Unethical company

I just freaked on one of my acct managers. I told him that what the paid social media director was suggesting we do to handle these calls was totally unethical and that I refuse to participate in her suggested approach. I put down my foot and got totally adamant with him. She wanted me to pretend in upcoming client calls as though I’ve been on the social team all this time and am not new to the team in order to “cover up” that the baton has been passed several times now within our company. Totally unethical!!! And I told him that!!! I was like, I wasn’t involved in the prior strategy so no way I am going to pretend like I was. I’m new and have a new strategy, period.

And what I see happening more and more: people trying to take credit for my hard work. It happened again yesterday with the colleague who got promoted above me. He wanted to take all the credit for my client’s big jump in revenue last month due to a technical website fix HE made, when it was all due to MY work on the site.

And now the social media director wants to make me responsible for her failures in the eyes of our client, by making it seem like I’ve been involved in the strategy so far. That’s what I think she’s really doing. It got passed to me because she’s not doing a good job.

And my boss has tried to take credit for my hard work as well, on more than one occasion.

I went through something like that at that job I quit. The owner asked me to have a small role in a project we were being hired to do for another company. Then, we went to the meeting with the client and he announced to everyone that I was going to be one of the project leads; something that I never agreed to. I don't know if it was to pressure me to take on that work (there is no way I'd have the time to do all that with my other responsibilites) or to make the team look more respectable to the client since I had experience in market reserarch. Either way, what he did was not right and I felt completely ambushed. I even had a panic attack in the meeting.


In the end that whole project made me uncomfortable. It involved asking companies some really sensitive information about their processes and we weren't supposed to tell them who was getting the information. It doubt most people would even answer something like that. I don't know how it all turned out because that situation and several other issues led me to quit.

The enviroment at your workplace just seems to be getting worse and worse. I really hope you can find a better job soon.

@rechu, my boss did something similar. All I did was present a proposal, and he said, ok you're now in charge of social media marketing strategy (without any real prior experience). Although, I suppose that's not an ambush per se, like you had experienced.

Sidenote: I am MOST upset about what is happening right now.

So what do I do? Report all to HR?????? I am at my wits end! I am at the end of my rope! I have to watch my back at every single turn... people trying to take credit for my work, throw me under the Bus, and make me also responsible for their mess... I am so done with this place. I wish I could walk out the door so freaking badly but I need the income.

No, don't report to HR. HR is never on the person's side, only the company's. I've learned that the hard way over the years when I've complained to HR about mistreatment from management. Then, they fire me. Just document everything with email, whatever you can. Keep the job while you look for a new one. Don't quit this toxic job until you have another job lined up.

Signs You’re in a Toxic Work Environment — and How to Handle It | TopResume

Excellent advice.

thanks for the article! And yes, I know you're totally right.

Do you document your successes? If not it is long since time to be doing so.

I started keeping a daily to-do list and agenda. I also kept copies of and recorded those things I was successful at, supporting paperwork and notes. Even written notes about conversations and telephones calls had supporting the major occurances and successes I was involved in.

There was a time when I was a military administrative clerk and an officer was constantly taking credit for my work, projects, etc. I meanwhile got chastised for not pulling my own weight. All it took was to produce my daily agenda and source documentation of the work I was doing as proof. They went back to this officer and found he wasn't able to answer the most basic questions of the work involved behind all that he was taking credit for. He could not explain himself. I was then not only off the hook, but I got credit where it was due. He meanwhile was reprimanded.

Document, document, document, document everything.

Thanks seesaw. Sad as it is, it is the truth. It's why I never wanted to work in human resources.

Which side is HR really on? - The People HR Blog People HR Blog

5 Things You Need to Know About HR (That They’ll Never Admit)

I do document my successes! I even email it home to myself. Thank you for the advice!!!

Right now I am LIVID. That woman? In our client meeting she spoke for me and about research that I pulled together along with my proposal for new strategies and presented it as though she was a part of it when it was a ten page strategy document that I pulled together... sooooooo incredibly SHADY!!!!!! I went straight to HR and let her know. BS! I also informed the biotech that it’s MY work she spoke to with our client. I put my foot down and said that will not happen again I’m tomorrow’s meeting when I need to present my work again.

Definitely document everything. I’ve never had faith in HR either. It’s up to us as individuals to watch out for ourselves. Nobody else does. I’ve fought some battles at work and I know what this is like.

thank you, Sisabel... yes, we definitely need to self-advocate at work. I am learning more and more that most work environments just suck. None are immune to toxicity.

Surviving a Toxic Workplace | Monster.com

5 Signs You're In A Toxic Workplace

https://www.predictiveindex.com/blog...xic-workplace/

thank you Blanche!

Going to HR proved to be a positive. I came into work, and two managers had a game plan set on how to handle this woman IF she interfered again with my presentation. I was covered. Then of course, the meeting was rescheduled! Grrrr.

Yeah, I was quite shocked that she did that even after you told her not to...not cool. Glad she's being dealt with.

Exactly. Not cool at all. Thank you, Seesaw!

Hmm that's a HUGE red flag for the way the blew off your meeting today, by rescheduling it. Shows you that you are NOT in fact, their priority. Whatever excuse they gave you for rescheduling it, is just that -- an excuse. Not a reason. That is super shady of your HR dept.

What was their game plan for dealing with your coworker who took credit for your work in front of clients? What she did is unethical and shows a total lack of scruples. She won't be easy to fire, methinks.

If they made you sign something, I hope you didn't sign anything. I hope. Because they can use that against you as proof in writing of your problem with a coworker.

Oh no.. you misunderstood. The client rescheduled. It wasn’t on our end.

Oooh ok but still, the client rescheduling is super tacky. Glad it wasn't your employer.

Actually, in this case, the client was 100% right. Our account manager sent the documents that we were meant to discuss JUST BEFORE the meeting. The client said they wanted time to review the documents before we discuss them. I think it's perfectly reasonable, and we should have sent them ahead of time.