Dealing with an issue at work right now; what are your thoughts; iin?

47% Normal
11 Comments

Is it normal to think this solution might be best? I know this is long, though please help.

I work as a baker in a nursing home. About a month ago I had started noticing more on how employees mishandle ready to eat foods; this includes my supervisor. My supervisor happens to be friends with the manager and some reason I didn't put two and two together.

I had e-mailed my manager about how I had see an employee put on a coat go in the freezer and put her coat back up and didn't wash her hands and see people walk out the kitchen and come back in without washing their hands. I gave him a couple suggestions. He sent back thank you we will address it. It had been a week and nothing had been said, so I went to the event coordinator that does huddles to ask what their thoughts were upon what I had e-mailed because it wasn't clear. She said I understand how you feel you can even text so we can handle it instead of drama spreading. I thought that seemed like tattling but then thought if this place isn't going to respect cleanliness then ok, it a concern I have. So the events coordinator has been telling them in huddles how to wash their hands properly and wear gloves.

It had been a little less than two weeks and I had noticed that a couple still weren't handling it correctly. She told me that the manager and supervisor needed to handle it. Then she mentioned that they had a different view upon it that they learned how to work in a more free-style environment. I then told her my side on how we were required to wear gloves and clean our hands properly. And how I was trained. She said I see it that way too; which I don't know if this is true.

So just Wednesday I had walked by my manager and supervisor and they were making fun of the food handling situation. My supervisor said "Hey look I'm not wearing gloves" and then said "I washed my hands see, this is not dirty." "They need to do their work and not care about us washing our hands and wearing gloves." I don't think I was suppose to hear that. So I felt hurt because I had e-mailed my manager about it and he thanked me and never addressed it to the employees. Now he is making fun of this and is upset at "me", when I wanted to improve the place.

I think I heard them two yesterday when I was washing my hands say "she is keep on staring at me now." All I'm doing is walking around doing my work. They happen to be in there while I am working. ha

So I am think of speaking to my manager to find more about this. I am going to ask him if their is a problem with the situation. Hear his side and explain to him my side that it's not sanitary what I had been seeing. I never had said any names to them in this process. I will let him know what I heard them two say and tell how I felt too. I will let him know that I had wanted to inform you on something that I thought would improve this place.

AND if this escalates any further of him making fun and wanting to not see what I am saying I will tell him I will go to HR so we can discuss with them on this issue and see their thoughts and file a complaint.

Why I think this might be best is because he can be rather arrogant. Normally bosses who behave that way and you let them know that you will not let your guard down calmly, they will not do that again. Though... I know it can most certainly escalate. That is why documenting can be the key! Plus getting a new job; which maybe soon. I can then call the Health Department.

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47% Normal
Based on 15 votes (7 yes)
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Comments ( 11 )
  • funkedup
    10 years ago

    My advice, for what it's worth, is that you either need to drop this or continue a paper trail.

    If you don't want to drop it:

    -Respond to his email and request an update on what has been done to address the issue, or document further unsanitary practices in an email.
    -Copy the manager on the email. The manager may be his buddy, but they both have to cover their asses to a corporate manager or owner, who gets copied in on the next reminder.
    -If they make fun, laugh along, and ask that he respond to your email requesting an update. Don't discuss the issue except via email.
    -If you get pressured, simply say that you're looking out for the best interests of the organization, follow-up with an email outlining the conversation, possibly copy in a higher-up.
    -When they threaten you with dismissal, remind them that there are a whole bunch of lawyers out there looking for slam-dunk wrongful dismissal cases.
    - Do not contact Health Authorities unless and until you have decided to leave the place permanently. The corporate structure will eventually identify the manager or supervisor as the dickhead here, but if you go outside of that no one will defend your attempt to improve the workplace.

    Best of luck.

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      10 years ago

      Thanks for this comment.

      I have been documenting the issues that have happened. And I was already planning on calling the Health Department when I left. I can also tell you already that I don't use them as references on my resume do to the behaviors I see around the building.

