WHY does this ALWAYS happen to ME?!?!?!?!!?

[bodlover]

Arrrrggghhh!!! I work on Reception for a very big company, and usually there is two of us here so one can answer the phones and see to visitors and the other can do all the typing etc.... well, this week and next week the lady I work with is on holiday, so they had to get a temp in (why they can't just train somebody within the company I don't know!) soooo.... has she turned up?!?!? NOPE!!!!! Is she GOING to turn up?? NOPE!! Not today anyway!! So, I can't have a tea break (can't leave reception unmanned becasue of the phones and visitors) can't have my lunch break - in fact I can't even EAT anything becaus I didn't bring any lunch with me today, thinking I'd buy some... well now I can't becasue I can't leave the desk!! (and I can't even go to the toilet!!!!!) Anyway, they have now found me ANOTHER temp who is going to come in at about 1:30....... great, it'll take me about 2 hours to train her, and then I am supposed to leave at 4;30 (as I'm supposed to be on the early shift today) but how can I just leave her when shes only been here for 3 hours?!?!?! This ALWAYS happens to me!! Last time the lady I work with went on holiday I ended up having to train FOUR different temps in the space of a week!!!
I just think it is SO rude and SO unprofessional to leave people in the lurch like this... I don't know how they can do it, the agency who are meant to be supplying this temp has tried to ring her, but she only gave them a mobile number and she has switched her phone off

So, at the moment, I'm sat here, dying for the toilet, thirsty as heck and hungry..... trying to answer 50+ telephone lines alone and see to a que of visitors.... oh, and I have some spreadsheet work to do.....

 

[lorie d.]

Rhea, that's terrible! Won't they at least let you have a glass of water at the reception desk? They could at least realize you're not a machine and you have human needs.

I think part of the problem is that people just don't care about things the way they should, and that includes employers. You aren't the only one who has problems at work. I have a day off tomorrow, the person who is taking my place is a COMPLETE IDIOT

who doesn't want to do anything. She even needs step-by-step instructions on how to walk down the hall!

That means when I come back to work on Saturday I will have to work twice as hard. Also, my co-worker will be starting five days of vacation tomorrow, she will be replaced by another COMPLETE IDIOT

who doesn't want to do any work. My co-worker is almost afraid to take her vacation. Will the employer correct this problem? NOOOOOO!!!!

 

[bodlover]

Ahhh soooo, we're ALL surrounded by complete idiots!! :LOL: :LOL:

:LOL:....... will it never end!??!?!!?
I am allowed to have a drink of water at the desk... I'm just not allowed to LEAVE the desk in order to get one!!! ARRGHH!! So, I just begged a nice passerby if they could get me one..... Hoorah!! :laughing: (surprising how satisfying water is when you are starving and haven't had a drink for 5 hours!!!! hahha)
Well I hope the temp you'll be working with is better than mine.... hopefully YOUR'S will show up!! :LOL:

 

[lorie d.]

I'm not lucky enough to have temporary idiots,

mine are permanent employees. My employer does hire a lot of temps though, (more complete idiots, but at least these will eventually go away.)

 

[billchamb]

Rhea,

If you can't even go to the toilet, should you be asking passers-by for additional water to drink?!?!?!

Bill

 

[-bunn-]

She uses the empty glasses to tinkle in

Give the glass back to the temp if she turns up, tell her it's apple juice

 

[bodlover]

Hmm nice ideas folks.... heh heh heh :laughing: maybe.... just maybe......

 

[adymarie]

Poor Bod! How about I fly on over there and bring some poptarts, tea and a prtapotty? Think you can hold on until I get there?

 

[bodlover]

I'll try... but HURRY!!!!!!!!!!! :LOL:... Mmmm poptarts....

 

[adymarie]

I should only take about 8 hours! I've packed my fav poptarts - brownsugar flavour as well as wildberry, cherry and s'more flavour. Also some Red Rose Tea.

