Comments on: Enter the HR Horror Story Contest for a chance to win The Office Seasons 1-4 Box Set http://cbri.com/hrconsultants/hroutsourcing/win-the-office-seasons-1-4-box-set-134.html Share HR Tips, insights, and meet others from the HR industry. Fri, 10 Sep 2010 18:27:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3 By: Carolyn Sheppard http://cbri.com/hrconsultants/hroutsourcing/win-the-office-seasons-1-4-box-set-134.html#comment-1380 Carolyn Sheppard Wed, 25 Mar 2009 10:55:31 +0000 http://cbri.com/hrconsultants/hroutsourcing/win-the-office-seasons-1-4-box-set-134.html#comment-1380 I used to work in fund-raising for one of the most pretigious universities in the UK, and my boss was a younger man. He was a bit of a bully and didn't listen much in my appraisal (staff evaluation) but at the end he did ask me the required question - did I have any feedback for him. "Yes," I said carefully, "I do find sometimes that you are a bit patronising." He paused not a second! "That's because I'm so clever" he said. I used to work in fund-raising for one of the most pretigious universities in the UK, and my boss was a younger man. He was a bit of a bully and didn’t listen much in my appraisal (staff evaluation) but at the end he did ask me the required question - did I have any feedback for him.

“Yes,” I said carefully, “I do find sometimes that you are a bit patronising.”

He paused not a second!

“That’s because I’m so clever” he said.

]]> By: julian http://cbri.com/hrconsultants/hroutsourcing/win-the-office-seasons-1-4-box-set-134.html#comment-1379 julian Thu, 19 Mar 2009 13:07:46 +0000 http://cbri.com/hrconsultants/hroutsourcing/win-the-office-seasons-1-4-box-set-134.html#comment-1379 The director of a mobile telco customer service took part in a 360 along with his co-directors. He got the lowest score and his ego hurt like hell. He pressured his HR colleague to give him details of the 'confidential' results, promising not to compromise the confidentiality - and got them. There then followed a series of seemingly un-important conversations with the people who had scored him very low, direct reports - all good people both new and old-timers. He manufactured an attitude problem amongst these people and got hr to set up individual and group coaching, and slowly the awful reality emerged, that they were being disciplined for their input into the 360. I was very close to this group of 7 people, they were my direct colleagues & friends and saw at first hand how this Director manipulated hr to have all but 1 fired. I left a couple of months later in disgust at this 'corporate culture'. You can imagine how this story became part of folklore, and how much damage was done to managements & hr's reputation, to customer service and to the bottom line indirectly. No more 360s have been done to my knowledge and the director was himself fired 6 months after i left. The director of a mobile telco customer service took part in a 360 along with his co-directors. He got the lowest score and his ego hurt like hell. He pressured his HR colleague to give him details of the ‘confidential’ results, promising not to compromise the confidentiality - and got them. There then followed a series of seemingly un-important conversations with the people who had scored him very low, direct reports - all good people both new and old-timers. He manufactured an attitude problem amongst these people and got hr to set up individual and group coaching, and slowly the awful reality emerged, that they were being disciplined for their input into the 360. I was very close to this group of 7 people, they were my direct colleagues & friends and saw at first hand how this Director manipulated hr to have all but 1 fired. I left a couple of months later in disgust at this ‘corporate culture’. You can imagine how this story became part of folklore, and how much damage was done to managements & hr’s reputation, to customer service and to the bottom line indirectly. No more 360s have been done to my knowledge and the director was himself fired 6 months after i left.

