AIBU to think some people should just grow up

[ithinksheisawuss]

Details changed and I’ve name changed to stop it being identifiable.

AIBU to think some people just need to grow up and get on with it at work?

I work in a busy fast paced environment. It’s a big office with two distinct areas. On one side are the sales people this is high stress and loud, on the other side is the support staff area which is much gentler. The support staff are mainly older women, the sales staff are a mixed bunch.

The sales side is very robust, lots of swearing and mickey taking. Some days people let off steam by shouting we all just laugh and get on with it, no one takes offence. When someone shouts we laugh at them then they laugh and the tension breaks. We need this release sometimes.

Anyway, one of the support ladies lady S was doing a job at the sales end of the office colleague A put the phone down and started to shout. Lady S asked a question of colleague A and colleague A shouted. She didn’t shout at lady S - she was just shouty iyswim.

Lady S has put in a formal complaint saying she has been bullied and colleague A was unprofessional. Colleague A often behaves like this it’s her passion that makes her good at her job.

If all the sales staff behaved in the quiet demure way the support staff do no sales would get made! But the whole support area is up in arms about poor lady S.

TBH I think lady S is a bit of a wuss but I am wondering if I am too harsh. Colleague A is really valuable to the business, lady S is easily replaceable.

This is sounding more and more like a pisstake

Sounds like an utterly shit place to work.

I am not sure why you are trying to compare sales people with A&E staff. No one is pretending the jobs are remotely similar, remotely as important in any shape or form, or remotely compensated. No one is even pretending that people working there could easily swap and do each other job.

They/you sound like classic sales wankers who think they're on a trading floor on Wall Street circa 1985 but are actually selling pop up hot tubs on the phone in Ebbw Vale.

@cucaracha @ithinksheisawuss

I think you need directions so you can see the valid points other posters are making.

Of course there are twats in sales - doesn't make it right and you have choice to be one of them or not....

Belittling others is ugly behaviour. And when you only care about commission, well, you must be such lovely people, no, really.

This is just a classic AIBU? YES.
Wah, Wah, Wah, no I'm not.

Stop spitting your dummies and grow up and learn to respect others.

Yabu. I am glad you will have a word with them.

That kind of behaviour won't transfer well. Any sales team going to a new job will get a shock...

The comparison is because you're making out that sales jobs are really stressful. It doesn't get more stressful than A&E where lives are at stake, not your fucking bonus.

I've said repeatedly I won't go in to details.

If S is reading it she'll be having a great time and good luck to her. If she comes in tomorrow and laughs at me I won't mind I'll join in. I'm happy to be the butt of the joke, if you give it out you have to take it.

I like working there for now but it would be too much pressure long term.

I have listened to MN I will try to keep the noise down when support come over I've said that over and over so why do you say I'm not listening.

I still don't get that if name calling is bad why are you name calling it seems like banter to me. Also no one belittled or shouted AT S, she was just near when some shouting happened eg " the fucking thing is broken".

Anyway I've got a busy day tomorrow shouting at people

*If you can't take that kind of environment, work somewhere else, but don't pretend it doesn't happen

This ^*

Previous sales manager, now support team manager here (so I see both sides)
FWIW I think that 15 years or so ago this was the norm. And I work for a big blue chip company.
But now... well quite frankly we know better so we do better.

Some of the attitudes I've faced with sales team have been appalling and sadly the rubbish of 'I make the profit So therefore I can be a complete wanker' still does exist in a lot of places.

I took individual commission away from my sales team and gave them a bonus made up of individual sales performance and Examples they produced of displaying the company ethics. Made me very very popular as you can imagine! But the difference in culture now is unbelievable and more importantly my sales team were suddenly respected by the whole organisation. Something they never realised was missing before they started to truly experience it. Interestingly profits actually grew.

A friend of mine who manages a sales team has a 'motivational day' every 6 weeks, they book a room she provides snacks and they can shout / banter etc as much as they want... but not every day and not on the shop floor.

Sales support are a MASSIVE part of your organisations success and most often the most underrated.

I think your colleague who shouted owns an apology

You think lady A is on MN so you posted a description of her formal complaint on MN? This smacks of bullying behaviour

If I was lady A I would be printing out this thread and using it to support my formal complaint.

I've heavily disguised this which is why I think I've described it badly.

As I've said over and over and over

Tistheseason17
why should I care about anything else than my commission when I am work? Why should I give a damn about being a "lovely person" exactly? how is that paying the bill?

As it happens, I am not a laddish swearing young salesguy, I am a middle-aged (ouch) mother who's been in sales for many years, but I cannot stand the hypocrisy of some people who chose to work in certain environment, are paid accordingly, but start complaining about it because it's "too loud". No one is bullied, no one is abused, or at the receiving end of swear words, there just happens to be a loud team bringing the money in. If you don't like it, find a job in a more subtle and quiet environment, with a more subtle salary to go with it.

Sounds a bit like where I work - when is it appropriate to shout, swear and belittle people? "Everyone knows the rules" ??? ....wtf?... all part of a little club. Wonder how many of u actually don't like the behaviour but carry on because they want to be one of the gang. What a vile place to work 😳😳

You don't seem to have a realistic view about just how replaceable you and A are.

@cucaracha
Keep posting, we're all enjoying your fabulous diatribes.... It's nice to be important but it's more important to be nice.
Whoops, in your case is more important to be shouty and not nice cause you'll get your bonus... stay classy, San Diego...
...gets popcorn....

I’m not sure why you can’t understand the point being made that A&E staff face real stress. I don't disagree with that, but you don't realise that whilst people are on the job, they don't see that.

People in sales are generally not paid a huge basic, they do focus on these sales, on meeting their targets, keeping their jobs and earning enough. At the time, it is stressful, it feels important and it is for them. No one is ever taking a moment to think how much easier they have it. During office hours, I don't think most people care.

So A shouted in response to S’ question, but didn’t shout at her? How does that work?

You don't seem to have a realistic view about just how replaceable you and A are.

I think most sales environment would be a lot less stressful if people did not realise how replaceable they are, how not important they are and how quickly they will be shown the door if they stop reaching targets.

Wow sounds more like a 6th form Common room than a work place!

Actually scrap that- they can behave more mature than your bunch of idiots.

They'll be in for a big shock when they start a new job in an 'adult' workplace.

cucuracha Thank you for tellin us how sales works, as obviously no one else on Mumsnet could ever have worked in sales, or even work there currently. Oh no.

Tistheseason17
I am pure working class, never been classy, never will be, even money doesn't buy class, but I am happy to earn a living the best way I can. Please do keep personal attacks, I haven't made any myself, didn't you notice? But I am the bad guy here...

Lady S takes the bonus we make for her.

Does it occur to the sales staff that they wouldn't conceivably make those bonuses without the work of the support staff?