Please tell me if this would make you feel uncomfortable?

Question

Ok, so I work in a small mortgage office. I work under three different managers (2 male and 1 female) and a broker (owner). One of the male managers, let's just call him Jerk, is a big jerk! He is a complete control freak! He makes my life at work a living hell. Everyone in the office is convinced that he has something on the owner because for some reason the owner lets him do whatever he wants. He over rides the other two managers...even the owner. So many people have quit because of him. But the owner won't fire him. He allows it and his company is downsizing because of him. He bullies all of the loan officers here. Everyone hates him here. You get the point.

Well, I am the receptionist here at the office. He HATES it when I engage in any type or form of conversation with anyone. He always "butts" in and says it's time to break it up or asks what do you have to be doing right now kind of question. Like if I am talking to my direct manager about work related stuff, he'll interrupt

and say, "do you want me to answer the phones because they keep ringing?" or he'll say, "someone is at the front" and I'll go to the front and no one is there. He does the shadiest things imaginable.

Well, lately he has been making me feel very uncomfortable. Yesterday he saw me talking to one of the loan officers because the loan officer asked for help on something and walked by and gave me the ugliest look and just stood there. I walked away and looked at him and rolled my eyes.

The look that he gave me made me feel so uncomfortable because he always does this to me. He's even gone as far as taking the loan officer a side and told him the can not talk to me at all! Not even a "Hi, how are you?" Everytime he sees me talking to him, he'll stand there, fold his arms and give us a dirty look until we walk away. He takes it to personal that I feel like he likes me.

I should mention that we were good friends until he started to behave this way. I stopped being friends with him. I told him that I treat him the way I treat everyone else. He said that loan officers take time away from my work, but then yet he would call me into his office and tell me about his weekend. I told him that that would have to stop because I would have to treat everyone the same, including him. His behavior really freaks me out and scares me.
Now he is a HUGE jerk to me!

I complained to my Manager and told her that he makes me feel uncomfortable and she said, "It's just Jerk".

What makes me feel uncomfortable is that not only does he control the office, the managers, the loan officers here....he tries to control me and not let anyone talk to me or me talk to anyone else.

That look and stares that he gives me makes me feel so uncomfortable!

*********I do my job and I do it very well. I don't put work a side to chit chat. Work comes first. If and when I talk to loan officers...I can hear my phone ring and I am quick to answer it and greet clients*******

Answer 1

I'm sorry that's happening to you at work. Best thing you can do is find another job. I don't know why people treat people that way. Why don't you have your boyfriend take care of it? If my girlfriend was going through that I would have to have a little talk with him after hours with no one around. He shouldn't treat you like that, or anyone for that matter.

Answer 2

If your primary duties are to answer the phones and greet customers at the door - then that comes before anything/anyone else.

If you are helping a loan officer or speaking with a co-worker - does the phone go unanswered?

Or do you stop talking to the loan officer and answer the phone.

Remember, each phone call that goes unanswered is potential business that went somewhere else because you did not answer the phones.

It sounds like your boss wants you to focus on answering the phones and door. As such, do that. Make that your priority above all other duties.

In all honesty -it's not that different from any of the receptionists at any of my jobs. They can be a huge help to me but my current receptionist first and foremost answers the phones and door.

As the receptionist you are the first voice and face that customers see. They will fill valued and do business with you because of how you treat them. If you dismiss a customer b/c you are too busy doing something else - the customer will remember that and go else where. There are lots of places that make loans. They don't have to give their business to you.

Answer 3

He sounds like trouble. Be sure you know as much about the labor laws in your area as possible.

My response to the "conversation" issue is to jokingly that you are the receptionist and as such must be curtoius at al times. If he wants you to be short with his clients you will make a note of it. Its called good customer service and proper phone manners.

Also, breaking into somone elses conversation is rude and maybe he needs to be reminded of that. Keep it light. Make it almost a joke. He will get the point very fast that you are not going to be bossed around.

If your other managers or the owner won't back you up, its not a good work environment and you may want to look elsewhere. The extra stress is not good for your health!

Answer 4

You work with a jerk - plain and simple. Obviously, the jerk is going to continue to work there so you have two choices: stay and deal with it or quit.

Being an *** is not illegal.

Answer 5

It would make me uncomfortable and I've had managers like that before but you just live with it, build your resume and move on when the time comes. It's part of working life, kid.

Answer 6

None of that sounds illegal. If he's doing something that's actually against the law, report him. But if not, then either quit or deal with it.

Answer 7

Find another job. It looks like he will be there indefinitely and you do not have to put up with him.