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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Can this boss do this

17 replies

rosecup · 14/05/2016 21:42

Posting on here for traffic, sorry.
I'm worried about my daughter. She manages a small shop, only 4 work there.
Never all together, usually she works alone or sometimes there's 2 on together. She's been there 8 years now and business is not very good. But in the summer months things pick up. (small ladies clothes shop).
The other day her boss came in and started shouting at her that the shop wasn't making enough money and blamed it on her for "lack of motivation" and that his other shops (he has several more) are doing better. ( but we don't know if that's true)

He proper lost it and she ended up crying. He told her he might demote her and make one of the others manager. Her wage is only slightly higher so it wouldn't make much difference to her money. But my question is.....can he do this? it seems so unfair to blame her for a lack of customers. He's such an unreasonable man, he isn't prepared to accept that business is slack, he's blaming it on her. Confused

OP posts:
Lilaclily · 14/05/2016 21:44

I'd be advising her to look for a new job, he sounds awful
No he shouldn't do that but he has and I bet he'll do it again

FuzzyOwl · 14/05/2016 21:46

It's illegal but if I am honest, proving it and taking it to the necessary tribunal would be potentially costly and stressful without the likelihood of a decent outcome. I would get another job.

Original poster
rosecup · 14/05/2016 21:48

She's always looking lilac but there's just nothing. I'd love her to find something better. Smile

OP posts:
araiba · 14/05/2016 21:50

she manages a shop. a shop is judged by sales. she isnt getting enough sales so i would expect the owner not to be happy.

presuming that he follows correct legal procedure, he would be entitled to fire her for failing at her job

she needs to talk to him about all her ideas for boosting sales performance

Original poster
rosecup · 14/05/2016 21:53

I'm not sure he could fire her araiba, are they allowed to do that just because a shop isn't doing well?

OP posts:
araiba · 14/05/2016 22:24

being a manager is more than just locking the doors at night.

she is responsible for the store and so she is responsible for sales performance- if sales performance is poor then she is doing her job poorly and she can be fired for it.

why are the other shops doing well and hers not? she has a "lack of motivation" so is she just sat in the shop playing on her phone or actually doing anything to increase sales- i can probably guess...

FuzzyOwl · 14/05/2016 22:29

But araiba legally he would have to put a performance plan, targets and coaching to obtain this in place first of all. And it is not acceptable to be shouted at in the workplace.

She needs to check her contract to see what her job description is. Is she responsible for motivating the other staff?

Sunnydaysrock · 14/05/2016 22:34

Agree with Fuzzyowl. There are procedures to follow, he can't just demote her. She would have to be formally invited in writing to a performance management meeting with 48 hrs notice, which she is entitled to be accompanied by a colleague or trade union member. Seek advice from ACAS.

Original poster
rosecup · 14/05/2016 22:44

She can't find her contract, which is another worry. But Araiba she doesn't spend her time playing on her mobile, she wouldn't dare, he has cameras watching for shoplifters and also spying on staff (which I've heard is illegal), She's won best sales 3 times, she tries very hard, but apart from dragging them in off the streets she doesn't know what else she can do. He says the other shops are doing well, but I suppose he would say that.

OP posts:
WriteforFun1 · 14/05/2016 22:57

How long has she worked there? Is sales part of her job description with a performance element? She must dig out her contract as a matter of urgency.

Original poster
rosecup · 14/05/2016 22:59

She's been there 8 years.

OP posts:
70isaLimitNotaTarget · 14/05/2016 23:04

Can she ask her boss if she can spend some time "Shadowing" the Managers in the other shops to see what makes them more viable?
There might be no difference at all.
There might be a better location that brings people in ( I noticed in our town onces Woolworths closed down that a lot of the shops there declined because it isn't a road that you walk down. Woolies drew people there, they found the shops by chance)
The other shops might be more affluent areas
Or the area your DD works in might be saturated by this type of shop.
At least it'll show willing to be motivated or it might make her aware of what's she is worth and she can tell him to 'Do One'

maxmaxdress · 14/05/2016 23:07

If he is doing things that are illegal- she needs to go above him and report him. Not to be spiteful and to get back at him because "she's been shouted at" but because it could be just that- illegal. If he is doing it, and it is illegal, and your daughter is letting him get away with it- then he's found himself a doormat hasn't he.

Original poster
rosecup · 14/05/2016 23:41

Any time anyone makes a complaint about his unfairness he always says "there's plenty more could do your job". He just doesn't care about his staff and doesn't appreciate anyone's loyalty or honesty.

OP posts:
70isaLimitNotaTarget · 14/05/2016 23:48

Ooh he wants his pound of flesh/his cake once he's eaten it/a turd polished/ it is his circus but he doesn't think they're his monkeys/ it's "My Way or the Highway" for him (and any more cliches I can not think of Wink )

He sounds a Peach not
Do the other Staff get this kind of treatment too? If she does get demoted (and you say it wouldn't make her much worse off? ) would she accept the loss of money but welcome the lack of being given the blame.
Or would she think Feck Off

Original poster
rosecup · 14/05/2016 23:55

She'd be put out by it. She's been there 8 years and he'd be promoting someone who's only been there a year over her. I really don't think it'd make a blind bit of difference to sales tbh.

OP posts:
SouperSal · 15/05/2016 00:01

Not everything described here is unlawful (illegal is the wrong word here). Nothing wrong with having cameras (unless in private areas like changing rooms) and I don't think it's unlawful to demote or fire without a process either. There's not enough detail to know what's gone before.

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