]]> By: Gretchen http://cbri.com/hrconsultants/hroutsourcing/win-the-office-seasons-1-4-box-set-134.html#comment-1377 Gretchen Wed, 18 Mar 2009 14:54:53 +0000 http://cbri.com/hrconsultants/hroutsourcing/win-the-office-seasons-1-4-box-set-134.html#comment-1377 I left an employee to interview alone while I hunted down the other employee who was to be there & was running late. When I called to extend an offer I heard the following from the candidate: The employee I left alone had started off by talking about the area and describing the many things you could visit/do in the Baltimore/DC Metro area. The employee went on and spoke about how their family had been to DC this past weekend (what they did)... and mentioned how traffic was horrible because of a march that had been going on. Went on to explain that the march was homosexual men protesting a women's right to an abortion. To my amazement - they didn't stop there! The employee voiced the comment that they didn't feel "those men" had any right to even have the march as they had no say biologically in the creation of children. I was told by the candidate they would never accept a job from a company that allowed their employees to express their political beliefs during an interview. I had to have had steam coming out of my ears after that phone call! I left an employee to interview alone while I hunted down the other employee who was to be there & was running late. When I called to extend an offer I heard the following from the candidate: The employee I left alone had started off by talking about the area and describing the many things you could visit/do in the Baltimore/DC Metro area. The employee went on and spoke about how their family had been to DC this past weekend (what they did)… and mentioned how traffic was horrible because of a march that had been going on. Went on to explain that the march was homosexual men protesting a women’s right to an abortion. To my amazement - they didn’t stop there! The employee voiced the comment that they didn’t feel “those men” had any right to even have the march as they had no say biologically in the creation of children. I was told by the candidate they would never accept a job from a company that allowed their employees to express their political beliefs during an interview. I had to have had steam coming out of my ears after that phone call!

]]> By: Doreen http://cbri.com/hrconsultants/hroutsourcing/win-the-office-seasons-1-4-box-set-134.html#comment-1376 Doreen Tue, 10 Mar 2009 13:46:51 +0000 http://cbri.com/hrconsultants/hroutsourcing/win-the-office-seasons-1-4-box-set-134.html#comment-1376 A former co-worker was a Recruiter for Medical & Dental and I was a Recruiter for Medical & Nursing; she was constantly taking and filling orders from MY clients, even though my boss was fully aware she never did anything about it so it continued. We hired an additional Recruiter to open up a new administrative department and this same Recruiter stole an order from her and claimed it "required medical terminology"; however, her assistant had printed out a copy of the email from the client that placed the order and I accidentally picked it up off the printer with some of my documents. When I saw it I showed it to the Admin Recruiter so she could deal with it on her own; she did approach her but didn't mention the printed email in an attempt to see if she would be honest about when the order was received and what it required. They had a meeting with our boss and she lied all the way thru it quoting different times & dates she'd received the email and stating it was "unclear" if the candidate would need medical terminology so she had to "check into it". The order was given to the Admin Recruiter like it should have been all along...but knowing that she lied again was so frustrating and we knew it would just happen again...so I suggested to the Admin Recruiter that she ask her to "email the original email to her" so she could be sure of the requirements of the job. The next morning she did have an email in her box and it was a forward from the client with the details...but the dates and times had been switched to fit the story she had told in the meeting with our boss!!! The admin recruiter brought that to our boss and she was sick about it, when she approached her she denied it and said someone must have gotten into her computer and done that because she didn't. After a thorough investigation by the IT guy it was found there was no way it could have come from anyone else...and upon researching the security passcode to see what time she had arrived at work that morning it was found she reported at 4am...three & a half hours before her normal arrival time, obviously so she could recount her story to be sure the dates/times were accurate. She was finally fired...after being employed there for 10yrs! A former co-worker was a Recruiter for Medical & Dental and I was a Recruiter for Medical & Nursing; she was constantly taking and filling orders from MY clients, even though my boss was fully aware she never did anything about it so it continued. We hired an additional Recruiter to open up a new administrative department and this same Recruiter stole an order from her and claimed it “required medical terminology”; however, her assistant had printed out a copy of the email from the client that placed the order and I accidentally picked it up off the printer with some of my documents. When I saw it I showed it to the Admin Recruiter so she could deal with it on her own; she did approach her but didn’t mention the printed email in an attempt to see if she would be honest about when the order was received and what it required. They had a meeting with our boss and she lied all the way thru it quoting different times & dates she’d received the email and stating it was “unclear” if the candidate would need medical terminology so she had to “check into it”. The order was given to the Admin Recruiter like it should have been all along…but knowing that she lied again was so frustrating and we knew it would just happen again…so I suggested to the Admin Recruiter that she ask her to “email the original email to her” so she could be sure of the requirements of the job. The next morning she did have an email in her box and it was a forward from the client with the details…but the dates and times had been switched to fit the story she had told in the meeting with our boss!!! The admin recruiter brought that to our boss and she was sick about it, when she approached her she denied it and said someone must have gotten into her computer and done that because she didn’t. After a thorough investigation by the IT guy it was found there was no way it could have come from anyone else…and upon researching the security passcode to see what time she had arrived at work that morning it was found she reported at 4am…three & a half hours before her normal arrival time, obviously so she could recount her story to be sure the dates/times were accurate. She was finally fired…after being employed there for 10yrs!

