How to deal with a meddling subordinate

"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
12/10/2014 at 11:40 • Filed to: Particularly religious coworker

My office manager/admin lady, in addition to being the source material for the series !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , also has a habit of trying to micromanage me, when I'm her boss . This is becoming more of a problem, which means I'm breaking out the strategery in response.

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The other day, I came in, and she made a comment that she thinks I'm late to work more often than not. I took offense to this because:

1. Except the 1-2 days a week where I'm responsible for opening or closing the office, I have no set hours.

2. On the days when I am responsible for opening/closing, I'm always here earlier or later than I need to be.

3. I always work well over 40 hours a week. But since I'm salaried, I don't get paid for any of the extra time that I work.

4. Mind your damn business, lady.

So, how could she be thinking that I'm late when I have no set hours? Because when I started, she asked that I put my planned hours on my calendar each day, so if someone called in for me and it was before I arrived, she could say when I will be in.

But the only thing this has created is the opportunity for her to waste time keeping track of when she thinks I'm late. If I'm coming in 15 minutes later than I planned, it's silly for me to have to log in to Outlook from home just to update my hours. BECAUSE I HAVE NO SET HOURS.

If someone calls for me before I arrive, all she needs to say is that I'm not available, then put them in my voicemail.

So, I told Particularly Religious Coworker that keeping track of whether I'm supposedly late when I have no set hours, is none of her concern. I then deleted all my planned hours from my calendar.

My boss backed me up in this, and said she doesn't have her regularly scheduled hours on her calendar either.

Today, Particularly Religious Coworker walked by my office and expressed surprise that I was here, because my hours weren't on my calendar. She said I really should put those hours back on my calendar. I just rolled my eyes, said "mmm hmmm," and let her walk away.

I'm not putting the hours back on my calendar, and if she says anything to me about it again, I'm going to tell her that I deleted the hours because she can't mind her business, I have no intention whatsoever of putting them back on my calendar, and if she doesn't like it, tough.

I hate to act like an asshole boss, but if that's how she wants to play things, this is how I'm going to be.

DISCUSSION (39)

For Sweden > Textured Soy Protein
12/10/2014 at 11:43

E92M3 > Textured Soy Protein
12/10/2014 at 11:45

Office admins are always crazy old ladies.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > E92M3
12/10/2014 at 11:46

this

Anon > Textured Soy Protein
12/10/2014 at 11:46

Can't you fire her?

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Textured Soy Protein
12/10/2014 at 11:47

The admin for our company thinks she RUNS THE COMPANY.

She'll tell people from any department what to do. Most of them listen to her.

I don't lol.

I report to only 2 people in my company. The CEO and the President, not their admin.

Tohru > Textured Soy Protein
12/10/2014 at 11:48

I think I would be a bad boss. Because I'd give her a verbal warning on file for insubordination.

haveacarortwoorthree > Textured Soy Protein
12/10/2014 at 11:48

My assistant is specifically not supposed to let people know when/if I will be in the office. The standard response is that he is tied up right now, but I will have him return your call as soon as he is available. Of course, I usually answer my own phone, so if she answers, people who routinely call me will know I am out or otherwise occupied.

Textured Soy Protein > Anon
12/10/2014 at 11:49

She's the admin for the whole place. I'm one of 4 department directors. We each have hiring/firing authority for our departments, but my boss is in charge of the rest.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Textured Soy Protein
12/10/2014 at 11:49

It's sounding increasingly like she's the asshole employee. You're not the asshole boss. In fact, you've already put up with more than I probably would have.

Alfalfa > Textured Soy Protein
12/10/2014 at 11:51

You're not being an asshole boss, you're just being a boss. She was asking for it.

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > Textured Soy Protein
12/10/2014 at 11:52

"A wizard always arives precisely when he means to."

Textured Soy Protein > haveacarortwoorthree
12/10/2014 at 11:52

Yeah, that's a good point.

HammerheadFistpunch > Textured Soy Protein
12/10/2014 at 11:56

Next time she says stops by the office, act really surprised to see her and say "oh, sorry I wasn't expecting to see you. I'm not supposed to be here right now."

Racescort666 > E92M3
12/10/2014 at 12:23

Our old admin made a big fuss about finding out when my birthday was (I rarely tell people this but eventually caved after being called an asshole), then on my birthday bought me a cake (I don't like cake), wanted to sing happy birthday to me (I abhor the song and people's general lack of vocal talent), then proceeded to attempt to guilt me into staying for the birthday deal she wanted to throw.

And people fucking wonder why I don't tell them when my birthday is.

spanfucker retire bitch > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero
12/10/2014 at 12:25

You should hang this up on your door.

Racescort666 > Textured Soy Protein
12/10/2014 at 12:29

Personally, I find the "whatever" attitude best in this situation. We have kind of casual hours where I work and I would probably adopt the same attitude if our admin was to do that to me. Also, I'm not sure how clear I'd make it that there aren't set hours for me; on one hand, she should know, on the other... no, fuck it, she should know.

Tohru > Racescort666
12/10/2014 at 12:32

Did they ever find her body?

