I have found by representing Employers and Employees that many times people end up in a lawsuit over stupid little mistakes. Of course, there are instances of out and out discrimination. It does still happen, unfortunately. But many times it is the little stuff that grates on people’s nerves that causes them to blow. Either the Employer loses it and fires someone in a particularly nasty way or the Employee loses it and says something or does something that causes a firing. Either way, the courthouse bells start ringing.
When I talk to employees in my trainings, I always get the same comments about the little stuff. The little stuff at work that works on their nerves. Surprisingly, it is not their pay or vacation. That is important of course, but mostly it is the feeling that the boss isn’t fair. Yes, when the employee feels that they are not been treated fairly (i.e. someone else gets away with something and they don’t), you have the makings of a disgruntled employment setting.
Other contributors that cause trouble in the workplace are characters such as these:
- Ernie Excuse comes in late by five or ten minutes (OK, maybe 30 minutes) and never gets in trouble.
- Flashy Fanny wears low cut tops and short skirts and never gets called down for it by her boss.
- Sweet Sue wears too much perfume and drives everyone around her crazy with her strong smell.
- Chatty Cathy talks on the phone all the time and gossips about others in the work place.
- Slow Sam doesn’t move very fast and never offers to help others.
- Hypo Hannah always is sick or claims to be sick.
- Boastful Bob is “a know it all,” has a fake laugh and is an expert on everything
- Topdog Ted is an absentee boss and expects the staff to lie to his wife when she phones
- Joyless Joy is an emotional rollercoaster and you never know if she is up or down.
- Debbie Downer always sees the negative in every situation (her glass is empty and it isn’t her fault).
Are you bummed out just by thinking about these characters? I hope your workplace doesn’t have any. But there are a lot more of these types out there. Let me know the ones that bug you in your office.
