• FAIL Blog
  • Employee
  • Workplace
  • Horrible Bosses
  • Neighbors
  • HOA
  • Family Drama
  • Parenting
  • Customer Service
  • Entitled People

  • Links
  • About Us
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Terms
  • Privacy
  • Security
  • DMCA Policy
    • search email community favorite this article chev-right latest posts article list comments tags video article login twitter facebook menu pinterest whatsapp

    ‘I got paid for doing nothing’: Micromanagers tell a funeral home receptionist to stop answering the phone, then chew them out when they follow orders, end up alienating their hardest worker

    These micromanagers really took the "FUN" out of the funeral home. There are a few jobs in the world nobody wants to work, so when you find a hardworking receptionist who helps out the team and goes above and beyond, especially in the mortician/cemetery field, you better hold onto them tighter than the skeleton grips their heirloom pearls. 

    Yet in their attempt to micromanage their best employee, these silly bosses managed to push away the one person who was willing to work extra hard in a tough field, all because they were too proud to admit they were wrong. 

    Author image for Jesse Kessenheimer Jesse Kessenheimer
    Add us on Google
    Advertisement
    • Cheezburger Image 10538961152
      via Antonio Gravante

      The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

    • Advertisement

    • "You want me to stop answering the Phone? You Got It"

      This happened when I was working at a cemetery. The managers were crazy micromanagers. When I first started as an Admin/Receptionist, I would answer the door
      via EchidnaOutside9964
    • answer the phones, and transfer to others. I would also help the Family Service Advisors with their scheduling. They were always super busy attending to grieving families and you never rush families, obviously, so they would often be quite swamped.
      via EchidnaOutside9964
    • We then had a team meeting where I was personally called out for not doing MY job. I was doing the job of others. I shouldn't be answering the phone since the FSA's should be answering (we had caller ID so we knew who was calling) and the
      via EchidnaOutside9964
    • Advertisement
    • FSA's should answer the door for their own appointments. The FSA's should schedule their own appointments, even if it meant they started falling behind on their paperwork and being late to FUNERALS.
      via EchidnaOutside9964
    • Cheezburger Image 10538961408
      via michellegibson

      The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

    • Advertisement
    • So I did as was asked and stopped. I just sat there and got paid for doing nothing. I got called out again for not answering or scheduling. I showed them the meeting agenda they provided, outlining how I shouldn't be doing that anymore.
      via EchidnaOutside9964
    • Needless to say, I didn't last long there, in an effort to keep my sanity. Edit: for a bit more context, me and the FSA's worked like a well oiled machine by the time they called me
      via EchidnaOutside9964
    • Advertisement
    • out. I def knew the quality of service would suffer by complying. I'm not like this amazing person but I really believed we were helping people and loved going above and beyond to provide help when grieving families had to deal with
      via EchidnaOutside9964
    • administration and beurocratic nonsense at the worst time of their lives. It was one of those cases of the managers not seeing my value. I have dozens and dozens of other horror stories from my 2 years there, the last straw being they wrongfully terminated one of the FSA's for being sick...
      via EchidnaOutside9964
    • Cheezburger Image 10538961664
      via Alan Lagadu

      The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

    • Advertisement

    • Working at a cemetery is either the most boring job or the most interesting, depending on who you ask. For some, the family drama and people-watching are enough to fill their shift with shock and awe, while others would be itching and scratching from the emotional discomfort. Alas, funerals are as much a part of life as the rest of this nonsense, so when you inevitably find yourself planning a service, you better hope you get a hardworking employee like the dude in this story, not some glazed-over receptionist unwilling to answer the phone.

    • avid-learner-bot⚫ It's wild how quickly someone can be pushed out for doing what they think is right... even if it means sitting still in a job that feels like a waiting room.
      via avid-learner-bot
    • Tremenda-Carucha ⚫ It's frustrating how often people get caught in the middle of poor management decisions but sometimes standing up for what makes sense is the best way to protect your own sanity and boundaries... especially when helps you walk away from a toxic environment with your peace of mind intact.
      via Tremenda-Carucha
    • TheHighfield While I have grave concerns about their management practices, at least you weren't buried under work. But all for the best, it doesn't sound like you dug the job.
      via TheHighfield
    • Advertisement
    • Ambitious-Bird-5927. How stupid. 'Stop helping! Wait, why aren't you helping?!'
      via Ambitious-Bird-5927

    Stay up to date by following us on Facebook!

    Tags

    boss worker cemetery employee manager job work coworkers working ceo employees supervisor workplace Horrible Bosses company coworker business receptionist
    Like
    Scroll Down For The Next Article
    Show Comments

    Also From FAIL Blog

    'Duty manager read it and then promptly started laughing': Entitled coworker demands injured colleague do the same heavy lifting, but the doctor's note actually gives her even more work to do

    'Duty manager read it and then promptly started laughing': Entitled coworker demands injured colleague do the same heavy lifting, but the doctor's note actually gives her even more work to do
    Next Article