To find blanket 'telling off' annoying?

[Camelcarpet]

I am finding that the below is increasingly happening, so want to know if iabu...

At work, issues that relate to a singular person have required addressing. Rather than addressing these issues with the individual(s) concerned, management have taken the opportunity to address these issues at team meetings... So every one of us are gently reminded of expectations. I find that this tends to stir up dissatisfaction within the work team, because it gets some spiky peoples backs up (when it actually had nothing to do with them), subsequently drags the morale down, and actually - more often than not - leads to the person who feedback is being aimed at completely missing the point and modifying their practice.

Aibu to think that managers just need to learn to offer 1:1 feedback and not shy away from it?

For extra info - I work in one department, but whole-staff-team meetings are held with staff across all departments.
I just can't deal with the drama that comes from these ambiguous 'please make sure you're all doing xyz because there should be no reason for anyone to be ABC...' ?!?

They are being very cowardly.

Next time, ask them for specific examples.

You know, to help you understand better.

Yes agree. Happened so much in my old job and also my current one. Both public sector roles. Its infuriating especially when the culprits are normally well known.

My workplace is VERY guilty of this.
Once I hit 50 I responded to these sorts of emails by saying along the lines of “if this relates to me please be mannerable and have a conversation. If it doesn’t relate to me why have I received it!”

Zero. Fucks. Given.

Fortunately I’m now in a different role with the same employer ) by choice

Used to have this when teaching as well; edicts at staff meetings would leave me baffled or vaguely guilty, until the rest of us sussed who was the actual target of the edict. Usually, the "target" would appear oblivious, either intentionally or unintentionally.
Sometimes, senior management needs to have the sensitive conversation in private, one-to-one - it's part of their job description!

I have come across this, but it was quite useful as various different examples of straying from company policy were used. I can see how it being done gently and without getting to the heart of issues could be very cowardly. I suppose it depends partly on the sort of management structure and the respect the team has for the person reiterating the values of the organisation.

Is it worth offering feedback on how the information was relayed?

Work in public sector, this is standard practice sadly.

whole team dressing downs via a poorly worded and authoritative emails. Swiftly followed by change in policy that is detrimental to staff.

All because there are a few who don’t pull their weight. Problem these days is people are promoted to management but can’t actually manage people.

Whatever happened to having a 1:1 conversation about behaviour/attitude.

managers too scared!

If its not me involved I just let it go over my head and not care.
If its not aimed at me why would give two hoots.
A message is reinforced to those who need it and it doesn't affect thisev that don't.

How do you know for sure only one colleague doing whatever the problem is?

Me neither
I would use the opportunity to write a grocery list or something similar

Many managers are not trained in this. It’s ridiculous, and actually I would say most are awful at giving feedback and hopeless at effective disciplinary discussions or processes.

I find that this tends to stir up dissatisfaction within the work team, because it gets some spiky peoples backs up (when it actually had nothing to do with them), subsequently drags the morale down,

oh I bet this team is a joy

It starts early on. My secondary school teachers used assemblies to bollock kids for not attending assemblies…

Funnily enough, the kids who didn’t attend generally weren’t there to get the benefit of the telling off…

One of them was a concern that I discreetly and compassionately raised, that was actually a serious error (possibly due to lack of training for a member of staff who'd not yet been there a year, but had passed probation).. and it just got raised publicly (but naming no names) at the meeting. The person completely missed the point and I was gobsmacked! Then it has just happened again today over another supposed issue and it's just so frustrating.

Another time I got told by my dept manager after the meeting that it was only directed at a certain person... And since then I'm starting to see a pattern!

Yes I see it in my workplace too and I despise it. I feel it gives the “offender” the opportunity to be who me???not me!! While everyone else knows exactly who it is directed at. I have worked in 2 different sites and both places had a single offender who simply never ever changed their work practices so I assumed it was never said directly to them in their performance review. And often it’s very basic things like…leaving your 10k $ medical equipment dirty or always always being behind schedule becuse they simply foot drag thru every single patient exam and blatant breach of policy like doing tests without a valid order. To me these should be simple to address individually and resolve but global email it is. I have resigned myself to the idea there is always someone cloaked as competent and productive who simply is not and they ride along on everyone else’s efforts. Usually have high opinion of themselves so they can’t be bothered to clean a machine or their worktop or they are so much more thorough than everyone else they are behind schedule. I do refuse help them tho.

rolls eyes ... Ridiculous isn't it!

My bosses do this when it's certain staff. E.g. taking excessive personal calls in work time. Only one staff member does this constantly, but she gets upset easily so it becomes a whole team reminder. She ignores it. Or chats to colleagues instead!!

My ds frequently walks out of group / class detentions if this is the situation. He has told them he hasn’t broken any rules and he wont accept a punishment for something he hasn’t done. They actually then call me about it and try to give him behaviour points for ‘answering back’ !

I hear you all fellow mumsnetters.... I'm glad it's not just me who thinks it's ridiculous!!!

One time you were told it was directed at one person

the other times (how many are we actually talking here OP?), it could have been others too

Same issue in these “chats”?

I agree with you, but so many people are absolute wet lettuces. And the pisstakers just ignore, knowing no-one has the will to hold them to account.

Not something I’ve ever encountered

Although I may have and on account of it not applying to me, I gave no shits about it and so have forgotten about it!

OMG yes this is happening in my department. I actually had no idea what my manager was talking about and asked him for an example - which he replied that it wasn't me doing this 'thing' so not to worry about it ...... why bloody raise it in a team meeting then - it's like certain managers shy away from any confrontation !

And what is the upshot of these frequent walk outs? You are repeatedly called about it? And he amassed behaviour points? That’s it?

Stage 1 make sure everyone knows

if the statement was issued in a group meeting then the person can have no come back when it’s brought up later

rather than being sulky just act like an adult - you aren’t being told off

or chip in “gosh yes that pisses me off too”

Oh this gives me the rage! At my old job we had a coffee break clock in and out system introduced because some people were taking the piss. We knew exactly who these people were, so by introducing a blanket system the management were suggesting either a) they didn't know the offenders and therefore were not managing properly or b) they did know who the offenders were but didn't want to deal with them so were not managing properly. Either way it displayed poor management and its a one way ticket to lose respect of your team.