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  • [Old Memory]
    10 years ago

    Arrogant bosses don't like their underlings pointing out to the deficits in the way they are managing their group. Arrogant bosses don't take employee suggestions seriously unless they see it as personally beneficial.
    Arrogant bosses don't like employees who push issues they aren't personally concerned about.

    You have to decide what is more important to you: keeping your job or pushing your idea about how everyone else is doing their jobs. You may not want to work with a company that doesn't have a high standard of cleanliness and that is okay. But if you want to continue working there, just let it go; you've voiced your opinion and they know how you feel. If you push it any further, you are only going to step on toes and piss people off, instead of just being mocked. The mocking will subside in time if you stop giving them fresh reasons to do it.

    One more reason to let it go, other than keeping your job and not creating an unpleasant working environment for yourself... Future employers might not want to hire someone who was known for making waves at their last job, no matter what the reason was. Employers want to hire employees who will work in harmony with the current staff.

    If you find their practices unacceptable, quietly find a new place of employment with stricter standards. Just try not to force the standards you have onto your place of employment until you are the boss.

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      10 years ago

      I see that though he doesn't know the whole side to the story and is assuming more than what I had said.

      I do plan to ask if there is a problem and speak to him about what I had heard. I am not going to say that his thoughts upon the situation are crap. There doesn't need to be daily drama from this though.

      I clearly want to hear what he would have to say since there has not been a straight talk about it with him; only through e-mail. He had said thank you back didn't ever tell me that they weren't concerned. I will tell him that I want to work in a good work environment and that I have nothing to complain about the job itself.

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      • [Old Memory]
        10 years ago

        Of course you aren't going to call his thoughts crap.
        But if he's the arrogant type, he probably won't take kindly to any advisement from an underling. He might act calm and congenial while you're speaking to him, and then feel pissed off about it all the same. Sometimes no amount of explaining will do you justice when dealing with someone's fragile ego. What seems like a logical, drama-free, discussion to you, could still feel like an attack to him.

        If you tell him you want to work in a good work environment, and also mention that you have noticed the hand-washing habits of all of your co-workers, then it may come across as criticism, no matter how nonchalantly you put it.

        Pick your battles, as the saying goes. Don't be surprised if it doesn't go according to your logic if you feel you absolutely must sort it out with him.

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        • Anonymous Post Author
          10 years ago

          Yes, I agree on what you had said.

          Thanks for your comments.

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      • iEatZombies_
        10 years ago

        Listen, your boss doesn't care about your opinions, but he will care if you state them- in a bad way. He wants you to shut up and do your job as he tells you to, like almost every other boss. Don't confront him, you'll piss him off. That's the -only- thing you'll accomplish by confronting him. Believe me, what you're dealing with is hardly drama. If you talk to him, you'll be labeled the drama. Let it go. You're talking about a new job, just take it and let this go.
        For the record, just about any facility you work in will not follow it's own rules. This is something you need to adjust to. You'll see a lot of shitty things happen. Not a damn thing you can do. Keep your head down and choose your battles wisely.

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        • Anonymous Post Author
          10 years ago

          I am not going to confront him. Speaking on how you feel, not what they are doing wrong isn't confronting. Saying I feel " " when this happens and so on...

          And yes I do know that people are like this everywhere; but that doesn't mean you can not let your guard down. Do your work and don't let things get to you but speak up when you do need to in a calm, positive manner.

          I do plan on calling the health department when I leave though. Though a lot of time they don't catch what was called on.

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      10 years ago

      I also had to put that don't think this didn't shine another light toward me. Because I can also just show I am confident when I see them around. If I walk by and overhear them again I will just say "is that right" and walk by or look at them with a smile because that was me before this had gone downhill.

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  • [Old Memory]
    10 years ago

    i like the paper trail advice..or leave

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  • Avant-Garde
    10 years ago

    If you aren't working for them anymore, contact The Health Department.

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