]]> By: Jeff Sassenscheid http://cbri.com/hrconsultants/hroutsourcing/win-the-office-seasons-1-4-box-set-134.html#comment-1374 Jeff Sassenscheid Mon, 09 Mar 2009 15:52:34 +0000 http://cbri.com/hrconsultants/hroutsourcing/win-the-office-seasons-1-4-box-set-134.html#comment-1374 In a previous role, I was involved in the termination of 3 employees due to inappropriate emails and abuse of computer policy. Ome of our receptionsits, whom was married, was having extra marital affairs with 2 manager level male employees on a regular (daily) basis in threesome scenarios. When we heard the rumors of potential inappropriate behavior, we did some sample server review. It turned out that there was email traffic between these 3 employees that was the most graphic discussion/description of sexual acts you can imagine. The adult film industry would probably be shocked at the deprivity of it. All told there were 9 4" binders of printed pages of email exchanges. When we spoke to each individual about this, the common thread was "why does it matter what we do on our lunch hour?". Turns out they did not understand the concept of the differential of functional responsibilities (reception to management), nor did they recognize that at minimum 3+ hours a day of their work day was being spent writing personal and explicit emails. Two "cherry on the Sunday" comments from these employees during terminations were: 1) Receptionsist said, "my husband is going to kill me for losing this job and will probably call here asking why I lost my job - can you please just say lay-off". Our lives in HR will never be boring... In a previous role, I was involved in the termination of 3 employees due to inappropriate emails and abuse of computer policy. Ome of our receptionsits, whom was married, was having extra marital affairs with 2 manager level male employees on a regular (daily) basis in threesome scenarios.

When we heard the rumors of potential inappropriate behavior, we did some sample server review. It turned out that there was email traffic between these 3 employees that was the most graphic discussion/description of sexual acts you can imagine. The adult film industry would probably be shocked at the deprivity of it. All told there were 9 4″ binders of printed pages of email exchanges.

When we spoke to each individual about this, the common thread was “why does it matter what we do on our lunch hour?”. Turns out they did not understand the concept of the differential of functional responsibilities (reception to management), nor did they recognize that at minimum 3+ hours a day of their work day was being spent writing personal and explicit emails.

Two “cherry on the Sunday” comments from these employees during terminations were: 1) Receptionsist said, “my husband is going to kill me for losing this job and will probably call here asking why I lost my job - can you please just say lay-off”.
Our lives in HR will never be boring…

]]> By: Carol http://cbri.com/hrconsultants/hroutsourcing/win-the-office-seasons-1-4-box-set-134.html#comment-1373 Carol Mon, 09 Mar 2009 15:37:34 +0000 http://cbri.com/hrconsultants/hroutsourcing/win-the-office-seasons-1-4-box-set-134.html#comment-1373 I was meeting a candidate at a Restaurant for an interview which included the General Manager and the VP of Human Resources. The HR VP proceeded to get absolutely smashed during dinner complete with slurred questions to the candidate. It was the longest interview of my life. I was meeting a candidate at a Restaurant for an interview which included the General Manager and the VP of Human Resources. The HR VP proceeded to get absolutely smashed during dinner complete with slurred questions to the candidate. It was the longest interview of my life.

