferred out of my last dept when a new hire AM came in and within a week pulled me aside and told me he expected me to be on floor by 6p working, clock in at 630 with everyone else if i wanted the next promotion. He wanted to see how dedicated I was. Violating company policy by working off clock is one of the quickest ways to get fired and if I got hurt working off clock, I am not covered by W.Comp. not to mention, huh? Make me work unpaid to get a promotion? I told my superior. It took 2 weeks, I never did what he asked, before I was humiliated over the announcement system where over 100 of my immediate coworkers were informed I was not cut out to handle a leadership position and named another associate, 3 months in, no qualifications would be taking over my position ...i was sent down to be in a role that is used to get people out/gone. 2 months later I finally had to go to HR, I was on the verge of my third write up, a final. I was forced to transfer, he was let go 6 weeks later. I never spoke to anyone, I do not say names, I am full of energy, helpful, positive.

This is the first time I have considered leaving. I don't want to! I dont expect perfect, not even close, we are all human beings trying to work, get paid, go home. I don't want to move up, but for the first time, I am angry. I want to blow a huge whistle but I would have to name names. It would be within my rights, but I'm not sitting on a pedastool passing judgement. I just want to not have to worry about my shifts mean girl brigade making my life miserable anymore. Thanks, I know this was long, can any one offer any words? I mean, criticism too, nothing mean tho please...again, my thanks and appreciation.

LL Balt, MD

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  1. Maryam

    Perhaps look for an ally or someone at the organization you can confide in to see if there’s systemic issues going on or if there’s some advice he/she can provide from being around that organization longer. Continue looking for a transfer- either internally, or if it makes sense, externally. Make friends and network. You may not be alone in your experience.

  2. Anonymous

    No criticism here. There seems to be a lot going on. You seem to be happy with your salary, benefits and for the most part the job itself, but the people with whom you work seem to be difficult, to say the least. I agree with Maryam that if at all possible, try to find allies and to continue to seek an internal transfer. It would be helpful if you keep a record of events in a personal notebook. As soon after an incident as possible, make an entry of what happened, when, where and anyone who was involved. The notebook is something you can refer to if you approach HR again.

    You might have to make a tough decision. If the people who surround you make your work life miserable, you might have to seek another job at an organization that will be a better fit for you.

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