This article was originally published on tv-bee and has been republished here with permission.
A good manager or teacher knows how to stay calm and find solutions for any problems that might arise, and if they don't, they try to find a compromise. Unfortunately, there are more people who lack those skills than those who possess them. We have all dealt with people in our lives who have been placed in positions of power but might not know how to handle it very well. They crack under pressure, and quite simply, don't know how to talk to others as though they are people. Here are 40 times that management has proven that, amongst other things, they lack the essential skills that all managers need."Don't Live To Work. Work To Live Instead"
A lot of people who end up in management have had to work their way up from a lower position, and many of them tend to forget where they came from. Although they are giving their own soul to the company, it does not mean that all employees must sell theirs as well...
It's simply unreasonable and rather patronizing for this management team to put up a sign that emphasizes that they would like their staff to work unpaid overtime without complaining.
"One Washroom For All"
As the law begins to recognize and accept the LGBTQ+ community's right to live their lives, there are certain changes that businesses must make in order to let it be known that they are "okay" with the lifestyles of others. Many businesses, however, only make these changes because the law tells them they must.
In order to show their inclusivity in the acceptance of everyone's equal rights, they make a point of singling out a group of people. A sign that says "Unisex Restrooms" probably would have worked just the same. Something tells me that these folks from Tennessee were not too pleased about the new HB 1182.
"The Cold Freezes The Tears"
It's great to see that there are management teams out there who are thinking about the well-being of their employees.
Crying at work is ok, as long as social distancing is adhered to. At least, with the "one person in the freezer at a time" policy, no one will be seen "ugly-crying" by their co-workers during the dinner rush.
"The Googly Eye Bandit Strikes Again"
Similar to the "class-clown" every office has a clown as well. The main difference is, in an office the clown needs their identity to remain unknown.
It doesn't make a whole lot of sense as to why there should be an issue with googly eyes. If anything, they remind the staff that someone is always watching, and, ideally, employees will work harder.
"Sour Experiences"
When communicating through memos or notes, the font or writing style that we choose to use is very important. One size too large or an accidental "ctrl b" can change the entire tone of the message.
I'm not quite sure how, when someone uses a different font they aren't "Fortune 500 Company" material, but a passive-aggressive note writer is. And I'm pretty sure that a lemonade stand worker would have chosen a much better font than "comic sans".
"Thanks For The Help"
The Covid-19 pandemic has taken its toll on people physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially. During the tough times that swept across the globe in 2020, for all the greed we saw, there was an equal amount of kindness being exchanged. In order to help out, some landlords decided to waive one month's rent for their tenants, while others were kind enough to allow their tenants to pay what they could when they could.
Some of the kind gestures went above and beyond anything that would have been expected. I'm sure that the price of the envelope and postage stamp will help to offset the cost of this person's dinner tonight.
"Eyes Facing Forward, But Not Too Forward. And No Using Your Peripherals, We'll Know"
Testing protocols for school exams have had to be updated over the past year or so due to the increase in the number of exams being taken through distanced learning.
The software that is being used in order to track students in this program is borderline "Orwellian". It can tell how much each student is moving their eyes. If their instructor feels as though they need to be monitoring how many blinks per second the students are taking, they might be just a little bit high-strung.
"Time-Out"
At restaurants, the waitstaff is constantly on their phones instead of helping customers, and in offices, people are using company time to peruse Twitter and Snapchat. The issue of people using their cellphones while on the clock has gotten out of control, but there are right and wrong ways to go about solving the problem.
In other words, for taking 5 minutes of company time to check their messages, these employees will be docked 30 minutes of pay; I wonder if they have to keep working or if they have to stand in the corner while they wait. Chances are, most of these employees began looking for new jobs the moment this sign went up, and all this manager needed to do was give everyone a safe place to leave their belongings while on shift.
"There's Always Money In The Banana Stand"
After bending over backwards day in and day out for more than a month, in order to finish the major project at work on time, nothing says thank you more than a bonus from management for all of the hard work.
At least, it's something. Instead of going home empty-handed, these workers will leave the office with a bit more potassium than when they arrived. Don't forget to thank the manager for recognizing all the hard work.