]]> By: Andy http://cbri.com/hrconsultants/hroutsourcing/win-the-office-seasons-1-4-box-set-134.html#comment-1372 Andy Fri, 06 Mar 2009 17:17:35 +0000 http://cbri.com/hrconsultants/hroutsourcing/win-the-office-seasons-1-4-box-set-134.html#comment-1372 I had a coworker jockingly stick a gun in my face and pull the trigger. Luckely it wasn't loaded. Needless to say I wasn't amused. I confronted him and told him you never point a gun at anyone now mater if it's loaded or not. Even if it's only a pellet gun. A week later I find pellets all over my desk area and embedded in the boxes in front of my desk. Hear is where the nightmare begins. I went to my manager and asked to be transfered to another project, I told him I wanted nothing to do with a person that would pull a gun on me. I was told that I was being unreasonable and was told I had to sit and "talk" to this person. I responded with emails saying I saw no benifit and repeated that I wanted nothing to do with this person. Who then showed up at my desk. This seemed to make management happy with him but I am now the person who was and is being unreasonable. It is now a year later and I still sit here at the same company because of this wonderful economy. I dispise everyday come in. I know that I will be the first one gone if there is a layoff, because I am now a legal liability. I am an engineer and work for a very well known person (you would be surprised) if I were to make a stink he could make it so I would never work again. I have been looking for another job but because of the economy I am still here. I had a coworker jockingly stick a gun in my face and pull the trigger. Luckely it wasn’t loaded. Needless to say I wasn’t amused. I confronted him and told him you never point a gun at anyone now mater if it’s loaded or not. Even if it’s only a pellet gun. A week later I find pellets all over my desk area and embedded in the boxes in front of my desk. Hear is where the nightmare begins. I went to my manager and asked to be transfered to another project, I told him I wanted nothing to do with a person that would pull a gun on me. I was told that I was being unreasonable and was told I had to sit and “talk” to this person. I responded with emails saying I saw no benifit and repeated that I wanted nothing to do with this person. Who then showed up at my desk. This seemed to make management happy with him but I am now the person who was and is being unreasonable. It is now a year later and I still sit here at the same company because of this wonderful economy. I dispise everyday come in. I know that I will be the first one gone if there is a layoff, because I am now a legal liability. I am an engineer and work for a very well known person (you would be surprised) if I were to make a stink he could make it so I would never work again. I have been looking for another job but because of the economy I am still here.

]]> By: Sandra Richardson http://cbri.com/hrconsultants/hroutsourcing/win-the-office-seasons-1-4-box-set-134.html#comment-1371 Sandra Richardson Fri, 06 Mar 2009 15:19:54 +0000 http://cbri.com/hrconsultants/hroutsourcing/win-the-office-seasons-1-4-box-set-134.html#comment-1371 I worked in an office that I shared with two other people. The desks were in a triangle with short partitions between us, but it is possible to see one another through the gaps. One co-worker is part-time, so I was frequently alone with the third. Right after lunch, before many of the other employees returned from lunch I would hear and see him participating in a solo activity usually done in the bedroom. Once I figured out what he was doing, I went to human resources. The manager told me that as she has only had my word about this, I should go find her when he does it again so she can know for herself. The problem is, she was never around when it happened. He would stop if I get up to go out the door and starts when I sat down again. Eventually, I would use the land line phone to call my cell phone, let the voice mail run and record his noises. Their solution was to move me to a window office and put another guy in my old cube space. I worked in an office that I shared with two other people. The desks were in a triangle with short partitions between us, but it is possible to see one another through the gaps. One co-worker is part-time, so I was frequently alone with the third. Right after lunch, before many of the other employees returned from lunch I would hear and see him participating in a solo activity usually done in the bedroom. Once I figured out what he was doing, I went to human resources. The manager told me that as she has only had my word about this, I should go find her when he does it again so she can know for herself. The problem is, she was never around when it happened. He would stop if I get up to go out the door and starts when I sat down again. Eventually, I would use the land line phone to call my cell phone, let the voice mail run and record his noises. Their solution was to move me to a window office and put another guy in my old cube space.

