To think my (ex)manager was too harsh?

[cocunut]

Sorry for the long post, don't want to drip feed. Tonight I got sent home from my minimum wage hospitality job. I recently started working evenings and weekends to get some extra money (no kids of my own but I'm an early years teacher for context as to why I'm on here).

I've not worked in hospitality for a few years but started this job a few weeks ago and have really enjoyed it so far. All my colleagues are lovely, studenty types, and I thought the managers were lovely too until tonight.

I basically f**ked up big time with a hygiene breach. My colleague messed up an order for a table and the kitchen were getting food out as quickly as they could. I wasn't sure exactly what each table had ordered as they weren't in my section but long story short I took the wrong food to the wrong table. No biggie, I thought, and the customers hadn't touched the food as it had been down for about 10 seconds, when I realised it was the wrong order. I quickly picked the food back up and ran it to the next table over. Thought nothing of it.

My manager basically pulled me aside and told me what I'd done was unacceptable and I should've taken the food back to the kitchen and got them to remake the dishes (again, as my colleague had messed them up already). Another manager came and said the same thing, at this point I'm feeling quite ganged up on and said "Okay, I'm really sorry. I've apologised to everyone, Bollocking accepted, can I just get back to my tables now."

At this point I'm told to "just clock out". I'm honestly gutted as I'm still on probation and it was a genuine error of judgement with the food. I was just stood there trying not to burst into tears as I clocked out. I said "see you next week" to which I got no response and I'm about 90% certain they won't have me back.

Did I seriously fuck up that badly, or was my manager just being harsh?

Yes I know that however what was a mistake will now be on my personal record as gross misconduct (which as per the company policy should only be applied after a full disciplinary). It's a chain pub with multiple franchises around here and having this on my record will really fuck me over for any future jobs. What was basically a mistake is going to end up presenting me as a shit employee and nowhere within that huge chain will hire me. So yes I am going to write to HR as I made a mistake which I have now accepted however I feel I have been dismissed unjustly.

The GM also gave me the whole "close knit team" and "clashing personalities" thing which is quite frankly bullshit as I got on with everyone there except this one manager who clearly has a vendetta against me...

You started only recently and you've failed your probation.

You don't have unfair dismissal rights, so there's nothing to gain in pursuing this.

Let it go, move on, find another way of topping up your income. Maybe not in hospitality.

@skilpadde I have sort of gotten over it tbh but I'm worried about my record because it's a large brewery and recruitment agency etc and I don't wanna be blacklisted. That's my main worry now. I don't really know how their records work for future employment though.

"Your personal record"? Did the GM tell you that? What do you even mean? Its not like school, where your record gets passed around.

You worked 5 shifts. Just leave this employee off your CV and don't ask for references.

Also, you've started claiming a vendetta against you despite only working 5 shifts and you being rude. You're making yourself look kinda crazy and that's going to be a bigger problem in seeking employment than a mistake.

@AnObserverInThisDarkWorld My main concern is that this is part of a HUGE brewery of pubs and all their recruitment etc is done on a central hub/app. So if they fuck me over by calling it gross misconduct or something along those lines, I'll really struggle getting employment in any of the other pubs owned by said brewery. I think that's how it works anyways.

They won't own EVERY pub/hospitality venue and there are plenty out there after workers

Making a big deal and starting to claim a vendetta etc isn't going to do your reputation in the company any good either. You'll make yourself unemployable to them because they don't want to deal with that attitude

Im confused, I though you had been let go because of your lack of availability Where does the being sacked due to gross misconduct come into it?

@Usetherightgearforthehill haha, not quite. The lack of availability only became an issue when I questioned the precise reason as to why I'd been sacked. Even the GM didn't want to admit they sacked me over a mistake. Also winds me up that I messaged the manager who sacked me on the spot on Saturday night asking her to tell me the reason, and she's clearly got the GM to do her dirty work here. I'd much have preferred a response from her tbh.

Just drop it now.

You've been there less than two years so you have virtually no rights whatsoever - just leave the job off your CV and look for something else.

I'm definitely over it now, and tbh I appreciate the fact the GM rang me. Just thought I'd give an update for anyone on here who was interested

I get that. But if the GM is citing lack od availability then why are you assuming there will be gross misconduct on your 'permanent record' and that you should have been taken through a disciplinary etc

Im not saying its not connected to the incident. Im saying if they are making it out to not be connected to the incident then why are you assuming their system will say anything other than what they have told you?

You don't sound over it. You sound like you're clinging on to this and preparing to fight

The GM "outranks" your manager, I'd think, so they weren't getting them to do their dirty work, the GM was doing their job

Hopefully on their system it's just down as a failed probation period. Still doesn't look good but oh well. It doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things but I do think I'm within my rights still to be just a little bit pissed off about the whole thing

I was referring to your comment about going to HR.

Thanks for your helpful insight into my life which you know nothing about

Also, it's you're xx

Ah ok. Well if they are in breach of contract more power to you. Good luck

It could be failed from your end though- the whole point of probation is to cut each side a bit of slack when it comes to dismissal/quitting. I'd ask for Confirmation if it's failed probation put as the reason

Just forget about them, and yes of course you are entitled to feel pissed off with them. Chalk it up to a bad experience but part of life’s rich but not always fair feeling pattern. Being given the sack is never pleasant so move on and find something else. That job wasn’t right for you and I hope you find something more suited to you.

Thanks guys :)

You need to move on, take a learning, not behave so badly in your next job.

You do not have a breach of contract situation here, employers do not set out in a contract what steps they will take. They may have a policy that covers what steps they could take, but they are entitled to jump straight to step three or whatever, if the situation justifies it. And I think it did, I would not have had you back in my workplace after your behaviour.

This woman is roughly the same age as me. Who tf told her she can speak to people like that?

Who "tf" told you can swear at colleagues like you did? The way YOU spoke to her was unacceptable and you've failed your probation because of it.

Your attitude, not your error, cost you this job.

But keep blaming everyone else. And, if you want to teach, learn to reflect on your own actions and own them.

I think if you think the word "bollock" is a swear, then you've lived a very sheltered life 😂😂