OT - Are managers at work not supposed to help you anymore?

So let me set the scene for you.

Normally people within my organisation have to wear uniforms, which vary to each specific role within the organisation. I'm basically an administrator/secretary type worker.

There aren't many men within the organisation, working in my sort of role, and for a while they couldn't find a proper uniform for me. However, I have a very smart suit, one which looks professional, and one which clients could immediately identify me as the person to come to for advice, and people saw me as part of the work force. Everyone was ok with it. Then the manager of the whole organisation decided to come into the work place, and saw me in my suit and decided that it wasn't regulation uniform, and even though they couldn't find a uniform for my specific role, I was still required to wear something.

So they decided to just to order me a cheap pair of black pants and a blue version of the ****ing dress shirt I already had!

The new stuff they've given me to wear looks a lot less professional, looks cheap and is much less comfortable. I just spoke to the manager now, and she was the most unhelpful bitch ever.

This is becoming a trend with the managers I've worked under. They don't sound human. They just spout a bunch of legislation and regulation bullshit at you. She didn't really try to communicate, she didn't really try to help, she just said "we have an image, and everyone must be in uniform", even after I explained that there is no specific uniform for my post, and that all they did was order me a cheap set of blank pants and a blue dress shirt out of a ****ing catalog!

I told her this, obviously without swearing and without sounding angry, and she didn't have an answer, she basically just repeated the same thing - It's regulation, we're trying to portray an image.

The only image I'm portraying now is of a bloke that used to look very smart, professional and approachable, and now looks like a bloke in a cheap pair of pants and a blue shirt. If It was an actual uniform, I'd say fair enough, but it aint. The manager just decided, after 3 ****ing months, that what I'm wearing isn't quite "portraying the image", and that despite the fact that what they have give me looks **** and less smart, that it's more fitting for organisation.

I was very approachable in my old suit, now I look less smart, less professional, and look ****ing cheap as ****.

FFS!

 

My Dad is becoming more and more disillusioned with the NHS and its entirely down to the Government's belief that managers with little or no medical background know more about running a hospital than 35 year veteran Doctors. Its all about them in most cases, they have to be seen as being pro-active and the 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' mantra never seems to apply - sounds like that's what this woman was doing with you!

 

When were managers at work ever any help? Sounds like you have found yet another in the long line of managers with maybe lots of written qualifications but absolutely no common sense or communication/people skills and no real ability to actually solve problems as they arise. Get used to it lol the world is full of them.

 

What you have to wear at work is not really a dealbreaker for me I have to say. You're there to do a job and its not like she is deliberately trying to humiliate you. If you worked for me I'd tell you to grow a pair and concentrate on your work.

Wear the ****ty clothes and get on with it I say. There is a lot worse things that can happen in the world of work.

 

If the clothes are uncomfortable than it can distract you from work. I had to wear uncomfortable clothes whilst I was working in a department a while ago, and It made the days go so slow. I was itching and shifting about all day, and could barely concentrate, but I just sucked it up and went with it. I wish I had said something.

 

I was given the wrong uniform at work. A different department with a totally different uniform. My manager just laughed. Its sorted now though.

It didn't bother me as it wasn't my problem. They didn't ever pull me up on it because they knew they were in the wrong.

 

I'd be more concerned they have just given you pants to wear. I'd be ****ing livid.

 

Howay man Tash, is it really a big issue? Believe me there are far worse working conditions. Over time those uncomfortable clothes will become comfortable, like any other clothes. This is the sort of thing you get from civil servants (I know because I was one for a while before I saw the light). Not all civil servants but a good number I just found to be pains in the arse. They'd whine and moan about everything from the air con to their designated kitchen being on another floor (yes they cried H&S having to carry their mug of coffee up one flight of stairs). I realise I'm probably a bit old fashioned but I just think we're getting a bit soft.

 

Maybe the guy thought you looked like he was paying you too much, there's always gonna be a reason behind all of the red tape, but you'll never get to hear it.

My director doesn't like me wearing my Hermes belts when we go to meetings together, the reason he tells me is because "they think we're flashing the cash in their faces", but really it's just because it cost more than his suit.

Until you become the organ grinder sometimes you just have to keep quiet and get on with your job, this is unlikely to be the worst thing a manager ever makes you do.

 

Absolutely. Think people of this generation forget our grand parents were working down pits etc...

We are in a recession. You don't know how lucky you are to be in a job.

 

Absolutely. Think people of this generation forget our grand parents were working down pits etc...

We are in a recession. You don't know how lucky you are to be in a job.

 

I've just had a message from your manager Tash, it was a request to ban you from the board because you waste too much of your masters time and property on here. I told her it wasn't my business what you did at work, I was only concerned with what you did on here.

 

I hate all this "back in my day" stuff. Just because our grandads worked in **** conditions doesn't mean we have to. And plus, I wouldn't mind wearing **** clothes in a **** job, grafting down the mines, but I'm working in a hospital ward.

I don't expect the jobs that I go into are going to be all problem free and fun. I'm a hard worker, and I often stay hours after my shift to get a job done, and It's not because my manager requests me to do it either.

If there's a job that needs doing, I like to stay longer hours to get it done.

I looked smart, I bought a 200 quid smart suit that looked great and everyone was completely fine.

If they actually had a uniform for me to wear, I'd be happy to wear it, but they don't have a uniform for me, they've just stuck me with a cheap pair of black pants and a blue shirt. It makes me look far less professional, and consider the fact that I'm the first person the patients see when I'm in the ward, I'd say they'd like to see someone who's smart and approachable.

That's what I looked like when I had my suit on. The clothes I have to wear now don't look smart at all, they look cheap.

The manager said we need to present an imagine, what sort of image do you present when you make your employees wear cheap crap instead of smart clothes? It's crap.

 

I've not been at work today.

 

So just because I'm complaining about a certain condition, that means I don't know how lucky I am to have a job?

I do mate, so don't go making assumptions. I spent 12 months busting my arse off trying to get a job, I passed the interview stages many times, only to have to get to the 2nd interview stage where there was always someone 20-30 years older than me who got there in front of me.

I know how hard it is.

I've actually put up with a lot of **** since I came here, sometimes people in more "higher up" jobs **** on people like me.

Like when two employees in higher stations have problems deciding things, they'll phone me up and complain when it's not my job to sort out their ****, it's just to be the person who relays messages.

I get sworn at and given grief, this during a stressful day, because two or more people can't communicate, so they take it out on me, and give me abuse.

 

To be fair I think Tash knows all about not having a job and probably counts himself as pretty fortunate as he had a **** run of luck not long ago.

EDIT beaten to it by the man himself

 

I know it's only a small issue, but I just think the manager saying "we need to portray an image here", not only has she made the clothes an issue herself, but she's given me clothes which do not, in my opinion, portray a great image.

 

Its not your issue, but your employers. Don't be concerned by it. It reflects badly on the hospital/NHS or whatever, not you.

 

Have you considered that the image they might want to portray is one of being skint? The last thing the NHS need is their first point of contacts looking dapper when they are supposed to be making cut backs left, right and centre? Sounds funny, probably true!

 

Your manager/manageress is responsible for all the work done in your department so the fact they choose you to do certain jobs for them shows they trust you to do a good job.

The employees in higher stations handing their problems down to you shows that they hold you in high esteem too.

Stick at it and you may end up with a raise for your efforts.