Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I was told off by a work colleague

454 replies

selepele · 02/11/2018 20:28

i have been at my current job since June, the person concerned has been there longer than me. He is the accounts guy, not my manager and I do not need to answer to him at all.

He works downstairs and me upstairs but you can see my desk if you walk round the corner from downstairs as I'm at the top of the stairs.

I work as admin so people sometimes ask me to type up stuff for them ect, which is no issues. I was hired to do the project manager and ICT persons admin.

so this particular person I have never had issues with and had a good relationship with until today.

He ask me to type up some stuff and I ask when does he need it by which he says "its not urgent, like 2-3 days I don't need it today" he gave me this work around 3pm

so everyone has left the office and it is just me and him (we are a small team of around 8) he walks pass the stairs (at the bottom of the stairs) once and sees me on my phone, he then does it again to go loo then when he is back turns around and says to me...

"I will appreciate if you do what I told you to do and not play on your phone"
I said I am doing it which he said "no youre not" and I said you told me it wasn't urgent which he said "that's not the point you don't just sit there on your phone"

I was very shocked by his attitude, as stated he is NOT my manager or of any authority to me.

He didn't even come upstairs to see if I had done anything since giving it to me so I made a point to finish it all and put it on his desk before the end of the day at 5pm.

I then left and I did slam the door and ignore him when he said bye to me.

do you think I am wrong at all?

He asked me to type up some stuff for him, which was fine

OP posts:
woodhill · 04/11/2018 20:59

Mind you my experience is that plumbers, builders often arrive then disappear for breakfast on your time

BlackberryandNettle · 04/11/2018 21:00

I can understand why you'd be annoyed - this guy is not your boss and it seems he uses his own phone when he likes. I'd suspect that he felt he could reprimand you as you are female and new.

On not the other hand, doing the work but then slamming doors/ignoring him was immature and passive aggressive. Have an actual conversation next time.

Passenger42 · 04/11/2018 21:06

If you have only been there 6 months then my advice would be keep your mouth shut and say nothing. This accounts guy may well be next in line for promotion or could be auditing what people do or could be advising on cuts, you can never be to careful!

WidowTwonky · 04/11/2018 21:13

It didn’t need saying this guy isn’t a people manager. It’s obvious. If anyone has issues with a colleagues behaviour/attitude/work etc they sit down and have a chat. A decent manager would never turn around and say what he did.
OP I would discuss with your LM and ask for their feedback on your role and responsibilities

onceandneveragain · 04/11/2018 21:37

PersianCatLady
What? I assume Yabbers meant her cousin got A*/9 or however they are ranked now. Then in university, firsts - you know, the top (highest) mark you can be awarded? It makes perfect sense...

Mrs Muddle Pies
' think about the teachers and nurses and doctors who can never play around on their phones.'
Some jobs are different to other jobs. They have different rules, advantages and disadvantages. Why is this so hard to understand? Yes a teacher might not be able to check their phone during the day while an office worker can, but they can have six weeks off straight in the summer holidays and two over Christmas, while the office worker won't. Should they give that up so it's fair? Don't you think that those teachers' employers 'encourage people to waste time in this way?' After all the teachers are getting paid to get drunk/wrap presents/watch tv, and for two full weeks, not a few minutes in a row?

  • not denigrating teachers btw, lots of my family/friends teach and I know the holidays are rarely a jolly, just making the point.
Mammylamb · 04/11/2018 21:48

laughing at ilikeknitting criticising someone else’s command of the English language

Sb74 · 04/11/2018 21:58

Do you think he fancies you?? You know how boys at school can be mean to girls they like etc? 😄

Twinmombambi · 04/11/2018 22:06

Why did you accept to type his stuff.. are you his admin? Don't you have other work to do than accept his own? Going forward learn to say no.

Original poster
selepele · 04/11/2018 22:34

Knitting lol yes I would talk to you like that on the street trust me

OP posts:
Original poster
selepele · 04/11/2018 22:36

I defiantly should of brought it up there and then I wish I did tbh
I shouldn’t be doing his admin either but I said I don’t mind
I typed up some stuff for him before which he asked maybe this time he got excited which is why he saw it as a told rather than ask

OP posts:
Original poster
selepele · 04/11/2018 22:39

he is a real brown noser to the directors and he does dodgy things for them such as paying them two lots of wages which I assume to avoid tax?

