Should I stay or should I go?

[shelbydoll]

I have had this on going problem for several months (actually for as long as I can remember)in the workplace.



I am an office administrator for the janitorial/maintenance dept.; it's our job to keep the mall running in tip top shape but it's seems like nobody can accomplish that anymore. Our main problems are the maintenance supervisor and the operations director, the two people I work hand in hand with. It's their responsiblity to make sure things are running smoothly. Our maintence super. is the most negative, angry person I have ever met. He spends more time whinning and complaining about his job and bad mouthing our boss and the employees then acually doing his job. I grind my teeth everytime i see him knowing he's about to start in. His negativity spreads like a disease here. It gives everyone a bad attitude and they don't care to do their job. And he doesn't care to deal with these problems so he ignores them and then the employees come to me for help. And of course they keep coming back with the same problems since he won't do anything about them.



Now as for the Operations Director, my main boss, I work next to him day after day. I see the tremendous work load that he has and I do my best to assist him with it. But he is so disorganized that he is constantly losing things, always missing deadlines, dropping the ball on way to many things, only to have me pick it up. I spend way to much time covering or apoligizing for his mistakes. I want to get things organized and orderly, I make suggestion to alieviate some of the problems but they are never goo enough for him, it's his way or no way but his way is not working. It's nothing but a hostile, chaotic, disorganized mess here. I cannot work this way, I'm fed up!



My problems is....I can't decide if I should sit them both down and tell them about themselves or just throw my hands up and say "I quit"! I'm tired of being frustrated and in tears at the end of the day.



Please help!



Idle in Indiana...Shelbydoll



   

[msrobbie]

Well, if it was just one person causing the problem, I'd say do some talking and try to resolve the situation.  But since you have two disgruntled and/or ineffective people involved, you have a major dilemma on your hands.



In many situations, whenever there is a problem with scheduling or organization, the knee-jerk reaction is to blame (guess who!!) the admin.  In your situation, it sounds as if you don't have a real team relationship.  If the problem was with just one person, and your working relationship with both persons was strong, two of you could pull together to help the third one get past whatever is bothering him or to get an organizational grip on his job.



However, this sounds like a no-win situation for you.  And if you do try to sit down and talk with them, they could both get ticked off and you'd be out the door anyway.



Normally, I don't like the "quick fix" attitude of just giving up and getting out.  But this one smells of trouble, no matter how much you try to help pull things together.  You will likely get caught holding the bag when someone higher up looks for the source of the problem.



Do the resume thing and find something a little less likely to explode in your face.



Good luck,



Robbie

[andrea843]

Well Shelby, I have to agree with Robbie on this one.  Your post sounds like you're unhappy, and I further agree with the "no win" scenario as you've described it.

but, (and you KNEW there'd be one didn't you?) Most Malls are organized by much Larger companies.  Have you considered finding your counterpart in the parent organization and asking for HER input.  She'd be in a position to put a little buggie in the bigger bossie's ears that somethings rotten in retail land.



Malls run on a flexible, fluid schedule that includes lots of public events.  Total disorganization can't possibly be condusive to good events, ergo good press.  If you CAN hook up with your Admin counterpart be prepared with specific examples of when things went horribly wrong... and contact her/him, with the attitude that you're looking for advice, that the staff is demoralized by these two hydra, and you're wondering how SHE might handle it.



The end result will be that the parent organization will be made aware of the problems at the place and may keep a closer eye on how things are run.  



At the same time, I agree, you feel trapped and under appreciated, it's time to dust off that resume from the saftey of an incoming paycheck and begin to quietly investigate your options.



Will "Telling these guys about themselves" solve anything? Nope.  It will simply validate their probable opinion that you're "just the secretary" and therefore prone to "emotional outbursts that aren't grounded in reality" further confronting the TWO of them will have the added effect of uniting them... against you.



Bite your tongue until it bleeds, seek help from your conterpart at the corporate level, and get out there and find a position where you feel valued and appreciated.



My four pence...



 

[jlkee]

I agree....dust off the resume and skedaddle!  But first do as Andrea says and contact your counterpart to get some assistance.  You may be there for a little while before you find another position; do what you can to make that time better.  That way, you also leave with a clean conscience.



Good luck!

[chris68]

I see you've already gotten the best advice from previous postings, I just can't stress enough, update that and ready to go.  Start looking asap.  Good luck and keep us posted.



Chris68

 

[shelbydoll]

Thanks all for your input. I did have a little meeting with the property manager and she can see alot of what is going on. She came down hard on my boss last friday to get things in order and to do his job. Which has him scampering about right now (kinda funny to watch). But this is not the first time she has done this and it won't be the last. So I will do what you suggested and contact my counterpart and cross my fingers that this helps. I have also revised my resume and I'm keeping an eye out for another job. Once again, thanks!  

[jadegrniiz]

Shelby:



My very first admin job was for a mall office. My job was basically to support the Mall Manager's admin because she was as overloaded and unhappy as you. Based on my experience and your complaints, I think mall offices in general are this way.



Andrea gave some great advice (As usual). Seek out your counterpart with the home office for advice. It will alert them to the situation, without tattleing.



I agree you should update your resume and get out of there. But, in the meantime you can help the next person in line get a better start by communicating with the home office and alerting them to what is going on.



In the end of my short-lived employment with a mall, I was sucessfull in having the mall manager fired for his lack of brain matter. But of course he also had me demoted (sent me to the info desk 5 hrs a week, from my 40hr admin job), and eventually laid off because I was 18, single and pregnant. (Stooooopid man!) The reasons are very different, but it shows the importance of communication with the home office.



Best of luck to you.



Lori