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Verbal warning

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  • 20-07-2016 7:08pm
    #1
    Ciaram24
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭


    I was recently given a verbal warning for having my phone on the production floor. I'm only there 5weeks. I was told to have my phone in the training board incase my boss needed to get in contact. My job involves taking pictures of various issues on the factory floor with one camera between 2 people. The other person who has 10 years experience told me to use my phone as he needed the camera so I did. The boss saw me and gave me a verbal warning even though I highlighted all the above reasons. Is this being unfair ?


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    #2
    Fluffy Cat 88
    Closed Accounts Posts: 338 ✭✭Fluffy Cat 88


    Explain the situation to your boss calmly, however as phones are banned on the production floor I expect you'll keep the verbal warning.

    The person you were working with (10 years experience) may have told you to use your phone, but you knew the rules to begin with (notice he/she didn't risk using THEIR phone!)

    Worst case scenario - you get a verbal warning. Usually 6 months during which you'll have to keep your nose clean.

    I'm advising you - trust no-one. Workplaces are dog-eat-dog regardless of camaraderie/buddies etc. Always look after your own job. Sadly most people will hang you out to dry to avoid trouble for themselves.


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    #3
    Ciaram24
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭Ciaram24


    I was told during my training to have my phone with me. I was also told at present that most of the staff which I'm at supervisor level have there phone and turn a blind eye to it. The sales staff was on the floor during a huge audit and nothing said.

    Yes mobiles are suppose to be banned but its double standards. The other supervisors havnt been spoken too and they don't have company phones.

    It's not possible to do my job correctly without equipment and the other member has often used his phone and he has even told me she never has had an issue with it.


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    #4
    Stheno
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 51,688 Mod ✭✭✭✭Stheno


    We're you told that phones are not allowed on the production floor yes or no?


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    #5
    Ciaram24
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭Ciaram24


    I was told that I was allowed to have mine on me on the floor by the training manager.


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    #6
    Stheno
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 51,688 Mod ✭✭✭✭Stheno


    Ciaram24 wrote: »
    I was told that I was allowed to have mine on me on the floor by the training manager.

    Go back and talk to them about the warning


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    #7
    Ciaram24
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭Ciaram24


    I plan on. I've never gotten a warning from any employer. If I'm given incorrect information from the start of day one then this reflects badly on my performance within the company.


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    #8
    dr.fuzzenstein
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 16,620 ✭✭✭✭dr.fuzzenstein


    Ciaram24 wrote: »
    I plan on. I've never gotten a warning from any employer. If I'm given incorrect information from the start of day one then this reflects badly on my performance within the company.

    I'd be worried, looks like someone is looking for excuses to hand out warnings, could be a sign for more trouble ahead. More normal reaction would have been "OK, but don't do it again". No normal, intelligent human being with a functioning brain should have given you a warning.
    I've been in jobs where my timesheets were falsified and my boss blamed me for his own mistakes and received a formal warning for bad language at the workplace because I labeled something "what the", nothing else, just those 2 words. Sometimes it's not you.


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    #9
    BreadnBuddha
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,311 ✭✭✭BreadnBuddha


    This thread could easily bring about the 'them and us' stuff again.

    Look, you were told the rule is that you don't have your phone on the production floor. That's the rule.

    The training manager may have said something else, your workmate said something else, etc etc.

    Doesn't matter. You're a wet week in the door and you're breaking production floor rules. Not entirely your fault, but, you're ARE the one who brought a phone onto the production floor. Whoever's reprimanding you didn't tell you that you could bring your phone. They sure as hell didn't say that a new employee could take photos on a factory floor using their personal phone. Come on now. Does that not sound like a ridiculous thing to do? Can you see it from their point of view and WHY the rule is there?

    Apologise, accept the warning. That's what you must do first. You broke the RULE. You know it, they know it, so don't argue it.

    Once that's done politely, and I mean politely, tell the training manager you were reprimanded for bringing a phone onto the floor. Ask him/her to mention to your manager that you had your phone on the floor on their instruction. If they're decent, they'll handle it and it'll all go away. If they're not, they're not. You can't do anything about that.

    As for the workmate, he either set you up, or he's thick. Maybe both. Either way, if it's not a supervisor or manager, you don't bend the rules on someone elses say-so.

