Superbitches rule - rant

[depob]

I work in a small office dominated by two 50 something administrators who are driving me nuts. Both regularly arrive late, take lengthy lunch-breaks etc. Both seem to think the office is an extension of their kitchen - I know more about their children, partners, pets and social life than I do about my own. Between them they oversee recruitment and only take on people they like (regardless of skills), children of friends get internships, trips abroad are given to staff they like, travel discounts to friends, stationary treated like personal store etc.
The only way to counter is by effusive flattery - feign intense interest in their endless talk about themselves (one brings her child's homeworks into the office for us all to admire), buckets of flattery whenever they announce they have managed to actually do anything, effusive thanks at every opportunity.
As you may have guessed this is not really my territory. Wouldn't be a problem but the Queen Bee blocked a much needed (and well-deserved) promotion, while the lesser Princess makes sure I only get the most boring routine tasks. I could happily murder the pair of them.
Thanks for listening!
ps Needless to say it is a charity.

[Mumof2teens]

Unless one of them is going to move on soon then IMHO there is only one thing that you can do isn't there?
Good luck, it must be stressful for you ATM

[depob]

I desperately need the job. DP out of work, rural area, jobs few and far between. Without the wage and tax credit we'd crash and burn in about three months.
Guess I'll just have to put up and shut up :(

[mamas12]

Go over their heads.
You can do it. If you don't really like them, it won't matter will it.

[mum765]

Until you said it was a charity I thought you might've worked in the same office as me. I'd keep my eye out for another job, they won't change. But don't advise doing what i did - letting it all build up then having a big rant. They gave me even less to do after that - I was apparently ungrateful. Fortunately I've moved to another job now.

[depob]

What happened? (agog)

[mum765]

Can't really remember exactly what I said but it was along the lines of - most boring job I ever had. I remember being quite innappropriate but in hindsight I think it was justified.

I think the two biddies we had resented anyone who was more qualified than they were and liked to keep them in their place. They would give any interesting projects to one of two people - their friends. Anyone else was just sidelined. Then they'd pass down to everyone else the work their friends couldn't be bothered to do - usually the really nasty projects, claiming x is just so overloaded, we thought you could do this. The person who started it would deliberately withold crucial information then complain you hadn't done the job nearly as quickly as they would have done.

I think in our case it stemmed from unsuitable people being given power. Many sympathies. If you don't have an alternative, I would suggest taking it all with a large pinch of salt. My colleague who was treated as badly as me, just seemed to let it go over her head and carry on. Many sympathies.

I think it came to a head when I had my appraisal - I have post grad qualifications and experience and had just been sidelined for an interesting project I would have been good at. It was maths related and was given to one of the "friends" who openly stated she was "no good at maths". One of the biddles suggested I train up on switchboard to help the receptionists out if I was bored. No disrespect to receptionists - just something I wasn't interested in doing and I'd be rubbish at. Fortunately I was offered another job and I left. oh and "friend" failed at the maths project and they had to recruit someone else to do it.

[TheFarSide]

If I were donating to this charity, I wouldn't be at all happy about staff regularly arriving late and taking long lunch breaks (which is a form of fraud) or favouring friends and relatives (which is anti-equality of opportunity). I think they should be reported to the board of trustees or whoever's in charge of running this charity. Meanwhile, my sympathies to you.

[BerylStreep]

Are these colleagues or your manager? Agree with the other poster who said to go above their heads, either to your manager or to the board. You could always write to the Board anonymously if you are concerned about a backlash, but this is a risky strategy, as I suspect a dim view would be taken if found out it was you.

Before you take any action, I would ensure you have lots of good evidence, take careful notes, note who else is around when there is lots of chit chat. I would also back off the joining in, so that it cannot be claimed that you are being as bad as these two.

It sounds as if there isn't an effective performance regime in place - do you not have any targets to meet? How are they able to sit around and chat all day?

[depob]

BerylStreep - One is my line manager, other is overall manager - which makes me laugh as it is meant to be a radical human rights campaign but is very hierarchical, secretive and undemocratic in the way it is actually run. The whole shebang is run by the founder - a kind of benevolent dictator who is rarely in the office. They have all known each other a very long time - I feel that if I confront what is going on I am bound to lose and end up leaving.

TheFarSide - funders are big American foundations mostly, don't have individual donatees on the whole.

mum765 - this sounds so like what I am up against. If only I had another job to go to :(.

Is this typical behaviour by a certain kind of women in middle management? Or is it just what some people do when they get a bit of power?

[BerylStreep]

depob - sounds like a really difficult situation. I have seen my fair share of slackers at work - it is very frustrating to deal with, especially if you don't have any power to challenge it.

I think you just need to try to keep your head down and develop some coping strategies, whilst actively looking for alternative work.

[depob]

BerylStreep I think that is good advice. I'll just try and concentrate on not getting stressed about it all.
I do feel sad though. I have a lot to contribute but I'll never be given the chance.
Thanks to all for your support :)