Bees up their Butts

We've all had them, those frustrating days at work where nothing seems to be going right, things that make you question what you've done to make your manager feel as if she can't trust you, and the bottom of that barrel, what kind of new job can you look for?

That's where I'm at today.

At my BigBox Store, I'm in charge of "compliance".  That means following procedures and protocols laid out in regards to certain specific tasks.  At all times, my work area must be in compliance with these protocols.  Many of them are store specific, but the basis of them rests in the hands at federal level, such as the DOT.

I've been in my current position for nearly 8 years.  Much of them happily.  The rules change on a constant basis, I keep myself updated to all the changes, and comply.  Sometimes that means setting aside the daily duties to enforce any recent changes in the current laws or SOPs.  That's ok, I can take those kind of changes.

But when does it become micromanaging from your boss?  It certainly has been leaning in that direction more and more as time goes on.  Is this company standard? or store specific based on our leadership?  I always wonder.  Sometimes I think the grass HAS to be greener on the other side of the fence -- or in this case, at a different store.

So I did a little reading up on micromanaging.  When a boss micromanages, they effectively do three things:  undermine, demotivate and create self doubt.    For me, the self doubt comes from their mistrust in my ability to handle the job, handle the situations that come up.  I can.  But I expect that when a decision has to be made, and I make it based on facts that I know, that my manager is going to back me up, not throw me to the wolves.  Trust is a two way street, and that's not happening for me.

After a sleepless night, I woke up around 2am realizing that I'm afraid to NOT be at work, for fear that something is going to happen and no one is going to follow through correctly.  (that's a whole 'nother issue because my helper, Elvis, doesn't seem to concern himself with compliance ... again, after citing incidents, management did not back me up.)

I let it all simmer in the back of my mind today while I dusted and mopped (rather than getting my normal actual "work" accomplished ... but that's what they wanted ....)  *smh*  Yeah, I think it's time to think about some kind of change.  Not sure someplace else will be better, but can it be any worse?

Someone wrote "We’re living in the time of “what have you done for me lately”. "  And yeah, that seems accurate to me.  No matter how much a person does, no matter how many times you go above and beyond, "what have you done for me lately"?   Case in point, a member of management wanted something shipped out, and I told her it needed to be palletized in order to ship it.  A month goes by and this morning, *I* am called on the carpet because I didn't ship it.  So tongue in cheeky, my mouth got the better of me and I told my boss that "the other manager said she'd get someone to take care of palletizing the item .... guess it's about to be me."     It amazes me that there are some people who never get asked to take care of anything, I assume because management knows the very few people who can actually get the job done.  That's always who gets asked.

I know that I'm just an underling, an hourly paid associate.  But after 15 years with the company, I know a few things.

I keep telling myself that I should just smile, do what needs to be done, and happily switch gears when management gets a bee up their butt .........

But I think they have a whole hive by now! 
Honey, anyone?