I may have set the cat among the pigeons at work. I’ve moved into a pretty awesome role that has strong union support. I was made permanent really quickly from a contract role and targeted for promotion not long after so I’m confident this isn’t about my abilities.

I just got a secondment at a higher level and this job has been an absolute disaster. The area is a complete mess. I manage a staff member who has been there forever and has made herself ‘indispensable,’ however I just covered her for 3 weeks and can see she doesn’t do a lot. She is, however, a favourite of management. This woman is a queen of passive aggression. She had one small outstanding task when she returned and that led to an entire morning of exasperated sighs. The task literally took two short emails to do.

Anyway, on to today. There’s been an outstanding issue with a customer, I’ve been trying to deal with it for ages. He’s refusing to send a needed invoice. I’ve been working with accounts constantly on it as we need the invoice paid. She was literally in a meeting with me this morning when I yet again talked about it!

I got sent a reminder about the invoice this morning and this woman took it upon herself to reply and say accounts had no idea why I hadn’t got it in but she’d be sure to work with me so I would understand the importance of having it paid. I guess it all got to me and I replied with a very short email saying I had absolutely discussed it and to please clarify any outstanding issues with me first before undermining my operational ability. My immediate boss can back me as he was there, however the main boss who loves her has now asked for us all to discuss in the morning.

I can’t be fired but I also can’t get rid of her. Am I crazy or is that an absolutely bullshit email from a ‘subordinate?’. It’s not a system where I can act so much like a boss but I am definitely her manager.