 

[whisker's mom]

Bod...what a horrid situation. Hopefully the day will fly by for you!!!

I don't have any pop-tarts but I could share my Chesters Corn Twists (I get cravings for this once in a while...).

Good luck with the temp.

Hey....it could be worse. Imagine corporate suggesting a catheter and IV for you for the next time someone is on vacation!

 

[valanhb]

That must be terrible! I never have figured out temp agencies. When I was unemployed last year, none of them found any work for me. I passed all their tests, am hard working, wanting to work at any job, and they didn't send me anywhere. Yet, I know they were sending out idiots for some of these jobs, and repeatedly send out those idiots.

I don't know who is worse, the idiots they send, or the temp agency for sending them!

 

[sfell]

I figured I would pop in since I am a receptionist too. Rhea, here I have two back up people - I'm the only receptionist. So, between the two of them they switch off on who sits lunches for me and to give me restroom breaks. Between the 3 of us, 2 of us cannot take time off on the same days - 2 of us have to be here.

I feel for you girl. I have to use the restroom, while I'm at work, 3 times a day - and I CANNOT hold it! I can't believe they don't have someone in the company to use as a backup! That is ridiculous to me. What happens when one of you calls in sick, you can't get a temp for that?

 

[katl8e]

I agree, that maybe you shouldn't be hitting people up, for water. Perhaps, a package of Depends would be more useful.

Seriously, though, I know how you feel. I can't leave my cash register, unless someone covers for me. Usually, we're so short of help, that I have to get an assistant manager to give me a potty break.

 

[jeanie g.]

Rhea, You must be jiggling like mad! How can you possibly hold it that long? I was wondering too about the water. You can't win for losing, can you? I have been left alone in the piano store, but I could go to the bathroom, at least. I just couldn't go for lunch or dinner. The company always sent someone eventually, but by that time you're ready to eat your desk! If I went to the bathroom and the owner called, he wasn't too happy about it, but when you gotta go, you gotta go. If Adrienne is jetting over, she had better pick me up this time. I don't want cinnamon and brown sugar poptarts though. Hey, Adrienne, please pick up some raised, glazed doughnuts. You know where I live. See you soon, Rhea!!

 

[tigger]

Can you put the answering machine on so you can use the bathroom & have a lunchbreak? Or maybe speak to your supervisor? When I was a temporary -relief receptionist for a small, small company 4 years ago, no one used to cover my lunches, either

I had to finally call my temp agency up to speak to my supervisor. So, the sup. said it wouldn't be a problem, that she could cover me & I could go to lunch -- it didn't last much --

 

[adymarie]

No prob Jeanie - I'll jet on over!

 

[jeanie g.]

O.K, Rhea. We'll be on our way! But I agree with Tigger. What they're doing has to be against the law. I know you'll be leaving in an hour, but I would make it quite clear that you know your rights. At least, my company sent someone eventually, and this sort of thing did not happen repeatedly. It's a shame that people take advantage of you when they think you're such a nice person that you won't stand up for your rights! Righteous indignation is definitely called for about now! Of course, Adrienne and I still want to come, so get that spare room ready!

 

[valanhb]

I was thinking the same thing - they can't legally do that to you! Especially not the going to the bathroom part. That's considered torture in most parts of the world. Would they be happier with a big puddle by your desk? I'm sure the clients would love coming into an office with that there! :laughing2:

 

[spooky]

Oh Rhea!!! You must be so MAD.

I can't believe that they just left you hanging like that.

Being a receptionist doesn't mean that you and only you should know how to answer the phone. I'm glad that there are 3 people who are there to cover me if I am sick or on vacation, and there is even the girl who was here before me, eventhough she is in a different dept. Rhea- I hope you got someone to releive you so you could at least eat and use the toilet! If I were you, I would DEFINITELY talk to my manager and figure out something so that this doesn't happen again. Maybe they could train someone else who works with the company so that they can cover you in an emergency, like this one! Let us know what happened. Hopefully everything turned out ok.