I've got myself into a bit of a situation at work. Help?
Discussion
The short version:
My line manager is overreacting about my behaviour at work and has lost trust in me. He's not acting reasonable about it and doesn't want to talk it over. What do I do in such a situation?
The long version:
I started on a trainee scheme with a large company earlier in the year (25000 employees). I'm site based and have a company car.
Things have been going quite well and I'm pretty much running things day to day.
A few weeks ago I went on a night out with the contractors at work on a Thursday. This was a 'teambuilding' thing that they had organised, and my project manager urged me to go. It turned out that I was the only one from my company who turned up. The contractors paid for food and drinks all night, until eventually there were only a handful of us left. We carried on drinking and I didn't get home til quite late.
The next day (Friday) I turned up at 11am. My working hours are quite flexible (37.5 hours a week) with no actual set start time, and I can call it a week once my hours are done, or choose to keep working to receive time off in lieu.
On my way in (10am) I received a phone call from my line manager. He didn't seem too happy that I was turning up for work late due to being out drinking the night before (not the first time). I said that I didn't feel well enough to drive earlier. He informed me of the drink driving policy and said that I shouldn't really be talking on the phone whilst driving as it is against company policy, and that I should call him back when I get into work.
It's worth noting that the company is quite strict on drink driving, with the alcohol limit set lower than the national drink drive limit. But having no way of knowing just how much alcohol is actually in my system, if any at all, kind of makes it a farce.
I got to work at 11am and called my line manager. He really went off one about bribery and corruption and not turning up to work, and the standard of my driving. Up til then he seemed like a reasonable guy.
I was absolutely cacking myself because I thought I was within the rules (mostly). He said my name has come up too many times since I started (even for things that aren't my fault or in my control) and it doesn't look good.
He mentioned that it's against company policy to receive gifts above £10 as it counts as bribery. I said that it was actually £25 and that I thought it had been signed off. Then he got really shirty with me and asked "by who!?". Well you tell me you t
t...
Anyway I didn't say that, but I certainly thought it.
Next he started going off on me for not turning up for work. He actually brought gross misconduct into it. I didn't realise that this counted as gross misconduct. As stated, my working hours are flexible with no set start time. In fact the company brags about flexibility in this regard. If I'm ever late I always stay later to make up the time. There have been occasions that I've done more than my required hours for the week and not submitted it for time off in lieu. Give and take as they say.
Then he started having a go at me for my driving. He said that there have been two reports of me speeding and driving erratically. Also that I've been using my phone whilst driving. I don't refute this, but it's purely a matter of opinion. My driving license is clean and my car hasn't got a single mark on it. Hardly the sign of a bad driver. The phone thing I'm not so sure about, unless he means the times that I've spoken to him whilst driving.
I eventually got off the phone to him and wondered wtf had just happened. From what I know nobody has got a bad word to say about me at work, in fact they're generally quite happy with me. I get on with everyone and they think the sun shines out of my arse.
A few hours later a bloke appeared on site to do drug and alcohol testing. I shat myself again. It appeared that he had the wrong name. He waited in the office for his company to get back to him to confirm the name of the person he was meant to be testing. My project manager hinted that I should probably make a swift exit...
I got home and continued working from my laptop, eventually finishing around 5.30pm. I gave my project manager a call to see what had happened and he confirmed that the bloke had been there to test me. If I had actually tested above the limit then I most likely would have lost my job there and then. I was gobsmacked. I usually get on with my line manager quite well and he comes across as a reasonable person, so this was really out of character. A proper dick move.
Whether I had any alcohol in my system at that point I don't know. I felt absolutely fine. But did I want to risk giving that sample? fk no. If I had evaded the test on purpose I would also have been sacked. It looks like I had a lucky escape.
That night I took the opportunity to recap on the company policy on bribery and corruption. I was correct on the £25 limit for receiving gifts. It said that there was nothing against receiving hospitality, but anything over £100 per person is classed as excessive, and anything over £500 per person is - I can't remember but it didn't say that it wasn't allowed. The hospitality I received was below £50.
So on Saturday evening I sent my line manager a text and said sorry and how I don't want to lose his trust, however I'd like to sit down and discuss this properly.
On Monday he called me to have a more in depth chat. Not what I wanted but hey ho. We talked about various things and he apologised for the drugs and alcohol bloke, and how that wasn't his intention. He said that as I was a trainee he didn't know what to do and took advice from HR. He didn't know at the time, but the HR woman he spoke to is a horrible piece of work and recommended that company procedure be followed and that I get tested. OK fair enough.
I mentioned that I recapped on the drugs and alcohol policy and I'm within it. He didn't have much of a clue about it.
