Workplace Does Not Care Employee Wellbeing- What Can You Do

• 

  Flying Ace on 29/01/2015 - 10:13

  +2

  If she works for one of the largest retailers in Australia (can only really be one of two companies), then they will be working under an enterprise agreement which dictates what the company can and can't do with regards to employee conditions. She should talk to the Union delegate for her store because what they are doing is illegal.

  • 

    redlover on 29/01/2015 - 10:30

    the thing of talking to union - does not it makes her life harder in the future? I seen so many people who do that was only being bullied and pressured slowly so they will quit with their own term.
    Bully i.e. performance rated low, no future no promotion possibility, etc

    • 

      djones145 on 29/01/2015 - 10:42

      +8

      talking to a union is better than getting sick, being depressed, and leading to even more extreme effects!

      • 

        battler on 29/01/2015 - 10:51

        +1

        talking to union will make others (more superior) aware of the issue.
        there will likely be some mediation where both sides can state their issues and union and employer can work towards a solution together.
        at least with union the problem is out in the open and not just between a stubborn/unreasonable boss and a pressured worker.

      • 

        djones145 on 29/01/2015 - 11:03

        +1

        @battler:
        indeed
        and they are there to assist!

    • 

      Denaz on 29/01/2015 - 19:47

      +1

      Not for me, I had the union save my ass in my sector, and it actually worked in my favour. They realised that I wasn't just prepared to bend over and take it, and that I would fight back. Never had any trouble after that

      The union is the answer in this case, and in nearly all cases like it. I swear by them after all the help they've provided me over my years working

    • 

      Flying Ace on 29/01/2015 - 22:24

      Once the union is made aware that there is an issue it will be harder for the employer to behave in this manner - the union deal with this kind of issue every day and are used to people feeling scared that coming forward will jeopardise their position with the company. However as long as she is doing nothing wrong they have no grounds to fire her and if they did they would probably find an unfair dismissal suit coming their way - and big companies hate that.

• 

  tds on 29/01/2015 - 10:20

  +1

  She needs to read the agreement and take what she's entitled to. Ensure she had adequate breaks and all overtime is paid with the right award and meal allowances. You haven't said that she has talked to her boss yet. That should be step one.

  • 

    redlover on 29/01/2015 - 10:33

    talked to the boss so many times, only being told its her problem that not doing her job properly or not manage her team correctly. her team was initially 10 people and then they cut cost and only have 3 people left. her staff was also not one of those hardworking as mostly are student and don't even care , calling in sick a lot etc. she tried to explain this to the boss, only being told that its her challenge.

    • 

      Flying Ace on 29/01/2015 - 22:21

      +1

      She needs to stand up for herself, as hard as that can be. Managers love employees who are timid and will do anything they say.

• 

  Gunther on 29/01/2015 - 10:23

  +1

  These situations are tough - but ultimately the employee is getting taken for a ride. Just do what the employment contract says.

  Just do the minimum hours and go home.
  Go on lunch and tea breaks.

  Yes all the work will not get done and the business will struggle, but its the manager who will cope it in the end from higher up.

• 

  battler on 29/01/2015 - 10:30

  name and shame the company (not the branch though).

• 

  mooney on 29/01/2015 - 11:17

  I agree with everyone who has suggested using the union.

  There are two sides to every story and, whilst I am sure your friends unhappiness is real, this is only one side. I think arbitration should help both sides better understand each others perspective and can lead to a more constructive working relationship.

• 

  geek001 on 29/01/2015 - 11:19

  IMHO, I think Australia has a lot of laws protecting the employee, so it may be good to have a closer look at the job description when your friend got hired. If the responsibilities fall outside of the job description, the employee has the right to say no to taking on extra responsibilities without fears of getting "performance managed". If your friend cannot afford to quit, that may be the only course of action she can take.

  Managing people is not easy which is probably the hardest part of my own job. It gets easier with experience. :)

  Quite frequently when people quit, they don't quit their job, they quit their manager. Since your friend works for a large retail company, she could possibly also look at opportunities to transfer to a different branch?

  • 

    redlover on 30/01/2015 - 10:26

    Yes, she applied many times to change to different branch but her manager rejected it. he did not even want to go ahead with her application. he said she needs to be trained more in the current store. he is a joke!!!!!!!!!!

• 

  dragonfly090 on 29/01/2015 - 11:38

  Report anonymously by means of dropping a letter or calling if you are worried about repercussions.

  • 

    redlover on 30/01/2015 - 10:26

    and who is the best person to receive this letter?

    • 

      dragonfly090 on 30/01/2015 - 10:48

      Union, head of HR, boss's superiors.

      • 

        dragonfly090 on 30/01/2015 - 10:50

        Other way of taking his attention of ur friend is, buy a new sim and keep sending few love u, miss u messages while he is at home, so long his wife gets suspicious of him. He tries to settle it, while attention is off ur friend.

        CAUTION: DONT DO THIS.

• 

  Denaz on 29/01/2015 - 19:48

  +1

  As I said in my commment above, have them join the union, and then contact them and talk it through.

  They are amazing people, and offer the best advice for these situations. Even if they don't want to use the union to take action, they can always just go to them for advice on their contract, rights, etc

• 

  Geewhizz on 30/01/2015 - 07:53

  +1

  Sounds like par for the course at Kmart and the like, and almost identical situation to my DM about a million years ago. She eventually had enough and told them she no longer wished to be DM. I don't know how much of a pay cut would be involved for your friend if she were to do that, but it's one solution.

  She REALLY does need to join the union, as others have suggested. She sounds like she is well on the way of being burned out, and the company won't give a rat's. By the sounds of it she also needs to be keeping a record.

• 

  boccos on 30/01/2015 - 09:15

  +1

  Unions were invented because of unscrupulous employers targeting individuals unfairly and for group negotiations. They have been targeted by Governments Australia-wide in an attempt to weaken their influence. This is simply wrong. I have seen that whenever Unions intervene on behalf of individuals, outcomes were almost always favorable for that person. Do not hesitate to seek their help. Act quickly and decisively. You are not alone and being of a gentle caring nature does not mean that your employer should take advantage of this trait. It is a form of bullying, often used consciously or unconsciously by bosses.
  I now tell all prospective employees to record their job interview because in 100% of the time employers fail to honor commitments made at interviews. i.e Salary review periods, job responsibilities, etc. If you were told things at your interview and you accepted the job on that basis and the employer fails to honour these, get your union involved. If you have signed an employee contract or have a job description that has been breached by the Employer, call your union.
  There are some good laws protecting employee rights, use them with the help of your Union.

• 

  redlover on 30/01/2015 - 10:22

  +2

  I thank all of you fellow ozbargainer for feedback and insight.
  I am advising her to contact her union. She is someone that is gentle in nature and does not like confrontation. she prefers to do it and get it done with rather than confronting the situation. She was also very worried of things that can cause her to lose her job. I think her boss saw this in her and take an advantage of it. I am encouraging her to contact union and I will let her read all of your suggestion here.
  Its great to see so many ozbargainer are always care and willing to help and share info :)

• 

  GaryQ on 30/01/2015 - 18:22

  +1

  People like your friend are what makes Big Business generate Big Profit. If they thought she was a trouble-maker, they would have already performance reviewed her out of there. They will likely want to keep her - and I would also suggest she asks about taking on higher-level training, and to be put on the Management pathway. Those are the kinds of people that Regional Managers want to see, even if the Store Manager is an ass

• 

  psych23 on 31/01/2015 - 01:03

  Worksafe (government organise) and Fairwork Australia would crack it with the conditions you have mentioned. Regular breaks and ensuring workers physical and metal well being is their area!