It was only yesterday I'd called a Team Meeting. The gang were going to meet up using MS Teams and it was necessary to use the dodgy office Wifi with my laptop. On account of an employer who employs so called big shots who think they know something about IT when in fact they know nothing. Neither can they find funds to provide staff with business laptops but other departments they do. The Covid had reached parts of the organization other pandemics just can't. Effectively most office workers had become home workers but they used their own computers. This is a little annoying, for all those staff who have been shunted out had not been supported by giving them the loan of real work place computers. Instead what they all got software to run on their computers in order to securely access the office systems. Some staff have old computers only a few steps on from the abacus. Others soon complained they didn't have large enough monitors and got eye strain, they would have to buy their own large monitor to work. Perhaps feeling abandoned by an employer who wanted them to work but couldn't be half arsed. Or maybe it was the distaste of an edict from up high saying they all had to re-connect. Permanent office workers were demanded to attend the office, show their bright happy sneering smiles. Their rebellious grouchy side and face down their managers. For most it meant using public transport and the possibility of getting the Covid. Pissed off is a good term to use.
I'd prepared some minutes from a management meeting and was using them as an outline. They had already been sent out but to me it was clear staff don't read emails, and especially can't be bothered with attachments. They are also prone to forgetting stuff and need to be reminded. I know this because it is a common thing as a manager to have staff ask you questions which they should already know the answer to, if they had read that minute, email or attended the team meeting they should of been at. So I read through the notes in front of me and then at some point the workers decided they would rebel. It began with one person, it's funny how it takes this one person with a bit of gumption to give a speech others to follow suit. Whereas individually they might be a little reticent, together it was a different matter. They had formed a group, a crowd and had things to say. I watched the video feed as my usual angry voice woman let her opinion be known. It's always the same tract of discussion and same points she makes so she's got it off pat now. We don't get paid enough, management don't know what they are doing, we don't have enough staff, we are being taken advantage of, why are we not supported. So much money is wasted here. She was on a role and I've learnt not to interrupt when this happens. At least ten if not fifteen minutes she moaned. She also said managers didn't care and just enjoyed job grade dishing out work. I could of taken offence to this, but she's right it is our job to give out the work so why on earth make a self-evident statement? Probably because she didn't think we did much. However, other members of staff then joined in and swung a few left hooks with a sneaky upper cut. Slow girl who takes forty minutes to sit at her desk and get a cup of tea in normal circumstances asked "why didn't I get short listed for her previous job in department Z". Because your too slow, lazy and it would be too much effort to sack you, I might of said. Another voice piped up, but with a tongue in cheek smile "nobody is here to support us, who is in our corner". At which I could of laughed, all staff get a pretty good pay for what they do and seem to think they are worth more. It must be austerity. Also if they feel they are not being treated they have every opportunity to say so, to complain and to get their unions involved. Oh dear what a good grump this lot were on.
This wasn't a case of 5 types of difficult people at work this was a case of a full team of 12 difficult employees at work, giving the boss a kick around like he's a football. One thing I must state here as well. My team is full of women, and I'm a male. I've been at the job as long as them and they've all had the opportunity of being a manager when those managerial posts have popped up. It's just that I went for the job and beat the other applicants at it. It doesn't make me better or worse, we have an equality conscious workplace and if any member of the team felt it wasn't equal there are copious procedures which they could use. In fact one very troublesome woman who was incompetent at her job and didn't like to be referred to occupational health had fabricated lies against me and has been gently pushed sideways to another team. She's had at least four other managers she's done this to, she'd lasted the longest on my team. About 8 years before getting moved on. I just had to get that off my chest because no matter how easy my staff think my job is there's a hell of a lot going on in the background they are not aware off because of confidentiality issues and would raise their eyebrows to say the least. Personally I try to let them get away with as much as possible because they are a conscientious bunch even though a rabble at times. The thing which can give me a personal gripe is, I've worked in the private sector, and they want blood sweat and tears out of you for every penny they pay. As an employee you have no real rights regardless of what the law says, private companies will always find a way of sacking staff if they are not toeing the line even when the line towed is taking advantageous of the employee. As far as private companies are concerned the employee should be happy they are in a job shut up and get on with it. This is the reality I experienced before going into the Public sector.
And another thing. Public sector managers are expected to do multiple jobs, they are not 
just there to manage staff they have their own workload, are often the go-to-decision-maker when a member of staff doesn't know what to do. They are the on-the-job-trainer because the actual trainer is usually someone who doesn't do the job and then is expected to teach staff who do and so is a complete waste of space. Middle managers are the ones who take the impact of senior managers making demands and then have to take the impact of employees who have a different view of the world. Give us the tools that work and we can perform the job. Higher managers don't engage one to one with staff, don't know what is happening on the ground and have lost touch, they then make decisions which affect other staff and wonder why the reaction is what it is. The middle manager is the one who does their best to keep everyone happy. The middle manager has to be a HR expert because HR don't really do HR stuffthey are glorified interpreters of procedures but have never actually managed a team of staff and then tell you to get on with it. They are often in my experience not very helpful and don't take on a responsible role. OK that's my gripes out of the way. No wonder I love my team when they stick the boot in and show how pissed off they are. Now if only a couple of them would become union reps and demand action from senior fat arse managers who enjoy the pay but don't do the work. Holly shite, do I sound like my own staff?
