To think that this is a terrible way to manage people?

[pennyHD]

I’ve been in my current job for about 6 months now. I work in sales for a huge company that’s very well known in the UK.

My manager is absolutely lovely, as are the team, and I enjoy the job and am exceeding my targets. However, my managers boss, our department manager is someone that can only be described accurately as an utter cunt.

There is never any pleasing him. Every day he will come into our office, ranting about something we are doing wrong. Then the next time he comes into our office it will be something else. All he does is moan and shout at us. He will never praise any of us, ever.

When he has these rants he shouts and says stuff such as we are all useless, lazy and that we have a lack of work ethic. It’s relentless.

I work very hard at my job. I go over and above every single day. I perform well. The rest of the team is the same as me. I hugely resent someone repeatedly saying that I’m lazy, useless and other nasty stuff. I grew up with a father who was like this and don’t want to put up with it as an adult, too. Especially when it’s not fucking true!

It’s reached the stage where I am job hunting now. I just refuse to be spoken to like that anymore.

AIBU to think this is a terrible, demotivating way to manage staff?

YANBU and I think if you can get out into something better you should absolutely do it. Anyone with a boss that likes to criticize everything just to hear his/her own voice, needs to determine what's in it for them? Is the job providing enough income and benefits to offset the negative criticism and are they able to hear/bear the criticism and let it slide off them?

I think I would record one of these tantrums and send it to HR, if they are a national company, I assume head office would want to know they have someone like this in the organisation.

I wouldn’t be able to keep my mouth shut and would say something. But I guess that’s why I work for myself.

I had a manager like this and one day I pulled them aside and asked them what the specific issue was with me and my performance. Well they backed way off and said lots of things like ‘well it’s not you it’s others on the team’.
it still meant others got a ranting sometimes but I noticed it was when I wasn’t around.

Pulling them up on it though can sometimes go either way, I wasn’t bothered what the outcome was but if you love your job and team and your manager supports you it may be well worth going en masse above him if theres a head office. There’ll be processes and surely head office will see the output you all deliver and realise there is no issue with teams performance.

Much as I am tempted to record him and make a complaint to HR, I’m really not sure that it would have any effect. I’ve noticed and heard from others that other managers of his level have a similar bullish attitude.

since he is "boss of boss" can you ask your boss what steps your team can make to resolve the issues that are being raised? and if there is an issue etc.

But frankly? it is up to your boss to put a stop to this. And you can certainly tell HR about it, or raise it at your next appraisal etc.

Latest bring it up at the exit interview - put it in terms that although you were hitting/exceeding targets there were still apparently issues, that weren't properly articulated and so you couldn't address them. Give examples of his outbursts. If you want.

Our manager says that we are doing great as a team and that the senior manager is ‘just like that’

your manager is a bit stupid then. I would look for another job.

In the meantime get noise cancelling headphones and put them on as soon as he comes into sight?

I'd ask him to send any concerns in an email,so you can address specific issues.

But do this, by first emailing him saying "thank you for coming to office today and stating x, y, z. And have highlighted some issues with my performance.

Please can you give me details of work/specific issues that I can work on improving.

Thanks"

Or similar.

Do it every time he comes I. And rants.

Feel free to CC their manager and HR

I’d be “managing up” and asking after the wellbeing of my boss. If this is how you feel, how does he/she feel? How can you as a team support this person in the face of the dept manager?

Not a direct solution for you I get that but may beneficial bigger picture and shows you as astute and considerate and a team person.