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Feeling Despondent after Meeting with Boss's Boss
So last Friday, we had a department wide Zoom meeting led by my Boss's Boss (I'm going to call him Big Boss for the sake of this post.)
Now, this meeting followed directly on from a mandatory 3-hour company-wide Zoom call about how our company can further support Black individuals in our day-to-day operations. This ended with an hour long workshop on defunding the police, and how this might look at our company. It was great, and it felt productive.
Now, fast-forward to our department meeting. Big Boss began by disclosing that he believed there had been "a lot of misinformation" shared in the morning session, and that his personal view was that we NEED the police. He basically debunked the entire 3-hour session in 3 minutes.
He then talked about accounting and claimed that our recent pay rises, as negotiated by our union, were responsible for the amount of debt the company is in. He asked "Does anyone want to give those back?" which was clearly a joke, but I felt it was in poor taste.
Finally, during the Q&A session at the end of the meeting, Big Boss was asked if there were going to be any impending layoffs. He scoffed and said, "I can't answer that right now. What I CAN say is that I am paying a lot of you for doing very little work right now."
So I'm looking for advice, because I'm not exactly sure what I'm supposed to do with all of this. On one hand, I'm extremely lucky to have a full-time job at the moment, because the pandemic has put my industry in a lot of trouble. But I'm concerned that the work I'm doing is not appreciated, and there seems to be a disconnect between the goals of the company as a whole, and the goals of my department. It also sort of sounds like I should start researching new jobs as backup.
What do people think?
Beatriz Seaton
Hand over the small tasks, focus on your GOALS!
18
08/26/20 at 9:44PM UTC
Such good advise here, and in being in this type of situation I would say to do the best to acclimate to these organizational changes as they are very common. The bonus is that you report directly to your boss. Hope things get smoother.
tbh (Hallie)
11
08/25/20 at 2:33PM UTC
Oof. Get your resume in order, start networking, and to echo what an early responder said, write a detailed account for yourself of everything that happened so you don't forget it. I absolutely support contacting your union rep, but the number of red flags in Big Boss' point of view is enough for you to still plan an exit strategy regardless. Political views aside, BLM is a human rights issue, and a leader of an Educational Institution should have a vested interest in the rights of his students. Supporting an organization led by such a callous individual and participating in the culture he dicates will get increasingly harder the further the world moves toward racial justice. Best of luck to you! Keep us posted.
Anonymous
08/20/20 at 7:58PM UTC
While I can’t offer you advise, I can offer empathy. Our HR and communications departments have been communicating inclusive policies to decrease discrimination and to promote women/minorities in the work place and the “right” to disconnect from the office on evenings and weekends. Management in my department does things differently though. The first week of working from home with a toddler due to Covid was insane. When I spoke to my boss at the time to convey the extenuating circumstances, I was told “Management is using this as a time to see who can get things done.” Three weeks later, I was demoted, being told that my position was eliminated, and that this would “improve [my] work/life balance.” This guy is now my “big boss”, and he makes culturally insensitive comments almost every time I hear him speak.
Bottom line: unless you are willing to start a major complaint and are prepared to take legal action if necessary, you may need to start looking elsewhere.
It sounds like you might have a union to help if necessary. Have you reached out to them?
Clydene HorriganProcess improvement is my game
781
08/19/20 at 10:10PM UTC
It sounds like your BigBoss is not THE BigBoss. If you’re going to report it to the union rep and your department is small, beware of retribution and keep your rep in the loop.
Having said that, if THE BigBoss is the school president and she gets wind of this, he will likely get in trouble himself.
It also sounds like your BigBoss has no say in the raises as they would have been negotiated with someone else above him - likely the legal department.
Anonymous for a day
449
08/19/20 at 7:50PM UTC
I would start looking for another job solely based on the company’s position of defunding the police. I would not want to work for a company that tried to dictate my political views.
Anonymous
08/19/20 at 3:36PM UTC
I'd start your job search sooner rather than later. This sounds like an extremely hostile work environment that is about to blow up.
If you are part of a union, I'd file a complaint about what he said to you, and potentially others. Also, mention that he is threatening to not implement people's pay increases as agreed to between him and the union; as this will make it not go over well for him.
The last job I had where I worked for an employer, was also my last. I was harassed and bullied constantly. I was also threatened by management, because I was disabled due to an old ankle injury that I had a doctor's note about requiring my employer to let me sit as needed and to allow me to wear my walking boot or ankle brace as ordered by my doctor. I had management starting to threaten to fire me for insubordination because I refused to stand point in a full walking boot, and even go as far as hiding my stool so I couldn't sit down while I was in a full walking boot for work. This and many other things led me to start keeping a journal at home about all the things they did to me, because I had a strong feeling they were going to try to terminate me.