    Not a nice situation but sometimes that's just how it goes. Mind yourself.


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    #10
    Sleeper12
    Registered Users Posts: 17,083 ✭✭✭✭Sleeper12


    Ciaram24 wrote:
    I was recently given a verbal warning for having my phone on the production floor. I'm only there 5weeks. I was told to have my phone in the training board incase my boss needed to get in contact. My job involves taking pictures of various issues on the factory floor with one camera between 2 people. The other person who has 10 years experience told me to use my phone as he needed the camera so I did. The boss saw me and gave me a verbal warning even though I highlighted all the above reasons. Is this being unfair ?


    Wasn't he the clever boy to grab the camera & let you break the rules. You need to watch out for him


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    #11
    LegacyUser
    Registered Users Posts: 166,026 ✭✭✭✭LegacyUser


    Sleeper12 wrote: »
    Wasn't he the clever boy to grab the camera & let you break the rules. You need to watch out for him

    He's a good guy. I can't say he's sly as he was completely shocked by this and went to speak to her. He explained the situation to her and there's going to purchase a second camera.


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    #12
    Ciaram24
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭Ciaram24


    Sleeper12 wrote: »
    Wasn't he the clever boy to grab the camera & let you break the rules. You need to watch out for him

    He's a good guy. I can't say he's sly as he was completely shocked by this and went to speak to her. He explained the situation to her and there's going to purchase a second camera.


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    #13
    Ciaram24
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭Ciaram24


    dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »
    I'd be worried, looks like someone is looking for excuses to hand out warnings, could be a sign for more trouble ahead. More normal reaction would have been "OK, but don't do it again". No normal, intelligent human being with a functioning brain should have given you a warning.
    I've been in jobs where my timesheets were falsified and my boss blamed me for his own mistakes and received a formal warning for bad language at the workplace because I labeled something "what the", nothing else, just those 2 words. Sometimes it's not you.

    Thank you for the comment. I've had issues since I've started. I have a child and asked for 3 hours off to get an injection done and was told not to make a habit of using my son as an excuse. I've never been so confused being told one thing and it being wrong. it's my first every warning from any company I've worked in so its a shock to the system. I'm not making excuses I had it on the floor but when I see the supervisor using there phones I didn't see it as an issue and neither did my co worker in my department.


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    #14
    Stheno
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 51,688 Mod ✭✭✭✭Stheno


    Ciaram24 wrote: »
    Thank you for the comment. I've had issues since I've started. I have a child and asked for 3 hours off to get an injection done and was told not to make a habit of using my son as an excuse. I've never been so confused being told one thing and it being wrong. it's my first every warning from any company I've worked in so its a shock to the system. I'm not making excuses I had it on the floor but when I see the supervisor using there phones I didn't see it as an issue and neither did my co worker in my department.

    I'd start looking for another job if I were you, you're there just over a month and already on a verbal warning for something you knew was not allowed but thought was OK for you, along with other issues


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    #15
    BreadnBuddha
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,311 ✭✭✭BreadnBuddha


    Stheno wrote: »
    I'd start looking for another job if I were you, you're there just over a month and already on a verbal warning for something you knew was not allowed but thought was OK for you, along with other issues

    I wouldn't.

    They're buying another camera. The co-worker took the heat and rightly so for that bit. If the OP's training manager clears things up in terms of him being told to keep his phone with him, it's not all bad. He shouldn't fight back completely, as the rule was explained and a production supervisor or manager didn't okay it, so that's a hit he just has to take.

    Regarding the 3 hours off for taking the kid to the GP or whatever, grand, as long as it's not a habit.

    The only reason the OP should be off looking for another job is if he thinks he has any right to be complaining about any of these things. He doesn't. If he'll get on with doing the job well, he should be perfectly fine all things considered. It's all about the attitude displayed now and being prepared to take on and address any areas of concern in a positive manner to the managers satisfaction.

    New starts are sometimes a bit sketchy but dealing with these things, staying focused and positive can be a great opportunity to show you're a good employee. It can be turned on its head and used to his benefit. Just don't be complaining or nitpicking OP.