"Spice Up Your Life"
Landlords are constantly trying to find new ways of prolonging the lives of their properties, for as long as possible, before renovations need to be done.
At least, this landlord is letting their tenant cook in the kitchen. I'm not sure which would be the better option between cold flavourful food or a hot and tasteless meal. Maybe the landlord is thinking that the oil will soak into and damage the walls or the ceiling? Or maybe they believe that food is meant to be eaten as it comes? Only they know the real reason.
"Going Up?"
When equipment at work malfunctions or stops working altogether, it is the responsibility of the management team to ensure that the problems are rectified, and everything is operating as safely and efficiently as possible.
Old elevators are creepy enough as it is, and now these guys want their employees to do the one thing we were told not to do while on elevators as children. Next they'll tell us that the suggested maximum capacity is nothing but a sham.
"Up In Smoke"
It is a manager's job to do what they can to ensure that only the safest and best products are available for their customers.
It's great to see this management team removing all of the harmful substances from their shelves. Worldwide, vaping accounts for less than 1000 deaths per year, while cigarettes account for about 6 million. That means that almost 10% of all deaths in the world, every year, are related to smoking. I think they made the right choice.
"Messy Situation"
The unsung hero of most offices and schools is the custodian who looks after the property. It would be nice if every now and again those who they clean up after were to show just a little bit of appreciation for all of their hard work.
There 100% should be a custodian appreciation week. Whoever made this sign clearly thinks that they're hilarious. What will be very funny, however, is what will happen to their personal belongings once the custodian finds out who it was that wrote the note.
"We'll Be There Between 8:30am-10:30am"
A delivery driver's job might seem easy to someone looking in from the outside, however, aside from countless hours spent in traffic, they also have to carry around heavy boxes for most of the day. It's important to remember to always thank the delivery person, and offer them a cold drink.
The other option is to make the delivery driver work harder than needed while acting superior to them and offering them nothing but condescension.
"Cookie Etiquette Note 1: Size Does Matter"
As rare as it is, it's always nice when the boss does decide to do something nice for their employees. It's just rather unfortunate when even a kind gesture has its stipulations.
What happens if someone is watching their cookie intake and would prefer one of the smaller cookies from a bit further down in the pile. It just seems like a waste of time to stand around and wait for others to work their way through the pile. Well done, management! You've just paid an employee to stand around and wait 20 minutes for a cookie instead of letting them take a cookie from one layer further down in the pile.
"That Went From Zero to Ten Really Fast"
The contract that a landlord gives to a tenant usually outlines all of the rules and regulations of living in the said place of residence for the duration of time agreed upon and noted in the above-listed contract. If the tenant agrees to what is in the document, they sign it. If the tenant breaks the regulations that they have agreed upon, the landlord has the right to go about the proper ways of having them evicted.
I'd like to hope that this was not the first warning that this tenant has received, but something tells me that it also very well could be.
"Empathy? What's Empathy?"
It is important to remember to be compassionate and understanding when we see others in need. The winter is a particularly tough time for those who are not fortunate enough to have a job or, worse yet, a home. A simple act of kindness could be enough to help turn someone's life around.
The author of this sign clearly has no compassion or understanding when it comes to the hardships that people are faced with. Most people do not choose to be homeless, but this manager did choose to be a jerk. They could have, at least, printed the address of the local shelter or soup kitchen at the end of the note.
"Average Joe's Is The Place To Be"
Some people don't go to the gym because they are self-conscious of their strength or appearance, and they don't want to be ridiculed by the other members. For the most part, people who go to fitness gyms mind their own business and do their own fitness regimens.
At World Gym, it would appear as though they are doing everything they can to wean out those with self-confidence issues. Also, there are plenty of women out there who are stronger and in better shape than their male counterparts, so implying that someone is "weaker than a woman" isn't just politically incorrect, it shows great ignorance as well.
"Austin 3:16"
If someone is going to quote the bible in order to justify their actions, they should probably do a quick survey of the crowd first. It's not very often that landlords get called out by a tenant for wrong-doing, but when it does happen, it's glorious...
