The Student Room Group

Management Guy with a Huge Ego

This has many comparisons to unrelated material, just to give you an exact impression.

I had to go and sort out my holidays at work, the Administation where I work sucks. I work at Tesco by the way. To be more specific, the one in Gillingham, Medway.

I knock on the door and wait for a second. "ENTEEER", like. You know that robot from Futurama who has the caesar hat, and eats grapes. That sort of voice. Exactly that sort of voice.
"I have to sort out my holidays"

Almost one second later: "You've got to sort out your hair", I hear from this guy. He's about 50, Grey hair, lounging on an office chair with two Demi-managers facing him. He's obviously got some Ego thing going on about him. I say to him;" I take that as a personal insult", not joking or anything, since I like my hair, and I thought it looked normal. He doesn;t say anything for a bit.

The woman I talk to about my holidays says it is a bit high, since I use that awesome Manga putty, anyway.

"I don't really know what it looks like, I mean, I've just been sitting at a checkout for 4 hours" "It is rather high", she says.
"Like you've had an electric shock!" The Ego Guy says from a distance. I say "I'd rather you didn't make comparisons". I finish my business with holiday lady and walk to the door.

"And on a footnote...." He says, I look him in the eyes for one second, and walk out mid sentence.

Now Im sitting at home, thinking of all the things I could have said and done. This guy is like, senior management. Judging by the way he talked and the way he was sitting, I think he was just showing off to the Demi-Supervisors. To me it felt like bullying. I looked in the window on my way home and my hair didn't look bad or high, certainly within Tescos limits anyway.

I think it was best I didn't say anything, as I'd probably make a threat that would get me fired, even though Im quitting in a month and a bit.

I don't think this is the way someone in Management should act at all. It left me in a really bad mood. I didn't catch his name either.

Sorry I just had to get this off my chest. If you ever find yourself in Tesco Gillingham within the next month, come see the guy with hair that needs sorting out

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Reply 1
oops i thought it was a girl posting :biggrin:

Sometimes (well a lot of the time) you have to take crap from people above you, esp if you want to keep your job etc, its just a bit of hair, pat it down a little, head down, get job done and get your money!
Reply 2
Its a lot harder to get fired than you seem to think it is. Telling him to **** off wouldn't have got you fired, especially as he was attacking your appearance (which is defined as harassment/bullying in law).
Reply 3
silverswan75
I hope you don't mind me mentioning this: I used to work in a shop, and sometimes I worked with someone who was about 60, who used to have the door wide open "to attract more people". I wanted the door shut because I was shivering, but she didn't. What would you have done?


Refuse to work.
Reply 4
"I have to sort out my holidays" is hardly polite so I suspect he was just responding to you in an equally blunt manner.
Reply 5
What an arseface. And I know he's above you in rank, but he's not some kind of superior being to you. He's still a human being. And a bloody obnoxious one at that.

Be civil, but not polite. Respect his rules, but don't admire him. The guy is an utter turd, but if you want to keep your job, just put up with it. If it gets really bad, consider making a formal complaint; however, sadly it seems that in business the people who look after your complaints tend to be biased towards the management rather than the employees. You could give it a go though, if it gets bad.

Might I suggest documenting this case and any further cases of harrassment? Just to serve as evidence if necessary.
Reply 6
Wez
"I have to sort out my holidays" is hardly polite so I suspect he was just responding to you in an equally blunt manner.


I wasn't talking to him, I was talking to someone else. And I didn't say it to make it seem like it was their fault, even though it was. I've never even seen this man around the store anymore, maybe he just got promoted or something? If he's like this when I see him again, I'll definetly react differently.

Also I don't see anything wrong with being blunt in this situation. Whats the point in beating around the bush when its such a tame subject. What else am I going to say?
Reply 7
Airel
What else am I going to say?

E...e...excuse m-m-me, master...so, so, so, so, sooooo sorry to bother you when you are so, so, so, so, soooooo busy, but I...I wondered whether I c-c-could perhaps ask for your great wisdom regarding when I should take a holiday?"
Reply 8
Airel
I wasn't talking to him, I was talking to someone else. And I didn't say it to make it seem like it was their fault, even though it was. I've never even seen this man around the store anymore, maybe he just got promoted or something? If he's like this when I see him again, I'll definetly react differently.

Also I don't see anything wrong with being blunt in this situation. Whats the point in beating around the bush when its such a tame subject. What else am I going to say?

"Excuse me, I'd like to sort out my holiday plans. Could you please help me?"
I know what annoying bosses are like, mine was doing my head in today. He thought he was being funny. I think he grasped the fact it was annoying me after the 3rd "stop talking crap".

It's easier just to ignore them sometimes.
Reply 10
About these holidays, I just wanted to get to the point. Twice now, my holidays have been allocated before I've been told about them. Its most annoying to turn up for work to hear; "You're on holiday, but you're here now....Till 12, we'll sort you out another holiday".

I told my parents about it when I came in. Now for an Injection of lulz; My mum said she'd put a spell on him. She is weird. Last time she said that, the guy got hit by a car. Seriously.
Reply 11
Have a good laugh at the fact that his life has amounted to working as a glorified shelf stacker, and your going to be so much more successful :smile:
Its nothing compared to Morrisons, believe me. Keep an eye out for some good personal insults though, there is nothing like sweet revenge
silverswan75
I hope you don't mind me mentioning this: I used to work in a shop, and sometimes I worked with someone who was about 60, who used to have the door wide open "to attract more people". I wanted the door shut because I was shivering, but she didn't. What would you have done?


Depends how cold it was- if the working conditions were "unreasonable", then I would have forced her to shut it under the Health and Safety etc. Act. And upon refusal, I'd have sued her!
Ah mate sack him off, who cares. As soon as you tell him to f off or whatever you're bringing yourself down to his level.

WOuld you rather be a 50 year old grey Tesco manager or a student with your life ahead of you....seriously man just laugh it off. Like I do when I get flamed on here. Just laugh at them...anyone who insults you is beneath you.
Reply 15
This might not sound like much, but you guys really cheered me up. I'd rep you all if I could.
To be pefectly honest, most managers in retail shops have big ego's. The manager I worked under was so up his own rear end.
honestly, just live with it. what i mean is that yes it does suck and he shouldn't do it but the fact is that this guy sounds like your boss and if you tick him off, he can fire you and can probably employ someone else just as easily. so try not to cheese him off. persoanlly i would love to see all tesco staff with cool hair-do's but unfortunately he is the guy in charge.
Reply 18
Well Im going back tomorow. Part of me wants to see him to see if he was just joking, or if he has a problem with me. I've never seen him before, and I've worked there for 10 months now, so chances are I won't see him until I quit (June 16th). Sorry to bump my own thread and stuff.
Reply 19
Had to talk to a woman about it today. I have an attitude problem apparently.