Is this out of order

[LadyRussell]

Colleague who is same level manager as me asked our joint boss if someone I line manage could do a task for her (small admin task not strictly in her role but it’s quite a flexible role).

Line manager (micro manages everything) agreed it and my colleague ran it past me and told me after boss had ok’d it.

Employee then emails me today cc’ing in my manager saying X has asked me to do this is this in my job role? Line managrt then enails her back CC’ing in me explaining she had already ok’d it.

AIBU to think if a manager (sane level as her own) has asked her to do a task (if she had the time if not don’t worry) she should be then checking with me and certainly not cc’ing in my line manager?

OP, there seems to be a consensus here; are you taking what has been said on board?

Was I hallucinating when the poor minion was praised at a meeting and you didn’t like this and felt the need to interject and let everyone know you allowed her to do it? Please don’t tell me that was a separate incident? Because that makes it look even worse.

Tell me where I have suggested she is a minion?

She is part of a new project which I am supporting her with.

She was asked to implement something and I suggested an method of doing it which I came up with and did in another project.

She then said in a meeting with her peers and senior and operational leads that she had come up with this idea and took credit for it when it was praised - which was bad form.

35 posts from the OP. That's over 1/4 of the posts on this thread. All over cc'ing a boss boss on a mail. Hardly a glowing reflection of how to behave/react in a pretty serious business......

Well erm you counted the posts.

Surely what I do in my free time is my own business?

As it is yours.

Really glad your not my manager. Just the fact your questioning it on mumsnet screams unprofessional. The whole scenario sounds stupid

Can I ask how old you are? One of the most basic rules of the workplace is "Never Piss Off Admin".

You've fucked up. You have shown her, very clearly, that you do not understand or value her contribution, you don't care about her stress levels, you are not prepared to put boundaries around her time, and you view her as an endless and expandable resource you can share with your mates.

Not cool. You need to start grovelling, and quickly. Otherwise, you are going to find that all those tasks, which you can't think of at the moment because you're too lost in your own injured entitlement, that you depend on her for, are going to be met with a sweet smile and a careful explanation of why she can't do them for at least three weeks.

There are some very weird answers on this thread. Why be so aggressive and rude? From everything the op has said it sounds like this employee is stirring, and I say that as ex admin staff. And if she is simply naïve, then she needs to know why it's not appropriate so it's still the right thing to talk about it with her. That doesn't mean that the conversation has to be punitive.

Op, I second the pps advice up thread that you deal with it now, don't wait until she does it again: every time she does she'll piss off your LM and your LM will be wondering why you're not stopping it. If she has a tendency to manage your employees anyway then don't give her any opportunity to do so because you're not doing it properly.

Literally, you can’t hand your staff out as a ‘favour’.
If this is standard practice then it needs to be addressed as it’s not efficient.
She cc’d in your manager, because you were NOT there ffs

She is not “my staff” she has the only admin role in the team for the team but she is line managed by me.

She isn’t my PA.

As someone at he bottom of the rung, I do this in case my line manager doesn't know I've been asked in case it makes me fall behind/be unable to do something else. That way I don't get in shit because people don't communicate.

She did the correct thing.

Agree. She did it to go over your head. I would have a word and make it clear if she has concerns to speak to you or forward you the email. Not necessary to cc in her noses boss! They don't have time to read such petty emails.

What do you mean you don't have desks. How does she do admin without a desk.

Is it just me that's confused?

Our own desks - to leave a note.

We hotdesk (even though it’s just our team in our office) and we aren’t allowed to leave anything on any desk.

A post it would be frowned upon.

I have a meeting with her next week anyway and I will have a chat with her about it.

You mean she's an admin in the office every day and doesn't even have her own desk?

She’s not in every day.

Some of us are full time.

No one had their own desk.

That’s a countywide policy.

*has

If you have to post about such a petty issue id question your 'management' skills .

If something so petty causes you such big issues then you aren't cut out to manage and clearly why you're getting bypassed by your work 'friend .

The employee did nothing wrong .
I cannot stand work place bullying.

LadyRussell don't you sound like an absolute charmer to work for. You seem very keen to assert authority over your direct report at every opportunity and I bet you never let her forget that she is your junior. Try treating her like a respected colleague instead of a lackey that you and your friends in the office can dump work on because your mate can't be arsed to do it themselves. If your friend is heaping work on this girl that isn't part of her job role then I would absolutely be questioning it and yes I would be copying in your manager because you sound incredibly unprofessional.

OP pls don't do what @LimeCheesecaker is suggesting "Stamp it out. Email her back with..." trust me from experience it makes you look petty and I'd lose respect for you

@Tinkobell I was thinking the exact same thing. People care too much about making sure everyone knows how powerful they are. And usually expect respect rather than earns it.

I have skimmed through but here's my take
Is the team member not just that, a team member? Should they not have been asked first?
Bad bad management. I hope they leave and stick it up your arses. Arrogant pieces of shit.
Is this person so low you don't even speak to them, they don't have a presence?

that manager would have told her they had okayed it with me.

The words "would have" are significant there. You don't know whether the other manager did tell her that, and have chosen to assume it so as to justify the stance you are taking now. Moreover, if the other manager did say that, your team member had no means of knowing whether it was true.

You are this person's direct line manager for a reason: her work needs to be line managed through one person who knows what her workload is and what her personal circumstances are (e.g. does she have holiday due, does she have an appointment out of the office imminently, whether she's feeling under the weather that day, etc). Neither your colleague nor your own line manager should be bypassing you.

You didn't communicate with her, yet you are blaming her for communicating. You object to her going over your head, but have no issue with your colleague not only going over your head but undermining your management role. You still aren't managing to explain here how any of this is in any way consistent.

Ask her why she felt the need to copy your line manager too