I don't really know where to start!
I work for a small family run business. It's owned by a husband and wife and I am one of four employees. It's close to home, decent hours and pay is ok. I looked forward to starting as it seemed ideal and I thought working for a small company, I'd be looked after better and there'd be more of a sense of being a close knit team etc.
The husband is crazy! He supposedly hired myself and another guy so that we could take on some of his tasks to free him and his wife up so they could start taking time off and start leaving the business a bit more (they're both in their early 60s). He can not relinquish control. He questions everything and is constantly literally looking over our shoulders. My training consisted of him showing me how to do everything just once (there's quite a lot to do and it's fairly complicated) and then screaming and shouting at me when I kept getting things wrong when left to my own devices. When I would tell him I didn't understand and ask to be shown again he would just give me a filthy look and tell me I should know what I'm doing! So I had to teach myself a job that no one other than him knew how to do.
Any time a mistake is made he screams, shouts, swears, calls us stupid and says our processes are completely wrong and we are useless and he can't trust us with anything. And it's just tiny mistakes, human error!
I'm scared of him. I've cried many times at work. It's not what I expected at all. staff have walked out and I've been told no one has ever left on good terms. There's no HR Dpt or anything to go to.
When I had a death in the family in January he started off supportive but when I called in one day in tears saying I couldn't face coming in as I was upset about it he started shouting at me down the phone about how it was unacceptable and now he would have to work late to make sure my work was finished. He actually said "what, are you depressed or something? See a doctor then!"
Today I'm off sick. I think it's more anxiety related tbh as I can't face him today. He's really been aggressive in the office lately. He has text me saying I have to call him at 12 and he expects me in this afternoon as I'm booked into a conference call. Is he allowed to do this?! I'm not going in. There's nothing in my contract about me having to phone him once I've let him know I'm off. I thought once he knew I'm off today he should leave me alone?! Also, my colleague is booked into the call too so he can still take it and catch me up on it?
I am job hunting like mad as I can't stand it. Is there anything I can do? My colleagues and I have started confronting him and telling him we don't appreciate the way he speaks to us but it just seems to set him off even more. One colleague has suggested we have a meeting with him about it but he's one of those people who thinks he's right all the time and knows every loophole and employment law so I fear he will just shout us down. Also cos it's his business I worry he will just say if you don't like it then leave!
Sorry this is so long. A bit of a rant I guess. I'm just at a loss. He's exhausting to be around I've never met anyone like him! TIA xx