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    #16
    Stheno
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 51,688 Mod ✭✭✭✭Stheno


    BreadnBuddha wrote: »
    I wouldn't.

    They're buying another camera. The co-worker took the heat and rightly so for that bit. If the OP's training manager clears things up in terms of him being told to keep his phone with him, it's not all bad. He shouldn't fight back completely, as the rule was explained and a production supervisor or manager didn't okay it, so that's a hit he just has to take.

    Regarding the 3 hours off for taking the kid to the GP or whatever, grand, as long as it's not a habit.

    The only reason the OP should be off looking for another job is if he thinks he has any right to be complaining about any of these things. He doesn't. If he'll get on with doing the job well, he should be perfectly fine all things considered. It's all about the attitude displayed now and being prepared to take on and address any areas of concern in a positive manner to the managers satisfaction.

    New starts are sometimes a bit sketchy but dealing with these things, staying focused and positive can be a great opportunity to show you're a good employee. It can be turned on its head and used to his benefit. Just don't be complaining or nitpicking OP.

    On has said he has multiple issues in the few weeks they are there though


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    #17
    BreadnBuddha
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,311 ✭✭✭BreadnBuddha


    Stheno wrote: »
    On has said he has multiple issues in the few weeks they are there though

    Yeah, but remember what it's like when you've a few teething problems, new people to figure out, mixed messages and all that. It happens, you can end up on edge, thinking things are big issues instead of just niggles that can be cleared up very easily by just getting on with the job and being polite.

    Been there, remember what it felt like, horrible. Put the energy into doing your job well and making sure any things they mention are taking onboard and there's no reason to be off looking for a new job at all, most of the time. Face it, people don't spend 10 years like his workmate on a production floor unless the company are okay to work for.


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    #18
    Shint0
    Registered Users Posts: 1,196 ✭✭✭Shint0


    If they are now going to purchase a second camera it means somebody in a position of responsibility didn't foresee that another camera was needed and the OP and other staff were not in a position to perform the job as per requirement because of lack of necessary equipment. The OP was left in a position of having to use their own personal equipment in order for them and another employee to perform the job. The OP is now taking the heat and being disciplined because of management's failure to perform their duties. Doesn't sound right to me.


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    #19
    BreadnBuddha
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,311 ✭✭✭BreadnBuddha


    Shint0 wrote: »
    If they are now going to purchase a second camera it means somebody in a position of responsibility didn't foresee that another camera was needed and the OP and other staff were not in a position to perform the job as per requirement because of lack of necessary equipment. The OP was left in a position of having to use their own personal equipment in order for them and another employee to perform the job. The OP is now taking the heat and being disciplined because of management's failure to perform their duties. Doesn't sound right to me.

    Rubbish. If that's what you think happened, then it certainly shouldn't sound right to you. Because that's not what happened at all. If he needed a hammer or a drill or any other kind of tool, he'd have asked for one. If you go to work for someone and you need a PC, you're given one or ask for one, you don't bring your own computer to work, copy their data onto it, on their network and presume that's okay, do you? Of course you don't. That would be a stupid, stupid thing to do.

    He should have asked a supervisor or manager if he didn't have what he needed to do the job. You don't take out YOUR phone and use it to take photographs in THEIR factory, especially when the rule as he knew it was that phones shouldn't be brought onto the floor, for a variety of reasons. Don't go scraping the bottom of the barrel now trying to blame someone else for the OP's mistake. That's total BS.


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    #20
    Shint0
    Registered Users Posts: 1,196 ✭✭✭Shint0


    I stand by my point. Management should have foreseen what equipment was required in order for the OP to perform the job when they had just started in the company.

    Your slightly agressive tone has been noted and is not appropriate in my opinion.


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    #21
    _Brian
    Registered Users Posts: 18,574 ✭✭✭✭_Brian


    TBH Op has learned never to believe when your told that management turn a blind eye to anything.
    I'd be very disappointed if I hired a supervisor and then found them blatantly not following instructions. How on earth would people below that supervisor be expected to follow instructions??

    One of a supervisors jobs is to highlight problems and lack of a camera is one such instance, but instead the supervisor broke with protocol and used their phone as specifically told not to. So OP isn't demonstrating the sort of leadership would be expected from the position. Verbal warning is warranted.


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