Another Day, Another Story

I am such a disgruntled employee and it is not just because I sit in a broken chair every day either. We are the most disorganized, mismanaged and unprepared organization I have ever had to work with. It is sad when most of the employees are embarrassed to admit to other professionals in the industry who we work for.

Tomorrow we have a grand opening of the biggest thing we have ever built. All employees all encouraged to go to the event. Since I had an active roll in the construction of the facility I was of course going to go. Well word leaked out this morning to us that they are encouraging all employees to attend because once there, all employees are going to be forced to work and not allowed to partake in the festivities. It is not like they are asking us to volunteer to work in the kitchen and wash dishes or serve food or anything like that, they are tricking us into it making us feel like we are welcome to come and see the facility while really we are going to be forced to do odd jobs there because they are severally understaffed.

This leads to the obvious question…Why are we understaffed? This facility has been under construction for over a year and has been partially or fully open for business for over a month. I have been told on mother’s day that the restaurant had 4 employees there. That is including wait staff, busers, cooks, hostess, dishwashers…oops that is already more then 4 positions. This is a restaurant that originally sat 120 people and has been reduced by 1/3rd to sit 80 people due to problems. I am sorry but common wisdom is if you are opening a place from scratch then and you need 40 people to work it then you hire 50. People will always quit but you always want to make a strong showing the first few weeks. Second you don’t start training those said people a day before opening; you train them for at least a week if not two.

On a good note, I did buy a new bike yesterday. This is strictly a toy bike. It is a BMX racing bike. My son races BMX and he wants me to race with him. It is another chance for father and son to spend some time together. Of course I did get my bike from Erik (E3) at Chainwheel. Now that brings the total number of bikes at my house to 8. I will probably be buying another bike in a couple of weeks. I told my son if he makes straight A’s for the year that he can get a new mountain bike. It looks like he is going fulfill his end of the bargain. The truth is though I am going to buy him a new one even if he brings home a B. He is a great kid, a good student, and with awesome manners; he has earned it.

Stupidity? You Decide.

Below is an actual email directive from my department manager. It is telling me to look at someone’s reports and write a letter for him to sign concerning those reports.

So let me get this straight I am to read reports written by person #1 and then write a letter about what is in said reports, so person number #2 can sign. Now it would make the most sense to me if person #2 wrote his own letter since he knows what the message he is trying to convey. Now if that is not possible then, to me, the next logical step would be for person #1 to write the letter since he wrote the original reports and has more personal knowledge about he situation.

Now keep in mind my department manager has, not 1 but 3 personal secretaries.

Ok am I over reacting because I am jaded or does this really defy all logic and is extremely poor management?


Chris,
Please draft a letter for my signature regarding the lack of progress etc on this project. See Danny's reports. Need by Thursday of this week.
Thanks

Office Chairs

As some of you might know, the chair that state has provided for me to sit in 8 hours a day, at work, is broken and has been for 6 months or more. On several occasions I have asked for replacement chair but none has been provided. Well yesterday the Accounting division was giving away their old furniture because that division had just finished remodeling their offices. So I went to accounting to find a replacement chair and behold I do find one. It, as is my current chair, is from the Nixon administration but it is fully functional and the best part it is free! I just get it and bring it to my office. Well now I have been informed that I cannot have this chair because it was not approved by our “manager.” So once again I am forced to sit in a broken chair. Well this is just too much for me to handle now. I am going out and buying a new chair with my very own money like several other people in this “office” have already done. Below is a picture of my current broken chair. Please take notice of the nice worn burnt orange colored upholstery that was popular in the mid 70’s. Let me also point out the permanent lounge position of the chair. This is the quality tools I am given to work with each and everyday. Attached is the picture of the new chair that I have picked out. I think it is very nice and is extension of my feelings of this “office.”

My Current Chair 

My New Chair