In my company, every retiree gets an exit interview. I have had a great career working in production. For almost three decades I have been a valued productive employee. I was not a problem employee. I never abused sick time or was a problematic employee.
Two years ago my father (over 80) became sick. He lost one kidney, then the second kidney became diseased and he had an operation on a tumour on his remaining kidney. Half of the kidney was removed. He was on dialysis for months..but now, surprisingly for his doctors and everyone else..he is off dialysis and managing his blood creatine with diet. The man is tough!
At the time my father had his health crisis (I am the only child that lives close, my sister lives in another province) I asked to be put on 12 hour shifts, to accommodate the many trips to the hospital (three hours away from our rural home).
This was not an unreasonable request. I work in production and we work 24/7 my "day job" was considered a perk. For a person to request transfer from the day job (that only high seniority people hold) to shift should have been an easy.
Thing is-- I worked for a well managed production team, but when the former boss retired, it went to shambles. I was very vocal (being over 50 and saying what I want) and I made the point how previous management was successful, but the same team under new management was failing drastically. This, of course, did not win me favour with the new manager. And , in fact, the company recognized his ineptitude and moved him to a different role.
My bad luck, he was moved to manage production resources ie transfers. When he saw my request to move to 12 hour shifts he summarily denied it. I then asked for a two month sabbatical to support my father in his health crisis. His doctors thought he would die soon.
I had a meeting with HR with my request for either a sabbatical or a move to 12 hr shifts to accomodate my family situation.
The HR representative denied my request and chastised me for asking for special treatment. He spoke loudly like a bully. I suppose I was asking for special treatment. But in HR "speak" it is called accomodation. He did not ask me about my specific situation ..he had his mind made up. And it was obvious the manager who I offended by being vocal about how the team had failed under his mismanagement, was able to extract his vendetta against me from Human Resources.
I finally got transferred. I have worked the 12 hour rotating shifts for the last two year. My father has recovered. My new boss respects and appreciates me as a good employee who has experience and maturity.
And now I will soon retire.
But I am going to ask the same HR person who treated me like dog **** on his shoe to be at my exit interview.
Because it was not fair. How I was treated.
Two years ago my father (over 80) became sick. He lost one kidney, then the second kidney became diseased and he had an operation on a tumour on his remaining kidney. Half of the kidney was removed. He was on dialysis for months..but now, surprisingly for his doctors and everyone else..he is off dialysis and managing his blood creatine with diet. The man is tough!
At the time my father had his health crisis (I am the only child that lives close, my sister lives in another province) I asked to be put on 12 hour shifts, to accommodate the many trips to the hospital (three hours away from our rural home).
This was not an unreasonable request. I work in production and we work 24/7 my "day job" was considered a perk. For a person to request transfer from the day job (that only high seniority people hold) to shift should have been an easy.
Thing is-- I worked for a well managed production team, but when the former boss retired, it went to shambles. I was very vocal (being over 50 and saying what I want) and I made the point how previous management was successful, but the same team under new management was failing drastically. This, of course, did not win me favour with the new manager. And , in fact, the company recognized his ineptitude and moved him to a different role.
My bad luck, he was moved to manage production resources ie transfers. When he saw my request to move to 12 hour shifts he summarily denied it. I then asked for a two month sabbatical to support my father in his health crisis. His doctors thought he would die soon.
I had a meeting with HR with my request for either a sabbatical or a move to 12 hr shifts to accomodate my family situation.
The HR representative denied my request and chastised me for asking for special treatment. He spoke loudly like a bully. I suppose I was asking for special treatment. But in HR "speak" it is called accomodation. He did not ask me about my specific situation ..he had his mind made up. And it was obvious the manager who I offended by being vocal about how the team had failed under his mismanagement, was able to extract his vendetta against me from Human Resources.
I finally got transferred. I have worked the 12 hour rotating shifts for the last two year. My father has recovered. My new boss respects and appreciates me as a good employee who has experience and maturity.
And now I will soon retire.
But I am going to ask the same HR person who treated me like dog **** on his shoe to be at my exit interview.
Because it was not fair. How I was treated.
