topic Re: Co-worker Issue..Would you let it go? in Community Chat

Co-worker Issue..Would you let it go?

CouponQueen — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 15:21:07 GMT

Not my issue but my friends. I have a friend who works on one of the offices where we work. I work no shift ..all hours and days etc in the field.and go into the Office on occasion as needed.

My coworker/friend is having an issue with the Clerk. The Clerk is out a lot (another issue for another thread) and when she is out everybody else has to pitch in and cover. They use a database for demographic information. Name, age, race, etc. Well my friend uses Capital Letters in the Database such as Caucasion, Catholic, etc. The clerk comes on duty and goes behind her and changes it all to lowercase every single time. Then she uses a slang for a hospital and not the real name (in reality you can say the slang when referring to the hospital but when writing it, it should be the correct real legal name..). My coworker/friend uses the hospitals real name and not slang. The clerk also goes behind and will change that real name to the slang she uses. My friend changes it back..and the Clerk will change it right back again. She said at this point in time it is the point of the situation. You do not change another persons work because you do not like the way they did it.

My friend has about had it. The Supervisor is aware and told her she understands her being annoyed and if she wants to discuss it with her go ahead. Her thought is to let the Clerk have her way and do whatever she wants..'as that is her..'

I agree with my friend...enough is enough. If somebody went behind me and changed my work because it was not "her way" although information was still entered and correct. I would be annoyed to. Oh and my friend is in charge of the area at least once a week and other times when the Supervisor is not there.

Would you tell her nicely to knock it off..or let her go and change your work?

Re: Co-worker Issue..Would you let it go?

ive been framed — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 15:31:50 GMT

I would have a discussion with her about the changes she made and why she feels the importance of taking the time to make changes- discussed in a very business type way as opposed to personal.

But first, is this about accuracy in information on your friend's part or just the fact the clerk is overriding your friend's work as some power play (which I can see would be rather insulting)?

Re: Co-worker Issue..Would you let it go?

TaxyLady — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 15:37:26 GMT

I would let it go. I find this to be petty and not worth arguing over. Who cares if letters are capitalized or not. Maybe the clerk is just trying to make computer entries uniform. Who knows but I would not pick this battle.

Re: Co-worker Issue..Would you let it go?

JamicaJammer — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 15:38:17 GMT

How badly does your friend need that paycheck?

IMHO, ONLY if she's willing to risk being under the microscope and potentially released from her job, I'd ask for a meeting with the changer and the supervisor. I'd NEVER meet just with the changer.

And at the very start of the meeting, have my pad and pen ready to WRITE DOWN INFO.

That way, they know you're going to make a record of what was decided in that meeting.

If the supervisor refuses to meet with the 2 people, you know right then that the changer has passive/aggressive support of management, and your friend should either let it go or get another job.

Re: Co-worker Issue..Would you let it go?

Marp2 — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 15:39:34 GMT

Is your friend the only one that capitalizes and uses the proper hospital name?

If others also enter data the same way as your friend does the clerk also change their entries?

If the database is searched or sorted is it case sensitive?

Is there a trail to show that what your friend entered was changed by someone else?

To me the most critical question would be if there is a trail that shows someone else changed your friend's entry just in case a question came up about the entry at some point.

My inclination would be to try to learn why the clerk keeps making the changes and weather or not she does this to everyone or just your friend. If it is a case of principle at this point between the clerk and your friend I would let it go while trying to find out the underlying reasons why the clerk is singling out your friend.

Re: Co-worker Issue..Would you let it go?

MaggieToo — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 15:45:59 GMT

If a word is supposed to be capitalized, it should be. Some people are just getting to be too lazy about too many things these days. It is just as easy to be correct about things as it is to not be. Do it right.

Re: Co-worker Issue..Would you let it go?

Deb1010again — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 15:46:33 GMT

From what you've written it seems to me it's the CLERK'S job to maintain the database. It's important to have everything UNIFORM in a database. I'm sure that's the reason she's changing things. IMO that's dedication to your job. Perhaps your friend could nicely approach the clerk and ask some questions about the database and then ask why her work is being changed to confirm.

Re: Co-worker Issue..Would you let it go?

