The challenges of being a supervisor when an employee is out of line

@beeeckie (802)
United States
April 1, 2010 7:20am CST
I work in retail as a supervisor. There are many different challenges presented to me throughout the day, as I have to constantly multitask and deal with the needs of customers and associates and balance them as well as I am able. Needless to say, it is always a big help when the associates work with me rather than against me. I am a very understanding person and I try to be as laid back as I can because I know everyone is also always busy. One of my responsibilities is scheduling cashier's 10 minute breaks and 30 minute lunches. The rule of thumb is trying to spread out the breaks every two hours, to break up the day a little better. All supervisors try to keep the breaks as on-schedule as possible, give or take a few minutes. We can't have them overlapping too much, and we can't have only one person available to ring because, well, lines!!! I had been away for a few weeks due to surgery, and on my first day back, not even a half hour into my shift (mid-day), I called "Laura" to go on her half hour lunch. Within a minute, she stormed up to my desk and started yelling at me about how the time was so horrible for her, that she was pissed at me for sending her right then, and that it was ridiculous. I calmly explained she had been scheduled then (I hadn't even made the schedule that day!) because another cashier was leaving in a half hour. It wasn't a crazy time, either, it was a reasonable break time going by when she'd been working. Before I could call up a manager to see if we could work something else out, she stormed away. I DO understand that sometimes employees need to make calls or take meds at certain times, and I am more than willing to work something out to accomodate these things. And hey, *I* almost never get my breaks when I want them, either! It's work, and sometimes we just have to deal with it. She kept on ranting all the way to the time clock, and one of the assistant managers saw her too. I was very incensed at this point, so I did call up the manager-on-duty and explained what happened. The thing is, this employee has always been very rude to me...I usually have passed it off as her attitude in general, but it suddenly clicked: she is rude only to ME and not to any other supervisors. I see her smiling and joking with other people, and from day one, she has treated me like garbage. In other words, she is just plain nasty to me, and it became very clear that she was angry I was back from my medical leave! I do not know what her issue is with me -- I truly do not treat her any different from anyone else, and never have. I am nice to everyone. I genuinely want to make peoples' days as easy as possible, because there's enough stress in the job that we don't need inter-office drama. I told the assistant manager that while I was not surprised about this event since it was the latest in a long line of events of her being rude toward me, it was most definitely out of line for her to fly off the handle like that. Luckily the manager on duty witnessed part of the outburst, and so did another cashier. I wanted to cry, because I feel like I've let "Laura" treat me like a doormat the whole time I've been at this job. She's been talked to, but I am not going to let her do it ever again. If she wants to be a bully, she can go back to high school, because that was the level of maturity she displayed. In case you're wondering, she's 43, and I'm 28. So this should not be a maturity issue, yet there it is. Luckily, I gained some new perspective while away on medical leave and I have no room for immature associates treating me like dirt. I'm the supervisor, I am willing to work with people, but I will NOT be walked on or yelled at.
1 person likes this
1 response
@palonghorn (5479)
• United States
1 Apr 10
That could be part of her problem with you, she's 43 and you are 28. Although you didn't state how old the other supervisors are, she could have an issue with you being that much younger and being her supervisor. Maybe you could talk to your manager and have them meet with this person, find out what her problem is with you. It is a benefit to you that they saw her outburst or at least part of it. I have been in a supervisory position before, and it seemed that some people have a problem with a supervisor being younger than they are.
1 person likes this
@beeeckie (802)
• United States
2 Apr 10
This is true, I actually hadn't considered the age thing. It does seem some people have an issue answering to people younger than them (understandably in some situations, but at work?). Two other supervisors are in their late 30s, and the other is just 21. Perhaps it's some irrational resentment of not having the authority/experience at that age? If I knew of something I was really doing that was bothering her I would certainly do something about it, though!