My goodness has it been two months since I last added anything to my blog?
You know I don't really have anything new to add. Other that work has been absolutely awful for the last few weeks. It appeared that I was under the microscope and once again having everything I do checked and analyzed. To say nothing of being called out in front of other employees and the girl whose boss (supervisor) I am. Neither of which had any grounds to blame me for the errors. One was a filing change that was made before I even began working there, the other was something that had never even been asked of me.
This week the main boss (one of the owners of the company) asked me how things were going and how I was doing... my first response was "OK" but then I decided in a split second to be honest and said "actually I am really frustrated right now". Of course he asked me why and what ensued was a meeting between him, my immediate boss and myself being scheduled for Thursday morning.
The original meeting was set for 9:00 am but did not actually take place until 2:30. The owner is very diplomatic and began with stating that I was asking about replacing the girl who had recently left and wanting to know what the future holds for the accounting department. Then he gave me the floor to state any concerns that I had. I began by stating I was feeling I had taken a step backward if in my employment there. My boss wanted to know what I meant by that. Basically I said that it appeared to me that where as before I was left to do my job and now he was checking everything I do... or that is how it appeared to me.
I don't want to write an expose on work but just state the short facts. He (my boss) explained that due to his overload of work with all the new programs that were being built and implemented he had neglected keeping up with everything else. He actually was not checking my work, at least that is what he said, but checking the everyday activities of the salesmen and confirming that the new program would work for the rentals by reviewing what was actually on the rental contracts. He also stated he needed to review that everyone was doing their job properly and following company procedures.
My response was that he needed to communicate this with me and what he was looking for and show me the types of errors that were being made, this way I could learn how the company worked and what was expected from everyone and catch errors at my level. I do not expect to have learned my job in the six months but I do expect to be taught the finer points of the position. Communication is the key factor, which was reiterated by the owner, he needs to share with me the errors so I know what to look for.
Of course this was all done politically correctly and I am not stupid to think that my work isn't being critiqued. This is the first time in all my 30 years of working in accounting departments that I have not been taken advantage off for my abilities but been made to feel incompetent. I must say that my boss did take time on Friday to point out to me things that he was looking for and errors that the salesmen had made in a couple of invoices, and explain other items of work during the day.
For now I will continue to work and hopefully learn, but, I do refuse to micromanage the one employee who is my responsibility. I want her to feel comfortable working with us and to know that if she has a problem with any part of her work as the receptionist / assistant to me, she is not intimidated and will come to me for help. I don't like being micromanaged and people do not learn when treated this way, it is extremely demeaning.
Here's hoping that Friday's improved communication will continue but I'm not holding my breath.
