A 3-Week Countdown

[Ensi]

21 DAYS UNTIL FREEDOM

So, here's the deal: I dislike my job and I will quit it 1st of July. In order to put up with the job, I decided to have a fun little countdown here to keep me going and see how quickly the days actually pass.

I'm working as a cleaning lady at a nearby hotel. The job is alright, doesn't recuire much and I don't have to think about it once I'm back home, but there are some things that just make me feel uncomfortable. Or well, actually, just one thing: my boss. She's a middle-aged woman with absolutely no sense of humor and she never says anything good about me or my doings. She belittles me and whenever she comes to observe my work, she instantly presumes that I'm doing everything wrong. Finally I decided that this job isn't worth feeling horrible about myself all the time: I'm working for a few weeks more and then I will have earned enough money for the rest of the summer (I'm continuing with my studies in the autumn). It's hard physical work and having that mental load isn't really helping at all.

21 days to go, hurrah! After that I will be on holiday for a couple of months. Oh joy!

[Kewilson]

Congrats on the decision to move on. Working with people like that can just wreck your whole day... every day.

[Ensi]

20 DAYS UNTIL FREEDOM

You're right, Son of Kewil! But I noticed today that she no longer frightens me, but just mildly annoys me. Maybe it's because I know I'm not staying there much longer. And she'll go on holiday this Friday and I won't have to see her again after that. Phewwww.

Today she also mocked a new employee who afterwards felt really bad about herself... I felt so sorry for her, she's a nice girl and shouldn't have to hear that she's stupid because she can't properly do something she has never really done before. T__T Oh well, I'm helping her the best I can.

I'm not working tomorrow and I just got my salary. Awwww yeah

[SquinkyPheebs]

There is a beauty to not letting someone bug you anymore, like deciding that everything they say is amusing. As soon as you make that transition, the entire world lightens up

[Ian]

This is fairly typical behaviour on your boss' part - she feels that she has nothing to offer at your work, other than time in the trenches, and feels threatened by all new employees. The belittling is her coping mechanism.

It's sad really.

That said, whether you stay at the job, or quit as you plan to there is no reason to put up with her belittling. Everyone is deserving of basic respect. Either you are doing an acceptable (or better) job, or she has failed to train you properly. There really isn't an option where you perform a job at unacceptable levels without correction or retraining, and certainly abusive behaviour is never acceptable.

I don't know what employment laws are like in Finland, but look into Constructive Dismissal :

- breach of contract in the form of bullying, e.g.:

- - ignoring complaints

- - persistent unwanted amorous advances

- - bullying and swearing

- - verbal abuse (typically referring to gender, size or incompetence)

- - singling out for no pay rise

- - criticising in front of subordinates

- - lack of support (e.g. forcing to do two peoples' jobs)

- breaches such as:

- - behaviour which is arbitrary, capricious, inequitable, intolerable or outside good industrial practice

- - refusal to look for an alternative role due to workplace stress

- - disproportionate disciplinary penalty

- - employer cons employee into resigning

Just a thought.

Best wishes,

[Ensi]

19 DAYS UNTIL FREEDOM

Woke up last night just after midnight because of my completely numb arms and chest. That really frightened me, but after I got up and moved around the numbness went away slowly. I guess it's due to all the stress: the past five days I've done physically demanding job from 6 am to 3 pm. Thank goodness I had a day off today! I'm still feeling a little numb, but I've tried to rest and took a nap as well. Yayyyy

You're right, SquinkyPheebs! It's also easy to see things that way because I won't be seeing her again after a few more days. But I also feel a little sorry for her. Maybe she acts that way because she's having some problems and that's the way she's used to communicate... But that's no excuse for making people feel bad about themselves, either.

Ian, I've sure heard her talking angrily to other employees, even if it was obvious that other people could hear her. She also used to take an employee away from others, take him/her to an empty room and then yell in a very nasty manner. She doesn't do that anymore, though.

Next month I'll be recovering from all of this: living with my parents in another town and spending time with friends and family... I'm so looking forward to that )