After being told that he "will not inherit the kingdom of God", one could only assume that Bruce the landlord ran off to repent the evil acts that he attempted to commit, and changed his tune pretty quickly.
"The Queen Of Dairy"
When management is having difficulty with a staff member who consistently shows up late or misses their shifts, they would probably be justified in telling the employee to find other work. Or...they could use all their resources to embarrass the employee into quitting...
I'm all for passive-aggressive discipline, however, this might be a bit too much. Besides, do they think that if Abby is skipping work that she'd drive past the scene of the crime, and chance being seen? How dumb do they think Abby is?
"I Know It Was You"
Managers have been trying to come up with new and creative ways to keep their staff members off of their phones while working.
One way to ensure a customer will not receive the best service possible is by having them snitch on the wait staff. I know I wouldn't pay much attention to a customer who had just ratted me out to the boss.
"Blunt And To The Point"
Not all managers are monsters. There are some that are able to show unbelievable restraint, considering the people they have to deal with on a regular basis.
The point of the sign is fantastic, but admitting knowledge of what's going on in their restrooms might get this manager into a bit of trouble if anyone comes asking questions...
"Stay Classy, Charles"
Working on one's feet all day can be quite exhausting and over time it takes its toll on the body. Staying hydrated is just one of the many ways to help take care of ourselves during those long hard shifts.
Wow! Charles seems like a swell guy. I bet he has no problem drinking the bottled water, after all, he is management. If Charles is this concerned about money, it would be much more cost-effective for him to buy an extra case of water for the staff, instead of pressing charges.
"Target Practice"
Public washrooms are some of the most disgusting places one could visit in the Western world. I'm not sure how it happens, but it's almost as though when people use a public washroom, they just forget everything they've ever known about going to the washroom. Somehow, there is always toilet paper and urine everywhere. Surely, there must be an answer to this problem.
This manager finally had enough. Staff or customer, it doesn't matter. Everyone must sit. I'm not sure why they think this will work or how they'll know for sure that people are listening. *Tonight on the 6 o'clock news: Manager arrested for installing cameras in men's washroom.
"20 Seconds Is All It Takes"
There are certain things that are best left outside of the workplace. Religion is one of them and poor hygiene is another. This manager somehow found a way of connecting the two.
If this message from management is the reason why someone chooses to wash their hands, they might not find themselves getting very far in life.
"What Type Are You?"
Managers sometimes tend to forget that their employees are people too. They all have different needs and all need to be managed in different ways. They are not a collective.
Even with a doctor's note, they are only allowed water. Imagine the look on this manager's face when the doctor's note specifies that the employee is diabetic and needs to have orange juice or chocolate milk handy all the time. In your face, Sara!
"Leg Cramp! Leg Cramp!"
Most people have smartphones these days and, whether or not they are willing to admit it, they take their phones into the washrooms with them, thus prolonging the amount of time that each individual spends using the facilities.
This toilet seat was designed in order to cause discomfort after approximately 5 minutes of being seated. The companies that have had these installed in their staff restrooms have done so in order to cut down on the length of their employees' breaks. They better hope that none of their staff members read this article and learn the truth.
"When Nature Calls, They Answer"
I have always found it rather interesting how some employers truly do believe that it's ok to tell their employees that they can not use the restroom during their shift. Some upper management tends to forget that adults don't need to ask to use the facilities. If they need to go, they go.
Management is always so quick to point out the amount of company time and money that can be lost if each employee takes a few extra minutes a day to get ready, however, they always tend to neglect the value of the employee's personal time before their shift begins. If staff members are asked to arrive 10-15 minutes before their shift, they should be paid for when they were asked to arrive.
"Need A Tissue?"
Most people spend 8-10 hours a day, 5 days a week, at work around the same group of people. If the workplace is a positive one then work can actually be a lot of fun, however, if the workplace is not so positive, the days seem a lot longer and harder.
If management needs to be putting this sign up for their employees, perhaps they should look in that mirror and make some positive changes to the work environment.
"Try And Stop Us!"
