What is bullying at Alterra?
Oct 16 '04
The Bottom Line Find an attractive well run facility that cares about the residents and treats their employees with dignity and respect.
I was hired on December 29 at Alterra Clare Bridge a Dementia Facility in Bradenton, Florida as a maintenance tech. I came from the Hilton Longboat Key where I was a Supervisor in the Engineering Department. I have 12 years experience in facilities maintenance. Why I was hired was to make the facility a well run and well maintained place for the residents to live in. To make the staff proud to work at and to generally make it the place where you would be proud to have your loved one taken care of. I was hired and spent many hours and the goal was achieved. I was proud of the way the facilty looked and though difficult became very well maintained.
The difficulity I attrubute to past indifference to major mechanical issues that were left on the back burner for years. For example the emergency generator had had no service since 2001 and would not start this in Florida is a major system that must function and be serviced regulary. When the CEO of Alterra Mr Mark W. Ohlendorf came to visit us we were told we were the model Clare Bridge for the company. I was proud. I worked hard to make the place extremely attractive. I want to thank him for his reconition.
I was supported strongly by the previous Resident Director. I had a budget and could order the parts necessary to run the facility. I always was within that budget and everything worked well and was repaired in a prompt manner.
She was transferred to the east coast of Florida and we have a new Resident Director now. And for the five months she has been in her position things have and are going downhill rapidily.
I ran over and over in my mind why she would prevent me from doing my job and for the life of me could not figure it out. I did some reading on the internet about harrasement and bingo the section on bulling in the workplace fit exactly to what is happening to me. I will attach a section that will pertain to what is happening
Open bullying might consist of:
physical violence
shouting or swearing at you, in public or private
instant rages over trivial matters
humiliating you in front of colleagues
deliberately ignoring or isolating you in public
taking disciplinary action out of the blue
never listening to your point of view
labelling you or calling you names
personal insults or ridicule
sarcasm
smear campaigns.
Covert bullying might include:
constantly undervaluing your efforts
persistent criticism
setting deadlines or objectives that are impossible to achieve
moving the goal posts
withholding information and blaming you for being ignorant
spreading malicious, unfounded rumours
ignoring, excluding and isolating you
making threats
removing areas of responsibility for no real reason
giving you menial or trivial tasks
stealing your ideas and taking credit for your achievements
giving you too little or too much work
blocking promotion
refusing reasonable requests for holidays or for training
constantly overruling your authority
blaming you whenever things go wrong
monitoring everything you do
Some of these points that are listed not only pertain to myself but at least one other employee at the facility. She complained to Human Resources and had her hours cut in half by the Resident Director. Her room mate is suffering with cancer and worked at the facility with her. With the cut in their household income makes it impossible for her to afford the medicanes that is needed to survive. She has been with the company for over three years while employees with much less time still have their hours.
When an employee is told to get the hell out of my office when he needs to discuss his hours worked by the RD. When a management meeting is called and we are told that it is my building and its 'My way or the highway'. Who does she think that keeps the building full and attractive with their hard work. When a budget of over $2000 was given to maintain the building and nothing was spent for two weeks in the month he cannot get parts to fix two vacuums that amount to less than $30 leaving only one working vacuum cleaner. When his work load is doubled. When he has to account for every minute of the day at work. When the emergency alarm on the front door has not been functioning for two months it is put on the back burner as the alarm irritates the front office to hear it.
This is dangerous for the residents. It boils down to bullying and being set up to fail in your job.
There is much more but I have taken up too much of your time. I do not know what to do for my pride in my facility is gone. I can see it going downhill daily.
I will probably lose my job for writing this review.
If you recognize any of these points I have made then you too are being bullied at work. Thank You for your time.
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