I work in a small company (50 or less), so normally it is like a family atmosphere. However lately, it sure has been like a dysfunctional family.

There has been a lot of problems with the Administrative staff and the Clinical staff in the last several months. As to why, it would be because of some special treatment given to one group over the other. We were always told that management thought everyone was equal. However, after a meeting we had this week, that is NOT the case.

Our boss pretty much told the Admin staff that they were there to 'serve' the Clinical staff and to do 'whatever they needed or asked us to do'. Another manager informed us that 'an 8th grade drop-out could do our jobs.' This made us feel like 2nd class employees and like they were threatening us with being fired if we didn't do this.

Apparently our jobs depend on us doing this, but we were totally blown away when told this. Are we looking at this wrong? What would any of you do in this situation?

Thanks!

well .. I know very well how you are feeling .. the job I worked at for five years was a very very small company, only four stores and ten people at each store and these were the people that you worked with for 40+ hours each week so yes, it was definitely like a family .. anyways even though we were there to do a specific job, everyone knew the real job was "up selling" products to the customers that came in .. and let me tell you what .. if we didn't meet our quota for the day, week, month, etc., we certainly heard about it and how about its not that hard to do, anyone walking in off the streets could do our job and we weren't fast enough, smart enough, quick enough, you get my drift .. anyways it came down to me dreading going into work everyday and literally having stomach pains just thinking about going into work .. I soon became so stressed out over that stupid job and their quotas that I started passing out, literally just blacking right out and falling down to the ground .. even here at home at night when it was time to go to bed but all I could do was think about how many more products I would have to sell the next day to make quota .. sorry this is so long but here is my final statement .. I worked that job five years to many .. it made me physically ill, mentally stressed, and emotionally detached from my family .. its just a job and if it doesn't feel right to you, dont deal with it the way I did ... get out!! (if you can!!!!)

The 8th grader comment was totally out of line. That is the kind of smarta$$ remark that you think but NEVER speak out loud.

It almost sounds like there are some issues between the departments that involve only a few people, but they are addressing it to everyone as to not single anyone out. That's why it's so out of the blue to you.

In any event, I wouldn't start looking for a new job, it will probably blow over and everything will be back to normal soon. Usually these things work themselves out on their own. But I would get a little notebook and write down the date and circumstance of any future remarks/situations that arise. You never know when you might need to pull it out. I was in hotel sales, and the banquet manager was always belittling us, screaming at us, using the f word all the time at us, throwing things, storming out, sabotaging our events if we pissed him off, etc. I started keeping a log of it, and after a year of being harrassed, the owners finally got involved and I was able to totally kick his butt with all of the notes I had.

Does HR know what is going on? Sure is bad for morale.

I would start looking for another job as soon as possible. Your managers need a team building class and to learn that berating their employees is not the way to encourage them work harder or together. Have they always expressed their job requirements this way? Yikes!

I'd contact my union asap - do you have one?

boy, that sure is rude!

I think that what I would do is start looking for another job. You can pretend nothing has changed at the old job until you're ready to quit. Perhaps when you fill out an application at your new job, you can say that you're reason for leaving is because you're not challenged enough, seeing as how "an 8th grade dropout can do it"

Good luck in whatever you decide. I'm just saying what I would do in your situation. It can't be comfortable working there now that you've lost respect for your managers.

I've worked in large corporations and I've worked in small family owned businesses. Both have their ups and downs.

Yes, I'd start looking for another job. This is just a hint of their attitudes toward the work you do and don't think for a second that your raises, or lack of, won't reflect this attitude! The 8th grade comment means they think some 15 year old kid can do what you do. I'd love to ask them if they want to bring teenagers in to run their office! And oh, yeah, by the way, still enable them to make a profit.

I worked for 15 years at one of the largest insurance companies in the world. I was the secretary to the audit manager, so I was pretty up there. It was absolutely pi$$ me off when I'd hear people talk about our file clerks like they were the lowest of the low and completely replaceable. When you are maintaining 500,000 files, you better have some pretty organized and skilled people doing it! I'd remind the snotty morons that "if all the file clerks called in sick, this place would shut down and don't you forget it!" (Yes, my mom-finger was going even back then!)

EVERY job is important! Admin's wouldn't have a job if it wasn't for the Clinical and the clinical couldn't get anything done (i.e. wouldn't have a job) without the Admins. This guy is no manager if he doens't understand that!

Thank you all for your responses. Yes, it has been a very sad, eye-opening week. The 10 of us in Admin are just almost heartbroken over their comments.

We have talked and talked, and we know whatever we say to Management won't be taken seriously, so we have just decided for now, to stay put, keep our mouths shut, and do our job. There are a few of us looking at other jobs, but it really is a great place (or WAS) to work, until the other day. But we are keeping track of everything that is said and documenting it, just in case. This is the first time our boss has been 'a boss'. In his old job, he was about mid way thru the work chain, and I think his inexperience is suddenly showing. He has only been a manager for about 8 months now.

I'll keep you posted if anything else happens. Thanks again for all your responses. It is good just to be able to talk about it with wonderful people outside of work.