So what horror stories do you have to tell about your former employers?
In these harsh times of job scarcity, many people are scared to speak out against their bosses and will tolerate anything, up to verbal abuse and being forced to work longer hours for the same pay, just to keep the peace and their job.
A recent survey found that up to 65% of workers are unhappy with the treatment meted out to them – and we are not talking about a Marikana-type situation.
Anonymous returns to the survey included managers forcing their workers to participate in ‘morning prayers’ and even having to endure being belittled by their bosses during these prayer sessions.
One woman reported her boss asking the Lord to please help to stop her wearing black, as this was the colour of evil.
Another worker complained of having to bring her own stationery to work and then was accused of theft when she did.
A male worker complained of being forced to compliment his moody female boss on her dress ‘even if she came in looking like a dog’. Any less than complimentary remarks would be met with a sharp rebuke.
A smoker was told to get out of the office and smoke in his car – but only before and after work. In another reply, personnel at one office reported having to bring their tea, coffee and milk to work and then were told to ‘make tea every hour on the hour’ for their demanding female boss.
Once, when two instead of one sugar was put in her tea, the errant worker had the cup flung at her.
A woman who fell pregnant months before her wedding was victimised by her boss to such an extent that she resigned to save herself and her baby, she claimed. The victimisation included having to work longer hours than normal, among ‘other unspecified things’.
On the other side of the coin, employers were asked to write about their ‘workers from hell’. Comments included those who routinely make off with the toilet paper, who never wash their dirty cups and saucers and listen to music over headphones instead of listening to customer queries.
In one office, one staff member openly operated his own business (illegally) and entertained his customers in his office. When he was suspended and then fired, he went to the Labour Department’s CCMA tribunal and was awarded three months’ salary.
Other employers told the survey about their staff drinking on the job and then taking a day to recover. Some workers even predicted when they would take sick leave.
However, according to the survey the ‘most irritating condition’ is having staff who ‘sit on their cellphones SMS-ing friends and family, sitting on the internet and chatting to friends’.
Another irritation is those who put empty milk cartons back in the fridge and those who refuse to empty their own waste paper bins even when they are overflowing.
Tell us about your horror story: dundee.courier@caxton.co.za.