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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think my boss is an absolute cow

55 replies

poikea · 02/09/2013 20:13

Have namechanged as I need anonymity

Where I work we have just taken on 6 interns to help give them some work experience (I'm also quite new), however in the three weeks since they were set on my boss has fired 3 of them publically because failure is not tolerated at our company.
The treatment of the remaining has been hideous, one of them in a meeting tried to suggest an amendment to one of her ideas and she shouted at him telling him to know he's fucking place and that interns should only speak when spoken to. Also another occaision one of the interns made her coffee and she shouted her saying it was the worst coffee she'd ever had and she couldn't believe how thick she was. Also the tasks they have been given to do are also ridiculous, for example this afternoon I walked into the office to see one of them he was polishing her shoes and when I went back to my desk I could see the two remaining girls washing her car in the car park.
Others in the office seem to find it hilarious and say that "life's hard at the bottom of the foodchain" but I feel dreadfully sorry for them as another phrase she uses is remember who's writing your reference. AIBU to think this is bullying and hideous behaviour.

OP posts:
meganorks · 02/09/2013 21:05

Is this made up? Is it the plot of a film? Or TV show? I just can't believe this would actually happen in RL.

Portofino · 02/09/2013 21:07

That's what I was thinking Meganorks.

HeyUGuys · 02/09/2013 21:15

I can. I worked in an office as an administrator, i was told to clean toilets, empty skips, hang pictures, and clean the light bulbs. After 2 years of this i left to work for their rival company as IT manager, taking alot of customers with me Grin

HaroldLloyd · 02/09/2013 21:16

I worked for a firm of solicitors once and they had very young staff who would do the post man reception and that type of thing, they were spoken to pretty similarly to this. I used to see them in a glass fronted office getting barked at. Sounds like a company with a rotten culture and I would be looking for a new job.

scarlettsmummy2 · 02/09/2013 21:18

That is awful. I would raise it with HR and if appropriate I would confront her myself.

kali110 · 02/09/2013 21:20

Absolute bitch. Needs reporting. Dont care if shes the queen of fucking england i hate bullies.

Jinsei · 02/09/2013 21:22

Wow. Just wow.

I don't think I could work for someone like that. She sounds like a total bitch.

struggling100 · 02/09/2013 21:23

Awful, awful, awful. Why do people act like this? I'd want to give them all a reassuring hug!

mumofthemonsters808 · 02/09/2013 21:24

I hope your boss's child is an intern one day and gets similar treatment. If there's anything I hate it's someone picking on the young or abusing their power by bullying a kid. I would be mortified if my girl was treated like this on an internship. I'm hoping this is a wind up because it beggars belief that this type of thing goes on.

KenDoddsDadsDog · 02/09/2013 21:25

Polishing her shoes ?

DanicaJones · 02/09/2013 21:30

Appalling

LillyNotOfTheValley · 02/09/2013 21:32

What a cow.

Sounds like she is playing her own version of the Devil Wears Prada.
You should buy her a copy and put it on her desk so that everyone can see. That is what I did before firing the PA who thought it would be appropriate to send the intern 3 times to starbucks changing her order, before pouring the content of the last cup in the plants in front of the poor intern.

Report to your L+2. It is harassment and no company wants to end up in court over a bitch in her mid life crisis.

farrowandbawl · 02/09/2013 21:46

I used to work for someone like that. She destroyed my confidence in my job, gave me the pointless tasks, shouted at me for daring to be more organised in front of the entire office. I was an agency worker. I complained to her boss AND the agency but nothing happened. I haven't worked in that sector since, I daren't. I asked for references afterwards but she refused to send them...as if job hunting wasn't hard enough. It was a very cliquey place and she made it worse, if you weren't flavour of the month then god help you.

kali110 · 02/09/2013 22:07

I had a bitch of a boss. Made my life hell. Nearly had a nervous break down. Nothing ever good enough. Protected and encouraged other bullies. After ten years of job i loved i left. Fucking hate them.

HollaAtMeBaby · 02/09/2013 22:41

Can you at least take the interns aside and tell them you will give them references if they ever need one so that they can leave if they want to??

ukatlast · 02/09/2013 23:00

I blame Reality TV shows like Gordon Ramsey, Alan Sugar et al and the demise of trade union rights....if you are going to be unpaid to gain experience, I really think you should have more self-respect than to stick around and be treated worse than a slave.

Solopower1 · 03/09/2013 07:31

It reflects badly on the intern if they leave. No, the boss holds all the cards - until someone works out a way of taming her. What can you do, when it's her company? Aren't there any effective laws that protect employees from bullying?

Toadinthehole · 03/09/2013 07:41

I am reminded of my first boss after university in the late 90s. He was an utter shit. I just accepted the treatment he meted out to me because it was my first proper job and I didn't know any better.

I could hardly believe it when I eventually left, got another job, and found that my new boss was nice. Still, I think I still tolerate bad behaviour at work a bit more than some because of my first job.

Mimishimi · 03/09/2013 07:46

Maybe she's trying a 'tough love' approach to see who is made of metal? If it's out of character wrt how she usually treats her normal employees maybe she's picked up this harebrained management idea from somewhere.

Back2Two · 03/09/2013 07:46

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn due to privacy concerns

ivykaty44 · 03/09/2013 07:47

Buy a copy of the DVD - TDWP and leave on her desk with a note that possibly she could give lessons as she makes the devil look rather sweet natured

marriedinwhiteisback · 03/09/2013 07:49

Hmm. Interns, unpaid, first job after uni. Sorry but I think if the interns had any oomph they would have said "no, I'm not cleanng shoes and cars or being spoken to like that", put their coats on and walked. It's a role that never needs to be referred to again on any CV ever. If they're sitting there taking it, then I fear for their futures. It's their battle to fight not yours. If you detest the woman, find another job and move on but keep it sweet because you do need a reference.

BeckAndCall · 03/09/2013 07:50

Your company must have a pretty good position in your industry to make it worth wanting to put themselves through that.

I wonder what they are promised at the end of the placement to make it worth while staying on - maybe one of the 6 of them gets a £100k pa apprenticeship? It can't be just a reference for them to take to your nearest rival?

cantreachmytoes · 03/09/2013 08:02

I would imagine as a graduate today, an internship is almost essential to getting a paid job after. Perhaps they don't realise that this isn't ok because of shows like Hell's Kitchen etc.

I agree with poster above about telling them you'd give a reference.

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