Disheartened and feeling ignored at work

[sadhart]

Sorry, I have two other threads, but wanted to make a new one. This was the fourth night in the dark and I start work at my normal time today. Last Friday when the storm hit, and I got stuck in the mud trying to get around fallen trees in the area my job is, I sent an email to HR asking if I could speak to the plant manager about my grievances regarding having to come in during a tropical storm . But I have heard nothing.

Yesterday, when they had us come in to possibly work ( they ended up canceling as the power had yet to be restored) I saw a lot of the supervisors and plant manager and the person from HR I sent the email to talking in the parking lot. Only one of the supervisors approached me. In the past,the lady in HR I sent the email to had been decent to me, but now I'm not sure. I feel hurt and ignored. This power outage isn't exactly helping things.

Sorry if I sound shallow saying all this. I know there are people suffering harder because of the hurricane/tropical storm. But it's still hard. I can't sleep so I may as well get ready for work soon.

 

[may71]

I'm sorry it's been like that. Unfortunately a lot of companies are really focused on profits. If they were better people I think they would have more considerate policies, but it's also the system that makes them like that. If you don't please the shareholders, you get fired, so people focused on the bottom line tend to be the ones that get to keep their jobs.

 

[sadhart]

I'm sorry it's been like that. Unfortunately a lot of companies are really focused on profits. If they were better people I think they would have more considerate policies, but it's also the system that makes them like that. If you don't please the shareholders, you get fired, so people focused on the bottom line tend to be the ones that get to keep their jobs.

I kind of get the impression that the lady in HR never got my email. I got to work early yesterday and she was making care packages and asked me if I would be willing to clock in early to help. She never mentioned the email and I have known her for awhile now and she has been pretty nice to me( like emailing me when I called out one day last year to check up on me). So I would like to think she isn't ignoring me, but it's hard to know for sure.

 

[Survivorist]

You know - sometimes people make gestures or look at you in a different way - but the background may be completely different. Maybe she lost her house? Are you sure, she was working? I mean sorry - if you are not able to come to work, because its physically not possible - you cannot change that. You informed your colleagues - if they do not receive the message - again nor your fault. I think, you do not have to worry about anything. Maybe you need a little harder skin and a little more confidence in yourself? If I were your boss - I could only understand you. Working for a company that requests you to come despite a real tropical storm, no power, roads blocked.... what is this? Greed? Loss of manpower:

I am 100% sure, you were not the only one missing, right? So do not worry.

 

[SamB]

I think maybe it’s just a matter of priorities, at the moment the crisis is still ongoing and all hands are to the pump trying to survive literally and financially. It’s not the time for reflections on how things were handled, what was right and wrong and what needs to be done better next time. I think you need to wait until things settle down, until some sort of normality returns and people have the bandwidth to spend on analysing what has happened and then you can make your point again.

 

[sadhart]

I think maybe it’s just a matter of priorities, at the moment the crisis is still ongoing and all hands are to the pump trying to survive literally and financially. It’s not the time for reflections on how things were handled, what was right and wrong and what needs to be done better next time. I think you need to wait until things settle down, until some sort of normality returns and people have the bandwidth to spend on analysing what has happened and then you can make your point again.

I never mentioned in the email as to what I wanted to say. I just asked if I could speak to the plant manager without going into detail or saying anything negative.

 

[SamB]

I never mentioned in the email as to what I wanted to say. I just asked if I could speak to the plant manager without going into detail or saying anything negative.

It’s probably even more reason why they think that whatever you want to talk about can be postponed until after things calm down. The HR person’s job is obviously to deal with these kind of things but they only have a limited amount of time that they work, if there are more things to do than can get done on that time then some things are not going to get done. The same goes for the plant manager, they must also be very busy at the moment and whilst in an ideal world they would be able to meet you to talk about your concerns they are probably having to give other things their attention.
Lots of bad things happen without anyone intending them to, clearly you shouldn’t have been put in a position where you ended up stuck in the storm but it’s highly likely that the decisions that were made by others that led to that were just mistakes made without the knowledge of what the consequences would be. It’s import that lessons are learned and that things improve so mistakes are not repeated but that needs to wait until after the immediate crisis is dealt with.
Let things calm down and get back to normal and then tell them what happened to you and why it was a very bad situation for you to be put in. Focus on explaining what happened to you and why it was a bad experience rather than telling them what they did wrong, they are far more likely to learn lessons and put things right if they realise for themselves the mistakes they made and understand how negative the consequences were.

 

[may71]

I kind of get the impression that the lady in HR never got my email.

She may be a nice lady. It's also true that in corporate culture, if they can get away with ignoring employee complaints, that's what they'll tend to do.

 

[sadhart]

It’s probably even more reason why they think that whatever you want to talk about can be postponed until after things calm down. The HR person’s job is obviously to deal with these kind of things but they only have a limited amount of time that they work, if there are more things to do than can get done on that time then some things are not going to get done. The same goes for the plant manager, they must also be very busy at the moment and whilst in an ideal world they would be able to meet you to talk about your concerns they are probably having to give other things their attention.
Lots of bad things happen without anyone intending them to, clearly you shouldn’t have been put in a position where you ended up stuck in the storm but it’s highly likely that the decisions that were made by others that led to that were just mistakes made without the knowledge of what the consequences would be. It’s import that lessons are learned and that things improve so mistakes are not repeated but that needs to wait until after the immediate crisis is dealt with.
Let things calm down and get back to normal and then tell them what happened to you and why it was a very bad situation for you to be put in. Focus on explaining what happened to you and why it was a bad experience rather than telling them what they did wrong, they are far more likely to learn lessons and put things right if they realise for themselves the mistakes they made and understand how negative the consequences were.

I'm sorry, I'm trying not to come off defensive, but you're assuming some things that aren't exactly the case in my situation and I don't appreciate it.

You know, I've been working here for over six years and this job came at a time where I was a several months sober after relapsing. I was scared to take the offer of bring hired full time because I was afraid of not being reliable. But I would like to think that I am. I have also not complained about certain things, even when others have and maybe when I should have as well.

Yesterday, the plant manager spoke to us, basically saying if we have anything we need to just ask. And there have been several times both yesterday and today I have wanted to say something but I didn't. In the days since the storm, having to walk downtown to charge things and then walk back in the pitch dark of my neighborhood, along with trying to sleep comfortably for four days in the same dark, hearing everything and anything around you more than usual, I have had a lot if time to think. I'm not even sure if I'm going to bother saying anything. I'm just not sure.

But I should be able to come on here and voice some of my frustrations without being told what and when I should say something about a job that with all due respect, I have a better idea of how things work regarding it.

Maybe you're right in some ways, but it is so hard holding so much in especially in the last several days. I'm sorry, but some of me saying this is coming from this not being a good day.

 

[sadhart]

She may be a nice lady. It's also true that in corporate culture, if they can get away with ignoring employee complaints, that's what they'll tend to do.

You know what? Maybe you're right. But maybe I made a mistake opening up about this on here as well.

 

[iloverachel]

I am sorry you feel ignores and insignificant at work
Just remember on here we care about you and you are valued and important