Manager Woes

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

I have been a loyal employee to my current employer for over 5 years now. My current manager has pretty much been my manager this whole time. I have always done my best to go above and beyond, be flexible with my job and schedule, and meet the needs of the dept.

There is a new position available that I am interested in. As a requirement before we apply we must inform our current manager of our intent. So I did. I'm not sure what reaction I was expecting, but it certainly wasn't the one I received.

Things have been tense in general for my employer as a whole. We have been losing staff and physicians like crazy. I am frankly just tired of the lazy, worthless, "I'm sick" ALL OF TIME yet I am posting on FB that I am at the beach employees getting treated like gold, while the reliable, hard working, innovative employees are treated like dirt.

Let's say it did not go well and I was pretty much told I was getting in over my head. Uhhh.. My everyday is overwhelming anymore. I am furthering my education and doing everything I can to make myself more useful here, but I'm kept in the same role. I'm ready for a change - for more responsiblity - yet nothing is given to me. My worry is that if I do not get chosen for this job that there will be hell to pay - but then I think - she already treats me poorly so what would be the difference? I have to stay since I am pregnant, but if I don't get this job I see myself leaving shortly after baby arrives. At some point you just get sick of it.

[canigraduate]

I'm sorry that's happening to you. That's rough. I would straight up tell your manager that it doesn't matter if you get the job or not that you aren't comfortable where you are and if she wants you stay after the baby's born, change needs to happen.

It sucks being miserable at work all the time.

[doodlebuttRN]

There was one thing I was told that really helped me a lot when I left my last job, after being a faithful employee for 7 years and getting treated poorly when I resigned. I was a good employee, in time, no call offs (except legitimate ones), picked up the slack whenever needed, etc etc. When I left I felt really hurt about the way I was treated by administration, and my dad told me that "you must remember, no matter how hard you work or how good an employee you are, no matter what sacrifices y make; whatever loyalty you feel toward your employer you can NOT expect it will be reciprocated."

T made it much easier for me to keep my perspective in the future. Just a thought.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

Yup, no more 20 yrs and a gold watch.

There was one thing I was told that really helped me a lot when I left my last job, after being a faithful employee for 7 years and getting treated poorly when I resigned. I was a good employee, in time, no call offs (except legitimate ones), picked up the slack whenever needed, etc etc. When I left I felt really hurt about the way I was treated by administration, and my dad told me that "you must remember, no matter how hard you work or how good an employee you are, no matter what sacrifices y make; whatever loyalty you feel toward your employer you can NOT expect it will be reciprocated."

T made it much easier for me to keep my perspective in the future. Just a thought.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Wow - what a terrible reaction from the manager. Over the years, whenever I have been in the same situation - I always made it a point to support my nurse's career goals. I would encourage her/him to apply for the promotion & offer any additional assistance they need.

Because you know what? If you do as OP's manager did, there is always a very certain (and somewhat Karmic) consequence... you'll lose credibility & trust. After all, who in the world wants to work for a manager that doesn't encourage you to do your very best? I did the same whenever anyone resigned to go to another job - I always wished them well. I had many previous employees re-apply after trying something new & I cheerfully welcomed them back if I had a position to put them in.

I've always felt that one of the best indicators of a manager's effectiveness is how he/she develops subordinates. In most organizations, there's usually one department that has a reputation of producing really terrific new leaders - you can be pretty sure its led by a great manager.

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

Wow - what a terrible reaction from the manager. Over the years, whenever I have been in the same situation - I always made it a point to support my nurse's career goals. I would encourage her/him to apply for the promotion & offer any additional assistance they need.

Because you know what? If you do as OP's manager did, there is always a very certain (and somewhat Karmic) consequence... you'll lose credibility & trust. After all, who in the world wants to work for a manager that doesn't encourage you to do your very best? I did the same whenever anyone resigned to go to another job - I always wished them well. I had many previous employees re-apply after trying something new & I cheerfully welcomed them back if I had a position to put them in.

I've always felt that one of the best indicators of a manager's effectiveness is how he/she develops subordinates. In most organizations, there's usually one department that has a reputation of producing really terrific new leaders - you can be pretty sure its led by a great manager.

I agree with all of th above. I have always known my manager was not the best - is terrible with communication, hates conflict - so she avoids it at all costs, inconsistent, etc. While I am over how she initially treated me when I brought up the topic, I am beyond tired of the cold shoulder I have gotten ever since. She literally will act as if I am invisible, walk by me without saying anything, not responding to emails, etc. I expected her to pout, but seriously??? She's acting like a child. Even if I do not get this other job I am out of here once I have this baby. I'm so over her nonsense.

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

There was one thing I was told that really helped me a lot when I left my last job, after being a faithful employee for 7 years and getting treated poorly when I resigned. I was a good employee, in time, no call offs (except legitimate ones), picked up the slack whenever needed, etc etc. When I left I felt really hurt about the way I was treated by administration, and my dad told me that "you must remember, no matter how hard you work or how good an employee you are, no matter what sacrifices y make; whatever loyalty you feel toward your employer you can NOT expect it will be reciprocated."

T made it much easier for me to keep my perspective in the future. Just a thought.

It is solid advice. It just is ridiculous. Overall I like my coworkers, I enjoy the doctors I see everyday, and I can tolerate just about everything else. I would stay for a lot longer if they would just be realistic with pay and schedule flexibility. I don't expect much, but this is so petty. Employers should reward good employees - how else do they expect to keep us? My husband reminds me that "they don't care", but I just can't seem to get that through my head. If I ran a business I would want to keep the good staff who were knowledgeable, while getting rid of the lazy ones who don't earn a paycheck, but still receive one.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

Past time to move on. Your manager is unprofessional and unappreciative.

Perhaps your "newbie" came at this time , so you can make a change.

Try to enjoy this special moment in your life, forget jerk manager.

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

Well nearly 3 weeks in and now she is speaking to me again. I'm going to guess HR informed her I wasn't getting the job - of course they haven't said a word to me yet. I'm so sick of this BS. It's awful that sometimes I wish I wasn't pregnant so I could get the heck out of here ASAP instead of next year. I hate feeling that way because I am so happy about being pregnant.