We talked abort a few other things and after our chat I received an email from him. It looks as though he's taken that opportunity to write everything down in a formal letter, emphasising how serious this is and that I should evaluate my position with the company. I didn't bother to respond.
I spoke to a few of my colleagues about this and they all agreed that I was being treated unfairly. My project manager confirmed that he had asked his manager if he had a problem with me going on a night out with the contractors, which was met with no objection. He even spoke to my line managers counterpart about this situation, and even he agreed that my line manager is being unreasonable.
I was told to leave it and that it would be forgotten about soon enough.
I had my work christmas party last week and tried to approach my line manager on a couple of occasions. I was batted away each time. He's making things quite uncomfortable.
Even now he's acting weird towards me. He doesn't want to talk and will barely reply to my text messages. It seems that he has a bee in his bonnet about something and he's acting very unreasonable. Apparently this is quite out of character for him. I would love nothing more than to give him a piece of my mind but I know that it will only make matters worse.
My project manager informed me that night that my line manager said I had been taking days off work without informing anyone. That's absolute bks. I really don't know where he's got that from. I like my job and I work hard at it, I see it as a career that I want to progress with. For some reason he things I'm not serious about it.
I may have missed a few bits out but most of the important points are there. I will add anything if it comes to light.
What would you do in this situation?
Do I leave it?
Do I go over my line managers head to his manager, and ask for him to step in?
My biggest concern is that this tarnishes my reputation and leaves a long lasting mark on it. I'm no saint, but this is being blown well out of proportion.
Thanks.
My line manager is overreacting about my behaviour at work and has lost trust in me. He's not acting reasonable about it and doesn't want to talk it over. What do I do in such a situation?
The long version:
I started on a trainee scheme with a large company earlier in the year (25000 employees). I'm site based and have a company car.
Things have been going quite well and I'm pretty much running things day to day.
A few weeks ago I went on a night out with the contractors at work on a Thursday. This was a 'teambuilding' thing that they had organised, and my project manager urged me to go. It turned out that I was the only one from my company who turned up. The contractors paid for food and drinks all night, until eventually there were only a handful of us left. We carried on drinking and I didn't get home til quite late.
The next day (Friday) I turned up at 11am. My working hours are quite flexible (37.5 hours a week) with no actual set start time, and I can call it a week once my hours are done, or choose to keep working to receive time off in lieu.
On my way in (10am) I received a phone call from my line manager. He didn't seem too happy that I was turning up for work late due to being out drinking the night before (not the first time). I said that I didn't feel well enough to drive earlier. He informed me of the drink driving policy and said that I shouldn't really be talking on the phone whilst driving as it is against company policy, and that I should call him back when I get into work.
It's worth noting that the company is quite strict on drink driving, with the alcohol limit set lower than the national drink drive limit. But having no way of knowing just how much alcohol is actually in my system, if any at all, kind of makes it a farce.
I got to work at 11am and called my line manager. He really went off one about bribery and corruption and not turning up to work, and the standard of my driving. Up til then he seemed like a reasonable guy.
I was absolutely cacking myself because I thought I was within the rules (mostly). He said my name has come up too many times since I started (even for things that aren't my fault or in my control) and it doesn't look good.
He mentioned that it's against company policy to receive gifts above £10 as it counts as bribery. I said that it was actually £25 and that I thought it had been signed off. Then he got really shirty with me and asked "by who!?". Well you tell me you t
t...Anyway I didn't say that, but I certainly thought it.
Next he started going off on me for not turning up for work. He actually brought gross misconduct into it. I didn't realise that this counted as gross misconduct. As stated, my working hours are flexible with no set start time. In fact the company brags about flexibility in this regard. If I'm ever late I always stay later to make up the time. There have been occasions that I've done more than my required hours for the week and not submitted it for time off in lieu. Give and take as they say.
Then he started having a go at me for my driving. He said that there have been two reports of me speeding and driving erratically. Also that I've been using my phone whilst driving. I don't refute this, but it's purely a matter of opinion. My driving license is clean and my car hasn't got a single mark on it. Hardly the sign of a bad driver. The phone thing I'm not so sure about, unless he means the times that I've spoken to him whilst driving.
I eventually got off the phone to him and wondered wtf had just happened. From what I know nobody has got a bad word to say about me at work, in fact they're generally quite happy with me. I get on with everyone and they think the sun shines out of my arse.
A few hours later a bloke appeared on site to do drug and alcohol testing. I shat myself again. It appeared that he had the wrong name. He waited in the office for his company to get back to him to confirm the name of the person he was meant to be testing. My project manager hinted that I should probably make a swift exit...
