Apparently I need to "step it up"

[Azure]

I've never posted in this forum before but I am so stressed out right now I don't know what to do.

I work in price change in a retail store. I've been there for 1 year. It is my first job after almost 20 years at home. I like my job. And I really need the money since we've got 2 boys in college. ;)

I like my co-workers well enough. There are 3 of us in my division. The other 2 ladies have been doing this job for more than 10 years. One of them is very gruff. And I will admit I am overly-sensitive and I lack confidence after having been at home dealing with a special needs child all those years.

The issue is this: Our immediate boss just left and we are currently without an immediate boss. When the new one comes to our division she will have never actually worked in price change before. So in the last few days before she left our old boss was talking to us all about what was going to be happening. Once she leaves there will be the need for someone else to be trained in a certain aspect of the job and she said that I would probably have to be the one to do it. The gruff co-worker said well then she's going to have to step it up!" Like I wasn't even standing there!

I had just begun to feel like I was starting to getting better and faster at the job. Feeling more confident. The boss never said anything to me about it before she left. But I did notice that we were working in an area and I was just finishing when she said you should probably go on to the next thing now. So she was watching me. But she never said anything else.

Monday morning the co-worker walked up to me and said directly to me "you really need to step it up." Tuesday morning I asked the 2 co-workers what I was doing wrong. What did I need to change? They didn't know. So now I don't know what to do!

I know that I am working hard. I'm not goofing off. I don't stand around and chat with people. I THOUGHT I was getting faster but apparently I was wrong lol. When I try to force myself to get faster, I get more clutzy and fumbley. And I'm so stressed about it that it is also affecting how well I do also.

So I'm not sure if they expect me to be able to keep up with them or if I really am that slow. I just don't know what I'm doing wrong. And every time I think about it I get a hot flash, which really sucks.

[cdttmm]

First, ignore your coworkers. If they were so great, they then one of them would be getting promoted to take the place of the old boss.

Second, if your boss never told you that you needed to improve in some way, then you are doing an acceptable job. That is not to say that you couldn't be doing better or that you don't have room for improvement, none of us is perfect so there is always room for improvement! But your boss is the one to determine whether you are meeting a minimum standard or not, your coworkers have no say in this area. And, honestly, if they had a concern and if they were truly professional, then they would have addressed it with you one-on-one or with the boss one-on-one, not by making snarky comments in front of everyone.

Third, I'm sorry that you are having to deal with this. Work place politics, back-stabbing, bickering all suck. Sending virtual hugs your way. :)

[MamaM]

Second Cdttmm- apparantely, you are a threat. Keep at it girl and don't let them get you down. (((HUGS)))

[rosarugosa]

Agree with the above! Once your new boss gets settled in, you could certainly ask for feedback on your performance if you are concerned. You might get reassurance that your performance is just fine. If that isn't the case, a decent supervisor should be pleased that you want to do the best job possible and should be willing to work with you to devise strategies to optimize your peformance.

[frugalone]

I wouldn't listen to what that co-worker says unless she is your boss. Which she is not. I know it's hard to ignore people like that, but please don't take it personally. Some people are real busy bodies.

[razz]

Sounds as though someone was very ticked and threatened at being overlooked for by the boss (after working there 10 years) and is trying to compensate or show off by bullying. The way to beat a bully is to simply ignore by knowing where it is coming from or take it right to him/her.
Act serene around the bully, be courteous at all times and set the standard for the office in your behaviour. You must have impressed the old boss so keep that in mind.

I googled to see what advice is online.

From:
http://jezebel.com/5851820/how-to-stand-up-to-adult-bullies
COLOR="#0000FF"]Remember it's not about you.

Dellasega says that often when someone experiences bullying, "the biggest burning question is, 'why is this happening to me?'" But, she says, most bullying comes from a bully's issues, not from any characteristics of the victim. "This isn't about you in particular," she says, "and you shouldn't feel embarrassed or ashamed." Bullying can hurt, but remember — whether you're in the lunchroom, the nursing home, or anywhere in between, the bully's the one with the problem, not you.[/COLOR]

http://www.uncommon-knowledge.co.uk/articles/handle-bully.html

[Miss Cellane]

My take would be that the out-going boss chose you to take on the new responsibility over the people who have been working there for years. That would mean that Boss thought you were the best person for the new responsibility, which is a good thing.

The other workers might be jealous that you were chosen over them. Instead of handling their disappointment in a grown-up way, they are reverting to playground behavior.

Speed isn't everything. Accuracy counts, too. The other workers might be faster than you, but you might make fewer mistakes.

I agree with Razz. It does sound as if Gruff Co-worker is jealous and taking out her hurt on you. Try to ignore it as best as possible. I know it is hard--I've worked with gruff, mean, bully co-workers myself.

[Azure]

Thanks, all, for the kind & supportive words. I do appreciate it.

I know neither of my co-workers applied for the boss position. They don't want it. I don't either lol I just want to be a good little worker bee. Do my job and go home. Also, the job that our boss was saying I should be trained for is something that the gruff co-worker already does. It is going to another store and doing price comparisons. :0! I don't like the idea of having to do that but I know when the time comes I'll be fine.

The week before this all came up the boss and I were talking and she said I shouldn't expect to be as fast as the other 2 because they have been doing it for so long. But after "the comment", I noticed her watching me. And I feel the other 2 watching me too. It is nerve wracking.

I am the kind of person who needs to do something repeatedly before I remember it. And the last few years before my DD went to her group home were really, really stressful for a variety of reasons. So I got to the point where if something wasn't really important I didn't remember it. I am working to get out of that bad habit. But even after a year on the job there are things that come up that I've never done before. Or I might not work in a certain dept. for a couple of months. Or do a particular part of the job for a couple of months. So I still ask a lot of questions.

Maybe this is annoying them? Although, it does seem that it is the speed with which I work that is the issue. At least I think it is. Sheesh!

Oh, and to make it so much better - next month is Annual Review time. Not looking forward to that.

[kitten]

Step it up? omg, it would take all my resolve not to just smack this person.

About what this is - razz has it. This is your garden variety workplace bully. These people are a nuisance but as long as your superiors like your work, you're in a good place.

Also loved Miss Cellane's comment that speed is only one measure of performance, and that accuracy counts too.

Some might consider this overkill, but I would start documenting everything this woman says to you that you find objectionable. She's way over the line already just with her tone, which makes me think that she's testing the waters to see how much you'll take. It's probably not even conscious. But she'll escalate if you continue to take her inappropriate behavior without comment.

Just make sure you always have something to say.
The next time she snaps at you, call her on it. Maybe something like: "Okay, great, but 'step it up' is kind of vague. Can you be more specific about which part of the process you want me to change?" Keep asking for specifics - don't let her get away with a vague slam.

If she continues to push you, and her behavior crosses over into harassment, you should have a chat with your manager and ask for some help. Something like - "What are my options for dealing with this situation? It's affecting my work, and I want to continue to perform optimally for you." If you phrase it as a request for assistance, it won't come off like a complaint. And keeping it about the work and your productivity will make it harder for a manager to dismiss it as a personality conflict.

I agree with those who've said this woman is probably jealous of your competence. Stay professional, take the high road, document any weirdness, and go to your manager if you have to. Don't let this crabby carper railroad you out of your job. She's a nothing! :D

Oh - you say your annual review is coming up. Before the day, jot down some notes on what you've accomplished and what you'd like to get better at. Be realistic, but don't downplay your real achievements. This is one time when you want to talk yourself up, even if you're not used to tooting your own horn. People believe what you tell them about yourself. If you've made big strides since your first day, make that clear. Good luck btw :)