There are certain things that are built with one purpose in mind. If these items do not get to fulfill their purposes, they will forever live in limbo, similar to a ghost who has unfinished business.
A wooden table in the park is known as a picnic table. If not to host a picnic, what is the purpose of this picnic table?
"Powerslave"
Considering that most of us spend, at least, one-third of the day at work, it's easy to understand why a lot of people begin to "nest" and treat their place of employment as though it is a second home.
With a manager like this, the illusion of the office being a second home dissipates rather quickly. It's almost worth leaving a dollar a day on the manager's desk and continuing to charge one's phone.
"It's Getting Hot In Here"
The ability to cook a hot meal at home is essential, as such, the size and quality of the kitchen are two of the first things that a lot of people look at when hunting for a new place to call home.
A kitchen that is not meant to be used to cook food...this landlord must be out of their mind. Although, if they want to agree to a 30% discount on rent, so the tenant can order food every day, that might be worth considering.
"Time For An Upgrade"
In the past, it was a lot more frequent than it is today for companies to have credit checks performed on incoming employees in order to ensure that they have a secure financial background, and can be trusted if chosen to fill the position in question.
To quickly sum up what this e-mail says, human resources at this company has noticed the vehicle that a current employee is driving, and due to their knowledge of how much their employees earn, they have determined that the staff member in question should own a nicer car. They even offer to give the name of the car dealership that they have had previous employees go to. Having a background check performed on an incoming employee is one thing, but making life decisions for them is crossing a line.
"Not Having Any Of It"
Poor weather conditions can sometimes make one's journey to work a near-impossible endeavor. Anyone who has ever tried to get to work during a blizzard knows exactly what I'm talking about.
Unless this employee is a postal worker who has taken an oath to deliver the mail in rain, sleet, or snow, heavy rains, like those experienced during the Australian wet season, would justify missing a day of work. By swimming to work in those floodwaters, an Australian employee takes the risk of becoming lunch for a giant saltwater crocodile.
"Step One"
Franchises pride themselves on having a specific lingo that all of their employees are privy to, but when it comes down to it, most of the time, it just sounds pompous and arrogant. The use of this language should not be what defines someone as a good or bad employee.
If they really wanted to make a point that their excellent customer service begins the moment a customer enters the store, they should probably have gone with "We should engage with all Best Buy customers". Anyone can welcome a customer, but only a select few can engage them in conversation.
"One And Done"
Chemical drug abuse has become an ever-increasing problem worldwide. Year after year, the number of overdoses and deaths from overdoses have been on a steady rise, and the washrooms in fast food chains have quickly become a favorite location for junkies to use.
The employees at this Burger King must have seen some pretty crazy stuff if this sign is necessary. How many times do they think the same person is going to overdose in their restrooms. Does management think junkies have such little shame that they'd show their face there again after overdosing the first time?...
"Festivus Is The 23rd Of December, Not The 25th"
There are many people who believe that all because they are capable of something, everyone else must be capable of the same things. For example, some people are able to work 10 hour days, 6 days a week, and show no signs of fatigue or burning out, others rely on their allotted vacation and personal days in order to stay relatively sane.
It definitely sounds as though this company knows how to treat its employees. They seem to be forgetting about telemedicine, nowadays employees don't even need to leave bed to go to the doctor. I bet the company's annual picnic is just loads of fun, wait a minute, there is no company picnic listed here, never mind.
"Don't Eat The Chilli"
There are many reasons why, on occasion, staff might end up taking a bit longer in the washroom than normal.
This must really be getting under the manager's skin if they are going to willingly do "smell-checks" of the restroom after 10 minutes of constant use by the same staff member.
"Oh Yeah? You Try It Then"
There are few things that adults enjoy more than being told by other people how effortless their lives should be.
A lot of these things might require zero talent, but they do require a great deal of effort.
"Stick-Shift"
Companies have had to resort to strict break policies in order to ensure the most is being made out of their employees' time at the office. Some rules might seem a little archaic, but management insists that all policies are necessary.
I'm not sure who to feel worse for, the employees with the strict boss, or the boss who is about to experience a meeting with human resources in order to discuss the way, in which they chose to get their point across.