]]> By: Ghazala Butt http://cbri.com/hrconsultants/hroutsourcing/win-the-office-seasons-1-4-box-set-134.html#comment-1369 Ghazala Butt Fri, 06 Mar 2009 05:27:16 +0000 http://cbri.com/hrconsultants/hroutsourcing/win-the-office-seasons-1-4-box-set-134.html#comment-1369 I am working in a Software House as a Manager HR. Some days ago CTO called me and asked me to call a person who was going to join us the very next week and ordered that he should not join us. I was totally uninformed of that joining. I asked him “who’s going to join us?”, he said “I don’t know just call him”. That was really irritating for me. I called to branch manager and came to know that a new developer was joining us with getting any offer letter. He gave me his contact number. I called him and conveyed him the message. That person got annoyed and he wrote a long email to the management. The most horrible part of this story was that the CTO called me and said, “Did I ask you to say that to him? I just said that in anger due to some issues with that person. Now everything is fine, so call him and request him to join us”. I was just shocked. He was the CTO of the company but so unprofessional. I wrote an email to him and refused to do so. I also send the carbon copy of that mail to CEO. That developer didn’t join us. I am working in a Software House as a Manager HR. Some days ago CTO called me and asked me to call a person who was going to join us the very next week and ordered that he should not join us. I was totally uninformed of that joining. I asked him “who’s going to join us?”, he said “I don’t know just call him”. That was really irritating for me. I called to branch manager and came to know that a new developer was joining us with getting any offer letter. He gave me his contact number. I called him and conveyed him the message. That person got annoyed and he wrote a long email to the management. The most horrible part of this story was that the CTO called me and said, “Did I ask you to say that to him? I just said that in anger due to some issues with that person. Now everything is fine, so call him and request him to join us”. I was just shocked. He was the CTO of the company but so unprofessional. I wrote an email to him and refused to do so. I also send the carbon copy of that mail to CEO. That developer didn’t join us.

]]> By: Kathy McKnight http://cbri.com/hrconsultants/hroutsourcing/win-the-office-seasons-1-4-box-set-134.html#comment-1368 Kathy McKnight Thu, 05 Mar 2009 18:46:55 +0000 http://cbri.com/hrconsultants/hroutsourcing/win-the-office-seasons-1-4-box-set-134.html#comment-1368 I was working as a staffing specialist for a large staffing firm. It was my job to identify candidates to put to work through a VMS, submitting many candidates and the VMS narrows down the candidates. A candidate was identified by the name of "Nancy", and she had a great record with our firm, so I set her up for the position. When "Nancy" came to my office, I thought to myself, wow, she is one of the largest women I had ever met! Standing over 6' tall, size 12 heels. She came in and I was clueless that I was speaking to a man - - - totally clueless until my customer called me on Nancy's first day to state that we had to let her go, it made her other male employees very uncomfortable for Nancy to come in and lift her skirt to releive himherself in the mens bathroom. Laugh or cry, Laugh or cry! Seems that Nancy was changing into a woman, and legally she had to use the mens room until she was made a whole woman. Of course before I acted on this, I had to call our HR department and get some advice, after she stopped laughing and pulled herself off of the floor! I was working as a staffing specialist for a large staffing firm. It was my job to identify candidates to put to work through a VMS, submitting many candidates and the VMS narrows down the candidates.

A candidate was identified by the name of “Nancy”, and she had a great record with our firm, so I set her up for the position. When “Nancy” came to my office, I thought to myself, wow, she is one of the largest women I had ever met! Standing over 6′ tall, size 12 heels. She came in and I was clueless that I was speaking to a man - - - totally clueless until my customer called me on Nancy’s first day to state that we had to let her go, it made her other male employees very uncomfortable for Nancy to come in and lift her skirt to releive himherself in the mens bathroom. Laugh or cry, Laugh or cry! Seems that Nancy was changing into a woman, and legally she had to use the mens room until she was made a whole woman.

Of course before I acted on this, I had to call our HR department and get some advice, after she stopped laughing and pulled herself off of the floor!

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