I got home and continued working from my laptop, eventually finishing around 5.30pm. I gave my project manager a call to see what had happened and he confirmed that the bloke had been there to test me. If I had actually tested above the limit then I most likely would have lost my job there and then. I was gobsmacked. I usually get on with my line manager quite well and he comes across as a reasonable person, so this was really out of character. A proper dick move.
Whether I had any alcohol in my system at that point I don't know. I felt absolutely fine. But did I want to risk giving that sample? f
k no. If I had evaded the test on purpose I would also have been sacked. It looks like I had a lucky escape. That night I took the opportunity to recap on the company policy on bribery and corruption. I was correct on the £25 limit for receiving gifts. It said that there was nothing against receiving hospitality, but anything over £100 per person is classed as excessive, and anything over £500 per person is - I can't remember but it didn't say that it wasn't allowed. The hospitality I received was below £50.
So on Saturday evening I sent my line manager a text and said sorry and how I don't want to lose his trust, however I'd like to sit down and discuss this properly.
On Monday he called me to have a more in depth chat. Not what I wanted but hey ho. We talked about various things and he apologised for the drugs and alcohol bloke, and how that wasn't his intention. He said that as I was a trainee he didn't know what to do and took advice from HR. He didn't know at the time, but the HR woman he spoke to is a horrible piece of work and recommended that company procedure be followed and that I get tested. OK fair enough.
I mentioned that I recapped on the drugs and alcohol policy and I'm within it. He didn't have much of a clue about it.
We talked abort a few other things and after our chat I received an email from him. It looks as though he's taken that opportunity to write everything down in a formal letter, emphasising how serious this is and that I should evaluate my position with the company. I didn't bother to respond.
I spoke to a few of my colleagues about this and they all agreed that I was being treated unfairly. My project manager confirmed that he had asked his manager if he had a problem with me going on a night out with the contractors, which was met with no objection. He even spoke to my line managers counterpart about this situation, and even he agreed that my line manager is being unreasonable.
I was told to leave it and that it would be forgotten about soon enough.
I had my work christmas party last week and tried to approach my line manager on a couple of occasions. I was batted away each time. He's making things quite uncomfortable.
Even now he's acting weird towards me. He doesn't want to talk and will barely reply to my text messages. It seems that he has a bee in his bonnet about something and he's acting very unreasonable. Apparently this is quite out of character for him. I would love nothing more than to give him a piece of my mind but I know that it will only make matters worse.
My project manager informed me that night that my line manager said I had been taking days off work without informing anyone. That's absolute b
ks. I really don't know where he's got that from. I like my job and I work hard at it, I see it as a career that I want to progress with. For some reason he things I'm not serious about it. I may have missed a few bits out but most of the important points are there. I will add anything if it comes to light.
What would you do in this situation?
Do I leave it?
Do I go over my line managers head to his manager, and ask for him to step in?
My biggest concern is that this tarnishes my reputation and leaves a long lasting mark on it. I'm no saint, but this is being blown well out of proportion.
Thanks.
I’m assuming I’m missing the punch line to a bad joke. But, in short, you have a track record of excessive drinking the night before work. On this occasion , you were so concerned that you were still working under the influence you ran away. To top it all off, You are a talk back gobby ste.
I would suggest you have a lot of maturing to do in life. Oh, and it’s time for a new job.
te. I would suggest you have a lot of maturing to do in life. Oh, and it’s time for a new job.
All this over getting pissed up.
Manging expectations is a big thing to take away, i would have told him i was coming in late, what you were doing, and all work covered until you come in.
Just means you cover your arse. The rest better draw a line under it and move on, st happens.
Manging expectations is a big thing to take away, i would have told him i was coming in late, what you were doing, and all work covered until you come in.
Just means you cover your arse. The rest better draw a line under it and move on, s
t happens.Edited by Thesprucegoose on Monday 30th December 01:16
EarlofDrift said:
They've decided your face doesn't fit. Take a package and move on.
I used to get done for clocking in 1 minute late but stayed 20 minutes to finish up the previous day which was never mentioned so I told them to Foxtrot Oscar.
The “package” will, quite rightly, consist of a P45 and nothing else. h0b0 calls it correctly above. Behave like a child and you’ll get treated like one.I used to get done for clocking in 1 minute late but stayed 20 minutes to finish up the previous day which was never mentioned so I told them to Foxtrot Oscar.
h0b0 said:
I’m assuming I’m missing the punch line to a bad joke. But, in short, you have a track record of excessive drinking the night before work. On this occasion , you were so concerned that you were still working under the influence you ran away. To top it all off, You are a talk back gobby ste.
I would suggest you have a lot of maturing to do in life. Oh, and it’s time for a new job.
Seems about right.te. I would suggest you have a lot of maturing to do in life. Oh, and it’s time for a new job.
