glittababe

Thankfully only have to nurse part time now, however, we had our first staff meeting in yonks the other day - it was an 'experience' to put it mildly. I'm use to the NHS, formal and professional approach to clinical meetings, minutes written by someone who knows their way around a keyboard, one main speaker, everyone gets a turn, and the points have to be valid etc Firstly we were informed we HAVE to attend every staff meeting (they're being held weekly) - failure to do so will result in a written warning then the sack (hey ho I'm casual anyway); they made the meeting at 4pm - it went on until 6pm!!!! The meetings pretty much going as standard then my boss launches into this full on personal attack at our medical receptionist! Never heard anything like it - it was so unprofessional and uncalled for, and also not relevant to the running of the medical centre!

Result was the receptionist burst into tears, ran into the loo - it took me 10 mins to convince her to let me in where I found her so distressed she couldn't even talk or breathe! I managed to calm her down, spoke to her for an hour - at no point did any other members of staff come in to see if she was ok. Whilst i was calming her down, my boss was STILL slagging her off! We could hear everything!

Finally we all go home - not having achieved anything. The next day everyone acts like nothings happened?

Is this normal for aussie staff meetings??? Bullying and harrassment in the workplace is rife, but is there ANYTHING this poor girl can do about it?

Centurion

Thats not typical of Australia, thats more typical of a manager who is a toss pot by the sounds of it.

Tosspots by their very nature are insidious and can appear anywhere in the world.

glittababe

Its more the fact that everyone acted as tho nothing had happened, as if it was 'normal'. When I asked the receptionist, she said 'I'll get over it, it was just 'my' turn'! Scary! I've told her to seek advice, altho shes employed casually, surely she has rights?

seanandmaria

That is scarey, have my first staff meeting on Tuesday, it'll be intersting to see how it goes.

Maria

why

poor love....no it's not usual the boss is a twat and yes there are ways to report this....what state are you in?
your organisation will have a sound harassment and bullying procedure
or go to the union

moneypenny20

It sounds like it's 'normal' for that manager and the rest of the staff are used to it and probably grateful it was her 'turn' and they escaped. Many people's attitude would be that complaining about a manager would just cause them even more grief and if it's once a month that someone gets bullied, it's better than everyone getting bullied all the time because the manager has got it in for everyone. Wrong attitude but vaguely understandable unfortunately.

glittababe

Queensland, our boss literally is the boss tho - she owns the practice. Would that make a difference? i think Lou's aware that shes gonna either be sacked or quit, so shes not worried about the consequences of doing something.

glittababe

Its the old protecting your own arse theory isn't it? So shocked that everyones put up with it for so long (5 yrs apparently). Last practice I worked at, the boss was a complete tosspot - hence wondering if its the norm? Orientating a new nurse to assist and job share with me, she's not fazed by all the goings on at all and she started that day! She said nambour hospital is 'just as bad'!

Rosscarbery

My OH works in IT and is horrified at "meeting protocol" here. He says that there often isn't an agenda, nobody knows how to chair a meeting, people often just keep chatting to their mates through the whole meeting and people just don't stick to the point. The concept of "interesting point but outside the scope of this meeting so let's move on" just isn't there - most people interpret "meeting" as a chance to air old grievances. No advice, but plenty of sympathy

quoll

Meeting practices vary but the no agenda, talking "around" the point (grrr) thing is quite common - I have had some absoultely waste of oxygen type managers who thought they were the bees knees but never got any decisions made nor actions followed through.

Bullying in the workplace is IMHO quite common - my husband experienced it (especially more recently) in the Public Service and I have encountered it many times in many forms in schools and the education bureaucracy so it doesnt surprise me that it has crept into Health either. Some people have absolutely no business being managers!

fific

Hi I can relate to this as in the short time I have been with my company the boss has demonstrated no skills in handling issues and has people in floods of tears - she too is the owner. One situation this week where a colleague told the boss one girl wasnt coping, without any investigation the boss called the girl in and told her she wasnt coping - girl in floods of tears - original colleague saves the day by helping the girl and looks good even though she stitched her up. Half an hour later everyone behaving as if nothing happened!!!

I couldn't believe it and have fully adopted the moto of trust no one - management skills that I have seen so far ( which to be fair is not long) seem way behind UK - not sure if this would be the case in the cities????

I keep being told its just "the coast"...... any thoughts?

glittababe

Ahhhh so we are not alone! The work ethic is concerning, can relate to everything you've said. We're on the coast, not in city wonder if its any better?

simsy

but this isnt an oz thing is it. last year my sister got fired for having one week maternity leave in wales uk. my mum had died on the friday and the next monday her supervisor rang to tell her she was sorry about our mum but fired her because she had had one week's maternity leave. in fact she was 9 months pregnant before having that one week off she just went 2 weeks over due.

we all knew that the supervisor was talking a load of crap but because we were all in shock about my mum and the fact that she couldnt afford to pay a solicitor to defend her, basically she lost her job.

it turns out that the supervisor wanted to give the job to her friend and we have heard through the gripevine that she had done this loads of times. talk about kick someone when they are down.

fortunately, i work for a solicitors firm who actually defend peoples rights to work if you need us we are based in adelaide, pm me.

nicola

clancy

well it looks like we will all have to rush back to the mother country so we can have a properly organised staff meeting. Surely these meetings are for an honest exchange of ideas or to lay out an opinion of how the the team is progressing towards a common goal. unfortunately, sometimes a team member is not measuring up to the common goal. It must be better to hear it in a meeting where you have the right of reply than to receive the news in your final pay packet.

wardy2

Surely though peolpe should be respected more than that. Doesnt sound like she was exchanging any ideas to me.

Its not what you say its how you say it, sounds like this woman was getting off on it to me.