I became extremely physically ill and missed almost 2 weeks of work under doctors orders, and when I came back to work they fired me when I went to head to lunch for insubordination and for attendance policy violations because I had missed more than 8 days of work. As soon as I grabbed my stuff and left the building to head to my car, I called my dad right away who told me to contact his attorney. His attorney told me to immediately file for unemployment and to file a claim of discrimination and harassment immediately with the EEOC.
I ended up getting a settlement with my former employer, which I took to help with some living expenses, since by that time my unemployment had run out without finding another job. However, by the time my unemployment was coming close to running out I had decided to go to work for myself.
I now run and operate my own small business, where I get to help other small businesses with their bookkeeping and accounting needs. I love having complete and total freedom to choose who I want to work with, and being able to set my own hours. I'm happier and healthier now that I'm away from the previous toxic environment, and doing something I love. If I hadn't fought back against my former employer, I wouldn't have been able to do what I'm doing now.
Anonymous
08/19/20 at 6:54PM UTC
Thank you for the advice and for sharing your experience.
Anonymous
08/19/20 at 2:57PM UTC
So, I don't think organizations should be anti-police and call for a defunding. I think he is spot on there.
Anonymous
08/19/20 at 6:52PM UTC
They should if police presence at the workplace is directly triggering for the individuals the company is supposed to be serving.
Anonymous
08/19/20 at 7:08PM UTC
Police presence is "triggering..?" I think there is a bigger issue here than the police. It is personal beliefs, politics, and ideology. That should stay out of the workplace.
Marguerite Thibodeaux, Leadership & Career CoachPeople First, Results Follow
105
08/19/20 at 2:38PM UTC
Regardless of the topic in either meeting, it’s clear that Big Boss does not prioritize the company culture or employees. I see two main action steps to consider:
1. Share your experience with HR/Associate Relations and/or executives. The Big Boss’ comments clearly undermine the broader company-wide initiative and do nothing to help employee morale. Leaders should be aware that someone is undermining company-wide efforts and effecting morale, especially right now when personal lives and global issues are already causing hits to productivity outside the company’s control.
2. Start looking for work in another division or outside the company. If the Big Boss has any lasting impression on the leaders that would come behind him, it will just be more of the same tension between his level and corporate. Regardless of your politics, that kind of tension creates a negative employee experience. (Who do you follow, the company prerogatives or your boss’ boss?)
Best of luck. That’s a tough situation.
Monica HilgenbergDriver Mentor Coordinator
491
08/19/20 at 1:55PM UTC
So many opinions here but the one thing that needs to change in all of this is DEFUND the police. People need to stop saying that because it is incredibly misleading and causes turmoil as you can clearly see from the answers on this post. I am not saying I am for or against this. My personal opinions on that are just that, personal. But that one word being changed in everyday conversation would probably created a completely different conversation surrounding the issue.
Anonymous
08/19/20 at 6:50PM UTC
What would be a better word to use?
Anonymous
08/20/20 at 11:52PM UTC
Instead of saying DEFUND when it comes to law enforcement. I'd say something like we need to re-envision how law enforcement can better use their limited resources to ensure that people don't end up calling back again because they need help for the same thing.
I personally don't believe in defunding law enforcement, however, there are changes that need to be done to ensure that people get help to keep them from needing law enforcement called for them, for the exact same issues repeatedly. What that looks like I'm not entirely sure.
My family has had repeated contact with law enforcement and the fire department, because my mom has had psychotic episodes where she becomes a threat to herself and to others and is unable to properly care for herself; which results in her needing to be put into a psychiatric medical lock-down facility to receive help. My mom was diagnosed as an insulin dependent diabetic shortly after she turned 60; and then a few years after that she was hit by a car a pedestrian. The car accident that she was involved in left her with permanent physical injuries; as well as a TBI, schizophrenic tendencies, and bipolar tendencies. She's non-med compliant, which means it's always a matter of time before we have to call for help for her again and have them take her to the hospital to have her involuntarily locked-up. This is a frustrating cycle for us, as it's clearly not an effective use of limited resources for the fire department or law enforcement in the community that she lives. So, in my family's specific case, we'd like to see some sort of program created to keep those like my mom from needing to call again when she wants to go off her meds. This would allow her to function better, and would keep her from constantly (usually 1-2 times every year) of needing to be locked up to restabilize her and get her to become med compliant again. By fixing this revolving door problem, the first time someone like my mom needing long term help to stay med compliant, would save a lot of money and time for law enforcement and the fire department to better use their limited resources elsewhere.
Rebecca Lee VOperations Analyst
2.22k
08/19/20 at 1:24PM UTC
Update your resume and LinkedIn Profile, if you have one. Start looking to see what is out there. Keep your job, be indispensable but keep your options open.
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