Colleagues in My New Office

Following on from my previous post, regarding starting my new job (please see ‘Becoming a Warehouse Production Administrator’: https://josiesayz.blogspot.com/2024/11/becoming-warehouse-production.html if you are interested) I have a few things that I want to share/rant about. I am beginning to get the feeling that no matter where I work, I am going to struggle to concentrate, because of the people around me. I am starting to wonder if all men are infuriatingly annoying. If this is the case, I have decided that I am no longer bisexual, but simply gay.
          In my previous administration job, there were a few male colleagues, all who did things that really annoyed me. None of the female colleagues did any of these annoying traits. Now, that I am in a new administration role, the annoying males all have similar, if not worse, traits.
          The first one is something that I find very peculiar. The company director seems to like to use sticky keys. Who uses sticky keys?! I have just had to Google the usage of sticky keys, because I had no idea what their purpose was. Okay, so despite most members of staff being between 55 and 75 years old, I do not think that our director has dexterity issues. Part of me wonders if he just likes to make noise, because he has an office to himself (across the hall from me) and I think he just wants people to remember that he is till there.
          My immediate manager is a man who sighs rather heavily (like a man from my previous jobs),he clears his throat in a cantankerous manner (like a man from my previous jobs) and he cracks his fingers (like a man from my previous jobs). Okay, so, at the moment, the tally markings have not been in the 100 for each/one of those things, like in my previous job, but I would not put it past him.
          Then there is, quite possibly the worst human of all kind. My media lecturer, at university, told me that stereotypes of people, like this, do not exist, but I believe that this man that I sit at an ‘L’ shape to is where the stereotype of this type of grumpy, old man came from. He is like a grumpy, old, rude, 1970s British sitcom character that is from a series that I would likely have watched with an ex partner. There is something, or should I say, many things infuriatingly frustrating with this human, that my autism is struggling to cope. Luckily, he only works Tuesdays and Wednesdays, because he is in his late 60s/early 70s and partially retired. This man not only eats stinky food at his desk, speaks rudely to everyone (including phone  calls and when he said, “That is the nicest I have ever spoken to a woman on the phone,” that conversation would have got me sacked, had I spoke to someone the way that he did). but he, also, speaks his internal monolog none stop. This is a snippet of everything he did and said, from last week on Tuesday, from 7:30am until around 8:45am:

*Eats sausage sandwich at desk, as soon as he arrives.*
Oh, I didn’t know that, did you?
Was that what I did?
*Taps mug against the desk, repeatedly, for almost one minute.*
Okay, we’re there. Fine as a bird.
That’s strange, hmmm…
*Bangs mouse against desk, when he cannot see his cursor.*
I didn’t order that.
The?
*Persists to squeak his shoes together, noisily, for ten minutes.*
Why’s it gone and undone it all?
Yep.
*Grunts*
Okay, I didn’t then.
Good-good.
*Grumbles unaudiably.*
*Expletive.*
*Shouts a company name very loudly.*
Well done.
Oh, I might be able to do that
*30 minutes after eating a sausage sandwich, he eats a smelly packet of crisps, with his mouth open.*
Oh, good.
Can you? I can’t? Never mind.
Damn, blasted kids.
I don’t remember doing that.
Nope.
OH, dear me.
*After finishing crisps, he makes tongue lapping noises for 15 minutes.*
It takes
*Cantankerously clears his throat.*
Arh…
Done it again.
*Whistles for 10 seconds.*
Oh no…
Oh, for GOD SAKE – sorry!
Okay…
Where are yer?
Okay…
*Tuts to himself.”
‘Ere is.
That’s it.
Only way t’ do it, I suppose.
Can’t you do it from? I’m sure you could.
Right, let’s have a look at these.
*Huffs and puffs.*
Why is it like that? I don’t know. Why is it like that?
I used to do these like clockwork, now I can’t figure it out.
*Angrily:* Oh no!
Uh…
*Tuts* For God sake.
Hmm…
Oh, come on, insert.
No.
Oh, yes, you beauty!
That’s what yer shouolda done.
Argh, nah, done it again.
Uhh… I know.
Erm…
Dunno, I know, I know what I’ll do, undo it, yeah…
Okay, not that one.
*Clears throat several times, because he seems to like the noise it makes.*
*Laps his lips for over ten minutes in total.*
Yes.
*Squeaks his shoes, repeatedly, again.*
WHERE ARE YER? I can see it’s alright.
NO!
COME ON!
I don’t know why I couldn’t find it.
*Sings:*  There’s no one else.
*Eats a chocolate bar with his mouth open.*
Arh!
Done it again, en I?
*Squeaks his shoes again.*
Bloody hell.
Oh, yes.
Erm…
Ooow, I know what I’m gonna do.
What am I looking for? Do I know what I’m looking for?
They’ve got nothing t’ do, I’m sure.
*Inaudible muttering.*
Ooow, arrgh.
It takes circuits!
Cheers mate!
*Chuckles to himself.*
Good ol’ Linda.
A busy one again.
RIGHT! LET’S GO!
What time is it? It’s too late.
Oow, that’s good.

Most of those things were spoken within 10 – 60 seconds of each other. This man gives a running commentary of his day. He is stubborn and grumpy and old fashioned. Everything that he does is right, and everything that everyone else does is wrong. I really can’t wait for him to retire (I have no idea when that will be – I don’t even think that he knows).

