morons 'R' us

Thank god my day is over. Its been a dreadful 14 hours at work and every minute is nothing but hell.

Now, you must be wondering "why 14 hours????". Well, the thing about the molasses is my office, is that....everything comes with a price. I requested for an exceptional off day a few weeks back, and now I'm paying back for it. Double. Not that I have not repaid the favor in doing OT, but now I'm condemned in doin every single OT that is requested.

Normally, whenever I phrase a title like this posting as such, usually I'm referring to the idiotic customers that I get. HOWEVER, as much as I really hate to say this.....this time I'm referring to the management in my company.

Seriously, sometimes they are worse than the customers.

Its been a complicated week and the more I think about whats going on in office; the more compelled I am to write about it.

I'm not too sure if ever I will land in hot soup, but things are getting.....out of hand.

For starters, as customer service officers in the call center, there aren't many occasions that we really look forward to as fellow colleagues. Hence, the sense of pride and unity is of course heightened whenever we celebrate the Customer Service Bash. A Dinner and Dance....solely for the brothers-in-arms of Customer Service.

You share the night partying with your peers that, understands the most what you have to go through day after day.

So as you can see, I hadn't put any thought into it as I am off on the joyful night and I am definately looking forward to it.

Suddenly, the management sent out a memorandum that specifically says that no swapping of shifts is allowed for the month of December and January.

Of course, initially I didnt put too much thought into it. THEN.....I started to think about my other colleagues that have to work during the CS Bash. What choice do they have? Previously, we were always able to swap shifts and allowed officers that wanted to go attend the Bash.

I mean, what kind of message is the management trying to send out? Its like they are telling you, "Well, you are part of the customer service department. However, we decide to schedule you to work on that night and......just too bad. Way to go Customer Service! Err....By the way, you're still part of the team!".

With their Gestapo tactics, they have now turned the ever so-joyous occasion into a living hell. Not only they are specifically telling people that they can't look forward to the Bash, but even if you are off on that day.....you have to give and excuse if you decide not to go!

Seriously. Look at the big picture. What's happening to the department? And with high MC rates in the office, and with the looming Xmas and CNY celebrations, they are going to "force" staff to take more MCs with the "no-swapping" shift rule; and MCs are already a big unsolvable problem for the management these days.

What's wrong with 2 officers mutually agreeing to swap their shifts? Some people prefer to work during holidays and some don't. No matter how you look at it, it doesn't matter who's working....but as long as you have people working! The head-count is what is more important.

Till now, I still fail to see the management's rational of disallowing officer's to swap shift. There is NO WAY that there is any positive effects to this rule.

And another thing. Recently I heard a news going around that management has realised that once the year end appraisals are done, MC rates have shot up and staff performance is on the decline.

So, God knows who's moronic-faeces-filled-rectum they pulled this idea from....but now the management is considering to re-do everyone's Appraisal. Whether legal or not in the eyes of the law, I cant say.

But what I can say is.....IF I was the management, the proper action this.

If you have one staff whose performance is dropping; you coach that staff. But if the ENTIRE Call Center's performance is dropping....I think its time for some self reflection and start asking questions. Try to find the root of the problem and solve it.

Now, I might not be experienced enough or I might not fully understand the contraints and limitations that the management have at hand; but correct me if I'm wrong.....But I have always thought that one of the main objectives of managers are to motivate their staff. Not to DEMOTIVATE them. Currently, with the changes the management has made for the past few months, their main objective MUST be to demotivate staff morale.

Still, I believe in every managerial dillemma, there has to the a solution that mutually benefits staff and management. An equilibrium that makes everyone happy.

Bottomline, cure the disease, not the symptoms. Get it in your thick craniums........STAFF SATISFACTION IS AT A ALL TIME LOW!!!!

In my office, the management is just comprise of a bunch of sadist. Their sole purpose is to make life a living hell for the staff.

Once they see that you have it easy? Don't worry. They will think of some way to make your life miserable. And trust me, most of the time they think not from their heads, but from their asses.