Textured Soy Protein > haveacarortwoorthree
12/10/2014 at 12:33

I went to my boss and told her precisely this. She agreed with me (you). I'll make an update post a little later, but it was very helpful for me to say this. Thanks!

Racescort666 > Tohru
12/10/2014 at 12:34

It's next to Hoffa's so no.

Tohru > Racescort666
12/10/2014 at 12:35

Nice.

Also, I was told to add you to the new Upper Midwest Kinja. uppermidwest.kinja.com

Snooder87 > Textured Soy Protein
12/10/2014 at 12:46

If you can't fire her, you're not actually her boss.

Antagonizing her isn't going to solve your problem. She'll just get bitter and resentful and find ways to sabotage you. And since you can't fire her, you have no power in that fight.

I know it's hard cause it seems like she's being uppity, but you're gonna have to be nice to her. Then either she'll loosen up and you can come to a mutually agreeable delineation of duties and expected work, or she'll let her guard down and you can sabotage her and get her fired. Either way, she'll be out of your hair.

Textured Soy Protein > Snooder87
12/10/2014 at 12:49

I referred to myself as her boss because I'm a director, she's the admin, and generally what I say goes. No sense in worrying about technicalities.

I've run an idea on how to squash this situation going forward past my boss, which she approved, and I'm going to have a conversation with Particularly Religious Coworker to communicate that idea.

haveacarortwoorthree > Textured Soy Protein
12/10/2014 at 12:56

I actually helped someone? Holy crap, there really is a first time for everything! Good luck.

Snooder87 > Textured Soy Protein
12/10/2014 at 13:06

I don't think you understand my point.

I'm not talking about the actual organization chart at your office. What I mean is that if you don't have the ability to fire someone, then pragmatically, you don't have as much control over their behavior as the word "boss" implies.

She's already started down the road of passive agressive resistance. I guarantee than if you bring this "solution" up to her without buttering her up, she'll get even more passive agressive and start actively seeking to undermine you. The next time you roll into work and wonder why she didn't tell you about an important that came in just before you got there, you'll know exactly why. But because you can't fire her, there's nothing you can do about it.

Textured Soy Protein > Snooder87
12/10/2014 at 13:31

Ok, I get what you're saying.

There's a more to this situation than just this little story, that mitigates what you're concerned about. I just don't quite feel like typing it all out, ya know? This is the abridged version.

But talking specifically about your concern, that's why I first ran my idea past my boss and she's agreed to back me up on it. And she does have the authority to fire admin lady, and is planning to have her own conversation with her on this issue as well.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero
12/10/2014 at 13:40

Yer a wizzard arry.

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
12/10/2014 at 15:35

Kinja'd!!!

thebigbossyboss > Textured Soy Protein
12/10/2014 at 16:24

If you're not there, she should just say that your either busy or out.

I don't care about hours my boss keeps, it's not my call, she has to clear it with her boss...not me.

Racescort666 > Tohru
12/10/2014 at 16:39

Cool! Thanks.

Textured Soy Protein > thebigbossyboss
12/10/2014 at 16:50

My boss said pretty much the same thing: that my hours are between me and my boss and Particularly Religious Coworker doesn't need to waste time trying to keep score.

thebigbossyboss > Textured Soy Protein
12/10/2014 at 16:52

Yup. Unless you're not planning on coming in for like a week or something then it might be nice to tell PRC. Other than that keep on keepin on.

Leadbull > Tohru
12/10/2014 at 17:05

Is there a Lower Midwest Kinja?

Textured Soy Protein > haveacarortwoorthree
12/10/2014 at 17:05

Here's the end result .

Tohru > Leadbull
12/10/2014 at 17:11

Not yet. Go make it! It's a simple 45 step process. Just follow Gamecat's guide:

http://gamecat235.kinja.com/how-to-create-…

Also, what's "lower Midwest"? Like the bottom half of Illinois?

Leadbull > Tohru
12/10/2014 at 17:26

Oh, I know. I made this .

I have no idea, I just made it up. But yeah, I grew up in Southern Illinois (currently in Central IL).

Although, I did find this tidbit on Wikipedia, under the "Politics" subsection of " Upper Midwest ".

By contrast, the lower Midwest includes swing states such as Ohio , Missouri , and Iowa , and solidly Republican (until 2008) Indiana . The Plains States to the west are heavily Republican in most presidential contests. [ citation needed ]

Tohru > Leadbull
12/10/2014 at 17:36

Illinois is okay to join the Upper Midwest Oppo. Bears fan are questionable.

Leadbull > Tohru
12/10/2014 at 17:39

Oh, I root for the Rams. It's all good as long as you're not in the NFC west.

Also, the Cubs and Blackhawks suck. The Bulls are OK since St. Louis doesn't have an NBA team.

pjhusa > Textured Soy Protein
08/05/2015 at 16:27

She has a big ego, thinking that she’s so good and all. AND YOU ARE HER BOSS!

The flyer you posted, that she put up, just oozes “I am better than you”

ChickenMcBooty > Textured Soy Protein
12/02/2015 at 16:59

Priceless. That scene never gets old