That is all for my, little, office ramblings, for today. I will be certain to provide an update on the other odd, weird and mysterious things that might occur as I continue to explore and learn more about the siren company that I now work for.

- Josie -

Becoming a Warehouse Production Administrator

I have now been at my new job two weeks. I can’t believe it. Just saying that makes me so happy. And, you know what, for once, I actually am, genuinely, happy at work. I was happy in my previous job, to a certain extent, but I hated the fact that I was doing a sixteen year old’s job, and how whenever I said that, everyone would say that it was not a sixteen year old’s job, but it was. An Office Junior is the job that you would do, when you used to be able to leave school at sixteen. However, when I left school then, I could not get an Office Junior’s job without three years’ experience as an Office Junior. Anyway, knowing that I am better than that is what was making me feel unfulfilled at my previous job.
          My new job title is Warehouse Production Administrator. I had wanted this position at my previous administration job, but they pretended that they did not hear me, every single time I asked for the position, until I handed my notice in.
          Okay, so I feel as though I have learnt a lot, in the last two weeks. I know a few of the names and faces of the people that I work with. I just have a slight niggling issue that is constantly making me wonder if I made the right decision. It is not a small thing either. In fact, it is quite a big red flag. I do not agree with the terms and conditions of the contract…

1) I am required to work any hours/days of overtime, when required, but will not be paid for it or given any time in lieu for it.
2) They can change my contracted hours without giving me any notice.
3) If the company feels that the amount of work that day is quite quiet, they do not have to pay me for the day.
4) If the company happens to become quiet, the company can suspend me, without notice, without pay, until they company picks up again. This can be for any unspecified length of time.
5) I get 20 days holiday a year and cannot take more than 10 consecutive days off together (which includes the weekend) so I could only ever have Monday to the following Wednesday off.
6) If the director chooses to, randomly, close the company one day, he does not have to give anyone notice and no one will be paid for the closure.
7) You have to provide a month’s notice for holiday, so could not use a holiday day of the previous point ever happened.
8) If the company decides to change the hours and days of the business, they do not have to give you any notice.
9) If the company wants to change the hours in your contract they do not have to give you any notice.
10) Despite only working an entry level job, if I leave, I have to give three months notice.

Okay, so, I know that I have been very lucky, in the past, in terms of the terms and conditions of contracts, even if I have not worked in a comfortable environment, but this really does not feel right. By signing the contract, I feel as though I have signed away all of my human rights and the company can do anything illegal it wants to, with regards to hours and pay, and there is nothing that I can do about it, because I  have had to sign my contract, which states that I agree to this. It is really annoying, because I actually do like this job and one of my managers was really real, open and honest to me about things today, and it made me feel like I actually have real people in my work place, and not stuck up, middle class people who do not realise how good they have it, or how good their upbringing was and think that they are hard done by, when by my standards they are rich.
          Anyways, I feel very conflicted. Many of the terms and conditions of my contract feel unfair and very worrying, especially with my upcoming mortgage to worry about. Despite liking my job/position, I am worrying that I could just be not paid for days, week, maybe even months at a time and there is nothing that I can do about it. But what if this is just an old clause and there is nothing to worry about? This is a really old fashioned company, and most people that work there are between 50 and 75 years old. The only young people are three people in their early twenties that are the kids of two of the women that work there. I really do not know what to do. I mean, I have to stay, because I need to have a job, but I really do not know what is best long term.

- Josie -

"I don't know," does not mean, "No."

Dear whomever is reading this,

“I don’t know,” does not mean, “No.” When I say, “I don’t know,” it is literally because I have not made my mind up yet, and I could be swayed either way. For some, strange reason, I had a supervisor, at a previous job that seemed to think that anytime I said, “I don’t know,” that I was saying, “No.” I do not have a problem with saying, “I’m really sorry, but I have to say no, this time.” I literally just had to say this to a colleague this week. It gets me so angry when someone makes the decision for me, when they assume that I do not want to do something, simply because I say the phrase, “I don’t know.” In hindsight, part of me wonders if I had said, “I haven’t made my mind up yet,” whether she would still have taken my comment as a, “No.” I think it is very rude and disrespectful of a person to have the mindset that every single time someone says to them, “I don’t know,” that they always assume someone means, “No.” If you have not made your mind up about something yet, it means that you have not made your mind up yet. “I don’t know,” means that I could still be convinced to have my mind changed for either situation/scenario.

I am writing this, as I have thought, maybe the person who always took my, “I don’t know,” as a, “No,” did not realise that they were doing it. Maybe people do think that the phrase, “I don’t know,” means, “No,” in the same way that people, myself included, say, “I’m fine,” when I am not okay. Please, whoever might be reading this, note, and spread the word, that if someone says to you, “I don’t know,” it does not mean that they mean, “No,” and do not want to disappoint you, it could also mean that they have not made up their mind yet. Please, do not dictate someone else’s decision for them. Instead of replying, “Well, that means no, then,” please try to find out if the person needs help making a decision and offer a pros and cons debate on the multiple options. Please, try to be the nicer person, and not assume that the person you are asking means, “No.”

Thank you.
Kind regards,

- Josie -