He doesn’t fancy me though I’m about 35 years his junior
I’m the youngest in there

OP posts:
Polarbearflavour · 04/11/2018 22:43

UK workers put in 31 million pounds of unpaid overtime every year so I wouldn’t begrudge a few minutes a day on personal tasks!

Source: www.thehrdirector.com/business-news/wages/unpaid-overtime/

Original poster
selepele · 04/11/2018 22:44

Guys I’m going to say this again I’m not always on my phone
I never had one for 4 day this week and got it back on Friday
I also have a business I do on the side which means I have to message back clients this was said at the interview I’m a part timer at this place but I work every day

Honestly I don’t sit there on my phone it was late Friday which is the time my clients message me however as I said when he said that to me I was messaging my cousin in hospital

OP posts:
Original poster
selepele · 04/11/2018 22:46

Polar exactly I Probably take a lunch break about once or twice a week
I’m always at my desk and literally only leave to go to the shop around the corner to get water or make tea

OP posts:
Gwenhwyfar · 04/11/2018 22:49

"He doesn’t fancy me though I’m about 35 years his junior
I’m the youngest in there"

That would make it more likely that he would fancy you!
However, he's not nice to you so I don't think he fancies you either!

Crunchymum · 04/11/2018 22:51

Well this was just taken a twist.

How do you know anything about what he does?

(I'm financial admin and have very limited exposure to what staff are paid Shock)

Gwenhwyfar · 04/11/2018 22:54

" I *will not be told to “piss off” by some jumped up little girl with a poor command of the written word."

Who the hell do you think you are to be calling the OP a 'little girl' or 'jumped up'? Seriously, what gives you the right to talk down to her?

"You’re rude and nasty."

Takes one to know one. Look at your own post.

HopeGarden · 04/11/2018 22:58

I also have a business I do on the side which means I have to message back clients

Do you do this at work? During working hours, rather than at lunch? And if so, are you sure your work is okay with this?

WitchesHatRim · 04/11/2018 23:17

he is a real brown noser to the directors and he does dodgy things for them such as paying them two lots of wages which I assume to avoid tax?

Quite a claim you are making there. Know this for a fact do you?

I also have a business I do on the side which means I have to message back clients this was said at the interview I’m a part timer at this place but I work every day

So whilst you are being paid by one company you are making yourself other money. Righto.

limitedperiodonly · 04/11/2018 23:37

Do you do this at work? During working hours, rather than at lunch? And if so, are you sure your work is okay with this?

HopeGarden and WitchesHatRim. Of course people do this kind of thing. In many situations their bosses won't care even if it is discovered. They might be warned to stop it. If the worst comes to the worst they will be fired which I'm sure will give both of you a warm glow.

Original poster
selepele · 04/11/2018 23:46

I just know that he pays two wages to them it’s a fact
Why does he do this though is it to avoid tax or something?

OP posts:
Original poster
selepele · 04/11/2018 23:48

They know I have a business on the side I told them at the interview which is why I only work a certain amount of hours a day

OP posts:
ButchyRestingFace · 05/11/2018 00:08

I just know that he pays two wages to them it’s a fact
Why does he do this though is it to avoid tax or something?

I'm astounded at the information this bloke has offered up to you, OP.

HopeGarden · 05/11/2018 00:25

If they know OP has a business on the side and are happy for OP to message clients while she’s at their workplace that’s great.

I’ve worked in places where the company policies explicitly state that that sort of thing is a disciplinary matter, which is why I asked.

And no, it wouldn’t give me a warm glow if OP was sacked.

Snitzelvoncrumb · 05/11/2018 00:28

I worked in admin, and often had issues with people expecting work, who weren't a priority. If I got called to make coffee for a meeting, or a partner wanted something done, then that was the priority. Then I would get snapping at for doing what I was meant to be doing.
Most people occasionally check their phone, text someone, make a coffee or go to the toilet during work time, so don't worry about that, unless you were on your phone a lot. You need to go to your supervisor with what happened, you don't need to go into detail about him being rude unless he does it again, but you need to clarify what your role is, and how to handle a situation like that in the future.

Swipe left for the next trending thread