As said, start looking for another job.
It sounds to me like your manager covered themselves and you by reporting their concerns over your drinking to HR. They then got you out of it by leaving it as late as possible before doing so and then sending you home before the test happened.
Understandably they didn't want to discuss it at your Christmas party (bit if a mood dampener really).
If say there's not much to discuss, well unless you want to continue to go out drinking the night before work to the point where you might exceed their drink limits. If that's an issue don't work in an industry with drink limits- there are harsher ones out there.
Understandably they didn't want to discuss it at your Christmas party (bit if a mood dampener really).
If say there's not much to discuss, well unless you want to continue to go out drinking the night before work to the point where you might exceed their drink limits. If that's an issue don't work in an industry with drink limits- there are harsher ones out there.
EarlofDrift said:
They've decided your face doesn't fit. Take a package and move on.
No I would say it's more or them having a new.ish employee who seems to be taking the piss. And by his own admission has a track record already of being less than professional.As others have said. Suck it up and apologise, work with your manager to repair your poor reputation or start looking for a new job.
Out of interest how old are you? As you behaviour sound like someone who's in their 1st professional job and doesn't realise that's it's not like being in university.
OP, they think you are taking the piss. You colleagues and managers that don't manage you aren't going to tell you anything other than what you want to hear. They don't care.
You need to turn up early and stay late and not book it for a while and not get pissed on a school night. That's if you want to keep your job that is. Otherwise they will manage you out. Be super helpful, be a can do person.
And grow up a bit and keep your mouth shut.
You need to turn up early and stay late and not book it for a while and not get pissed on a school night. That's if you want to keep your job that is. Otherwise they will manage you out. Be super helpful, be a can do person.
And grow up a bit and keep your mouth shut.
Won't play the holier than though card, as a large number of us have early on gone out to a Christmas do, got worse for wear, been a mess next day & either turned up a mess or not turned up. It's not unusual.
Your boss did you a favor by telling you to go home when you could have stayed & been alcohol tested.
Knuckle down, learn from it, don't do it again & it will all blow over & be forgotten.
Your boss did you a favor by telling you to go home when you could have stayed & been alcohol tested.
Knuckle down, learn from it, don't do it again & it will all blow over & be forgotten.
h0b0 said:
I’m assuming I’m missing the punch line to a bad joke. But, in short, you have a track record of excessive drinking the night before work. On this occasion , you were so concerned that you were still working under the influence you ran away. To top it all off, You are a talk back gobby ste.
I would suggest you have a lot of maturing to do in life. Oh, and it’s time for a new job.
I don’t know that I’d have put it quite so bluntly but, essentially, this.te. I would suggest you have a lot of maturing to do in life. Oh, and it’s time for a new job.
The biggest thing that you need to focus on here are not the specific issues but the overall lack of judgement that your post suggests you display towards your relationship with your employer and, indeed, your reputation.
Going out with colleagues and getting so smashed that you probably shouldn't be driving the next day, doesn't look like the actions of a responsible employee. Particularly one who is essentially on probation.
The fact that an alcohol/drug inspector was called in suggests that the writing is on the wall.
The fact that an alcohol/drug inspector was called in suggests that the writing is on the wall.
fiju said:
The short version:
I went out with some work colleagues, got hung over, was late for work, and suspect that I drove in whilst still being over the alcohol limit. My line manager isn't happy and has lost trust in me. He's followed company procedures and I'm quite worried about what might happen. What do I do in such a situation?
I'd suggest the above is a slightly less biased view of what happened - no?I went out with some work colleagues, got hung over, was late for work, and suspect that I drove in whilst still being over the alcohol limit. My line manager isn't happy and has lost trust in me. He's followed company procedures and I'm quite worried about what might happen. What do I do in such a situation?
fiju said:
Then he started having a go at me for my driving. He said that there have been two reports of me speeding and driving erratically. Also that I've been using my phone whilst driving. I don't refute this, but it's purely a matter of opinion.
You don't refute speeding, driving erratically, or using the phone? Btw two of those aren't "matters of opinion".fiju said:
I most likely would have lost my job there and then. I was gobsmacked. I usually get on with my line manager quite well and he comes across as a reasonable person, so this was really out of character. A proper dick move.
The dick move was drinking so much that you were still potentially over the limit.fiju said:
I spoke to a few of my colleagues about this and they all agreed that I was being treated unfairly.
Colleagues will rarely if ever tell you that you've been acting like a dick. There's nothing to gain apart from aggro. What they say to your face and what they say behind your back will be two quite different things.If it was me I'd apologise wholeheartedly to my Line Manager and guarantee that it won't happen again.
ETA looking back at a couple of other posts by the OP I suspect "Troll".
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