Mominohio — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 15:47:20 GMT

On 3/5/2014 Marp2 said:
Is your friend the only one that capitalizes and uses the proper hospital name?

If others also enter data the same way as your friend does the clerk also change their entries?

If the database is searched or sorted is it case sensitive?

Is there a trail to show that what your friend entered was changed by someone else?

To me the most critical question would be if there is a trail that shows someone else changed your friend's entry just in case a question came up about the entry at some point.

My inclination would be to try to learn why the clerk keeps making the changes and weather or not she does this to everyone or just your friend. If it is a case of principle at this point between the clerk and your friend I would let it go while trying to find out the underlying reasons why the clerk is singling out your friend.

Excellent points. If none of the upper/lower case, hospital name things matter and if the clerk is doing it to other's entries, I'd just follow her system and forget it.

If it is something that can come back on your friend later, postings under her name/number that are incorrect because of not using proper names etc. then I would report the clerk to the appropriate supervisor. I don't like someone editing my work, where it can come back to look like that is how I entered it. I'd tell her if she is going to edit my work, she needs to note that she did the editing.

I think the clerk needs to get to work more often if she isn't happy with others filling in for her, or hold a training session on just how things should be entered.

Re: Co-worker Issue..Would you let it go?

ive been framed — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 15:51:25 GMT

Excellent, mominohio!

Re: Co-worker Issue..Would you let it go?

Marianne1 — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 15:57:31 GMT

Is there a written procedure somewhere to cover the database entries?

I used to be the circulation director for a national newsmagazine, and all of my staff had to follow the same instructions for data entry into the data bases as it made a difference in getting the data out for labels, reports, audits etc.

Re: Co-worker Issue..Would you let it go?

sidsmom — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 16:12:49 GMT

If I'm reading correctly, capital letters & different wording indicates the Clerk is not there. That's why she's adamant about changing it back to "her way". If Clerk would claim she's working & the Supervisor would see the entries we're not her style, that would raise red flags. Sounds like she's covering her own butt, yes?

Marianne: that's true...didn't know how sophisticated their systems were.

Do you think she has ADD?

Re: Co-worker Issue..Would you let it go?

Marianne1 — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 16:16:42 GMT

In most computer systems you can tell who and when things are entered and updated.

Re: Co-worker Issue..Would you let it go?

151949 — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 16:24:55 GMT

If your friend's signature is on this work that means the clerk has no right to change even one letter and she should discuss it with her. if it does not have her signature - who cares. I was once pulled to a different ICU than the one where I normally worked. The manager came behind me and changed my assessment of the patient. i went ballistic since it is a legal document and had MY signature on it and IMO was incorrect. I asked her to initial what she had changed and she blew me off - i went to her supervisor and asked her what to do about it - the superviser took it back to her - ripped it up and told me to rewrite the entire thing - which means I had a lot of extra work to do, but at least I made my point. ultimately, once that supervisor, who had protected this manager was gone the manager was fired. And bonus - While she was still there I never had to go and work there again.

Re: Co-worker Issue..Would you let it go?

pinkskates4 — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 17:45:08 GMT

Your friend has already complained to the supervisor about it - apparently before talking to the Clerk and making any attempt to find out why she is doing this - and the supervisor while saying she "understood that your friend was annoyed" also said she should talk to the Clerk about it. It seems the supervisor has no problem with it - other than an unhappy employee.

Since your friend has already involved the boss, it probably would be good to now talk to the Clerk - in case the supervisor asks the Clerk at some point if you two have resolved the issue.

Unfortunately, it looks like your friend wants to get the Clerk in trouble rather than solve the problem. This does not bode well for her and I hope she can take a more positive approach in the future.

Re: Co-worker Issue..Would you let it go?

CouponQueen — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 17:54:53 GMT

On 3/5/2014 JamicaJammer said:
How badly does your friend need that paycheck?

IMHO, ONLY if she's willing to risk being under the microscope and potentially released from her job, I'd ask for a meeting with the changer and the supervisor. I'd NEVER meet just with the changer.

And at the very start of the meeting, have my pad and pen ready to WRITE DOWN INFO.

That way, they know you're going to make a record of what was decided in that meeting.

