So I recently started a new position where all the admin staff of the office report to me, including the receptionist, who is a temp. With quite the attitude, I might add.
She has been very abrupt with me ever since I started two weeks ago. She does not accept direction well and is just plain rude.
She apparently has decided that it is okay for her to simply inform my admin assistant when she needs to leave early for the day and informs my assistant that she will have to cover the reception desk for her. She does not ask. She simply informs.
So yesterday I approached her and very nicely explained that as we are short staffed (50% of my admin staff are currently away) and that my assistant's workload has increased substantially as a result, that while it most often will not be a problem should she need to leave early, I needed her to check with me as early in the day as possible as my assistant may not always be able to cover due to her own workload.
The whole time I'm explaining this to her she is looking down with a sour look on her face picking at her nails. She then abruptly looks up at me and tells me in the rudest way possible "When I have to leave early it is mandatory that I do so and it is NOT negotiable!"
I then asked her if that was arranged via her contract with the temp agency and she snapped "No!". So I left it at that and I decided to deal with the temp agency directly.
So today I delegate a task to her, as is my job. She says to me, rudely as ever, "didn't X as YOU to do this?" And I replied "no, X asked me to have this done and suggested you may enjoy this project."
I then hear her approach X and say "Did you tell YZ to tell me to do this?" blatantly questioning my authority.
I have pretty much had it with this temp. And the rest of the office, less one associate director, feels the same way.
Her agency seems to think her attitude will improve if she is given more work to do and has less down time.
I don't know that I'm interested in giving this any more time and my assistant is at her wits end with this woman.
She has been very abrupt with me ever since I started two weeks ago. She does not accept direction well and is just plain rude.
She apparently has decided that it is okay for her to simply inform my admin assistant when she needs to leave early for the day and informs my assistant that she will have to cover the reception desk for her. She does not ask. She simply informs.
So yesterday I approached her and very nicely explained that as we are short staffed (50% of my admin staff are currently away) and that my assistant's workload has increased substantially as a result, that while it most often will not be a problem should she need to leave early, I needed her to check with me as early in the day as possible as my assistant may not always be able to cover due to her own workload.
The whole time I'm explaining this to her she is looking down with a sour look on her face picking at her nails. She then abruptly looks up at me and tells me in the rudest way possible "When I have to leave early it is mandatory that I do so and it is NOT negotiable!"
I then asked her if that was arranged via her contract with the temp agency and she snapped "No!". So I left it at that and I decided to deal with the temp agency directly.
So today I delegate a task to her, as is my job. She says to me, rudely as ever, "didn't X as YOU to do this?" And I replied "no, X asked me to have this done and suggested you may enjoy this project."
I then hear her approach X and say "Did you tell YZ to tell me to do this?" blatantly questioning my authority.
I have pretty much had it with this temp. And the rest of the office, less one associate director, feels the same way.
Her agency seems to think her attitude will improve if she is given more work to do and has less down time.
I don't know that I'm interested in giving this any more time and my assistant is at her wits end with this woman.