If the supervisor refuses to meet with the 2 people, you know right then that the changer has passive/aggressive support of management, and your friend should either let it go or get another job.

You can't get let go from this type of job like that..Unions and all! That isn't even on the radar. Her frustration is dealing with the Clerk. The Database is not sensitive to lowercase/uppercase and only one other person uses it and that is to actually take information out for her report.

Others in the Dept do have access to the Database but only the Clerk, my friend and Supervisor actually can make changes.

You can tell the time and date stamp of the changes..so yes, she knows it is being done and by who.

She said the Supervisor totally understands her frustration and supports her on whatever she wants to do. I think the Supervisor would be very willing to meet with them both or even one. She is a pretty decent person.

Everybody knows when she calls in, she can't hide it.. Either my friend or their supervisor then do the database. According to my friend the Supervisor said she also changes her entries too she noticed. She changed them back to see what would be done and the Clerk would rechange them lol..

The Clerk has many issues and the Supervisor lets it go on her end ..but said she gets it that my friend has had enough and that we all have different levels of acceptance. She has drawn the line in other areas so she understands.

From what I have gathered the Clerk keeps making the changes as that is the way "it always has been done.." meaning that is the way she has always done things. She has some issues with my friend coming into the dept a couple years ago and has the role of back up supervisor/coordinator of the dept.

There is no right/wrong way to enter things in the database. It is a listing of demographic information and only one outside person accesses it for her reports and she is able to gather the information she needs whether it be captial or not.

The Database is not one person's domain per se..it is the Dept. The Clerk does it primarily when she is there but when she is not (which is often and another thread in itself LOL) my friend and supervisor then step in and do it.

I don't think my friend it out to get the Clerk in trouble..as if that was the case there are some major other issues that she could def do..the Supervisor has had issues with the Clerk on other levels and spoke to her. My friend is in the know as like I said she is back up to the Supervisor. My friend said she just wants her work to be left alone as long as it is correct. If she entered say the wrong DOB that would be another story. But to go behind somebody and change the way they enter something because it isn't the way you do it or want it..Well that wouldn't set right with me either.

I think she is going to say something to her give her a chance to explain why she keeps changing her work when it is not wrong....I will let you know the outcome when I know lol!!

Thanks for the responses.

Re: Co-worker Issue..Would you let it go?

kittymomNC — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 18:14:37 GMT

I don't understand why the supervisor is putting this off on your friend to work out - if the supervisor is aware of the problem, why is she not directly involved in resolving it??? That should be in her job description......sounds to me like she doesn't want to deal with it....

Re: Co-worker Issue..Would you let it go?

nunya — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 18:21:18 GMT

On 3/5/2014 CouponQueen said:
There is no right/wrong way to enter things in the database. It is a listing of demographic information and only one outside person accesses it for her reports and she is able to gather the information she needs whether it be captial or not.

If that's the case, I would pick my battles more wisely.

Re: Co-worker Issue..Would you let it go?

pinkskates4 — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 19:31:19 GMT

On 3/5/2014 kittymomNC said:
I don't understand why the supervisor is putting this off on your friend to work out - if the supervisor is aware of the problem, why is she not directly involved in resolving it??? That should be in her job description......sounds to me like she doesn't want to deal with it....

Altho I was contradicted when I said this before - 35 years in HR confirmed my statement that most supervisors/managers do not like conflict - and are not particularly happy when employees bring them these sorts of problems.

You can say all day - and you are right - that this is part of their job. However......

Re: Co-worker Issue..Would you let it go?

raven-blackbird — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 19:35:47 GMT

personally...........your friend is making a big deal about nothing.........................raven

Re: Co-worker Issue..Would you let it go?

TaxyLady — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 19:39:51 GMT

On 3/5/2014 kittymomNC said:
I don't understand why the supervisor is putting this off on your friend to work out - if the supervisor is aware of the problem, why is she not directly involved in resolving it??? That should be in her job description......sounds to me like she doesn't want to deal with it....

Coming from management I know why. This is petty. There are always trouble makers and some managers do not want to deal with petty squabbles. Women are notorious for them. I know this from experience. I once said to my staff "you better learn how to get along or we can walk upstairs and you can explain it to the big boss" They got along.