How do you handle disgruntled permanent staff and management

[pauldee]

Been the same for pretty much everywhere I've worked at. Managers haven't given "references" even for people they hated or were tulip or did nothing

The problem with this is that you don't know what is said over the phone 'off the record'. Managers do know each other and occasionally communicate. I've definitely known this to happen with permies, I can only assume it happens for contractors too.

[Bee]

Hi there

I'm just looking to get some advice/feedback about a situation I find myself in at my current contract. I'm about to start my third week as a developer and last week things in the office took a turn for the worst.

Essentially one my permanent colleagues has been getting a little jealous since he saw my car one afternoon when I went out to get lunch. It started off with a few what I thought, at the time, were throw away jokes/comments about being paid too much but his general attitude towards me has been in the toilet since then.

You are not the first one. Lesson learn: Never show your car.

He takes issue with every bit of code I ask for review, with some fairly ludicrous suggestions that offer little to no improvements over what I've provided. He's essentially flexing his muscle and, what's more, trying to make me look like a tool in front of my manager.
On Friday I asked for a code review at 2pm to be told he was busy. I started some other tasks to fill in the time but really needed to get this work checked in because we were at the end of the current Sprint and at the team meeting the manager made a point of telling me that this stuff all had to be in. Anyway after asking all afternoon he finally decided to come over at 5, (he knows I finish 5.30 and live 3 hours from site), and proceeds to demolish what I've put together. He tries to dress it all up as advice but worse still he sits at my desk, deletes nearly everything I've done to put in his preferred solution. Only he then breaks all of my tests and essentially nothing can be checked in for the end of Sprint. My manager then asks why I'm shelving work and I point out that my tests are no longer valid and, as per his rules, no check-ins can happen without approval or accompanying tests.

The manager went mental and I mean absolutely spare but, despite being told that a perfectly acceptable solution was in place and his senior dev had destroyed the work, he tells me that they're "paying me a lot of f###ing money", more than he's on in fact and that I should have delivered it. No consideration of the intervention of someone else who I feel is clearly trying to undermine me.

Ignore, they are probably provoking an overreaction from you.

Basically it's making me feel sick. I don't know how I can operate in an environment where the senior developer is going out of his way to undermine my work and make me look like an idiot. It wouldn't be so bad if I had other developers to go to for check-in or if I had autonomy but he's the only developer in the office I can ask for review.

I understand the practices of code review, I've done many myself, but I've never done what the senior dev did on Friday. Especially at end of Sprint. Also I have no issue with swearing in the office but I take issue with being sworn at. I conduct myself professionally at all times and I expect the same courtesy to be shown to me. Furthermore, I don't expect my pay to be brought up in front of the other developers, it's never ever been thrown at me before and you'd never say the same thing to a permanent staff member.

You are in an environment that is called toxic. Remember that you are a professional and you need to act like one (don't react if they provoke), it's what are you doing and you should continue. You can explain to the manager the code review procedures (if your procedures are better and if has add value) and see his reaction. I’m telling you this because the permies probably are doing the code review for years and habituated to the same procedure and could be normal that they do some resistance to apply new procedures. Remember that the contractor should follow the client procedures.

It came to light last week that their previous contractor left the week before I arrived and he didn't last a fortnight. Something isn't right in there. But I'm torn on what to do. I'm concerned this is going to spiral into full blown harassment/bullying and there'll be false accusations thrown around that I'm inept or incapable of performing my job. I've never been in this situation before.

Do I..

• Say, say nothing, keep invoicing and wait for the inevitable termination
  
• Address the issue with the manager, even though the senior dev is his best bud and try to explain the situation even though I'm also uncomfortable with the manager after his unwarranted outburst on Friday.
  
• Walk away with my dignity and tell them I'm not happy taking s##t

Has anyone else been in a similar situation with colleagues undermining their position? How did you handle it?

If the environment is making you seek you should not continue, find another gig before they terminate the contract and then explain why you are leaving.

[northernladuk]

You are not the first one. Lesson learn: Never show your car.

Rubbish. What is he going to do? Park it down the road and walk in?

Ignore, they are probably provoking an overreaction from you.

I very much doubt they are trying to provoke one.

You are in an environment that is called toxic. Remember that you are a professional and you need to act like one (don't react if they provoke), it's what are you doing and you should continue. You can explain to the manager the code review procedures (if your procedures are better and if has add value) and see his reaction. I’m telling you this because the permies probably are doing the code review for years and habituated to the same procedure and could be normal that they do some resistance to apply new procedures. Remember that the contractor should follow the client procedures.

So in one breath you say show them a new one, in the next you say he should follow their? Make your bleeding mind up.

If the environment is making you seek you should not continue, find another gig before they terminate the contract and then explain why you are leaving.

At least this one makes a little bit of sense....

[SueEllen]

Rubbish. What is he going to do? Park it down the road and walk in?

Yep because it is very easy in the UK to park your car in random places.

I very much doubt they are trying to provoke one.

Actually this is one I do actually agree with Bee as you will be surprised with some people. Some people who feel threatened do take out tulip on others.

However I don't agree with her that you should ignore it. It should be handled there and then with a cool head. So if someone is swearing at you, you tell them then and there their language isn't acceptable. If the person doesn't stop or doesn't understand their language is upsetting you then you need to leave immediately.

So in one breath you say show them a new one, in the next you say he should follow their? Make your bleeding mind up.


At least this one makes a little bit of sense....

No it doesn't I don't know what "seek" is.

[northernladuk]

No it doesn't I don't know what "seek" is.

I was trying to give her the benefit of the doubt.

[itjobs]

This could be the problem with contracting at smaller clients.

On a different note, why can't you ask your client/agent for a 10-15% hike, to compensate for facing aggressive behaviour? Already you are facing and tackling it, well why not make money out of it. Just a thought.

[SueEllen]

This could be the problem with contracting at smaller clients.

On a different note, why can't you ask your client/agent for a 10-15% hike, to compensate for facing aggressive behaviour? Already you are facing and tackling it, well why not make money out of it. Just a thought.

Oddly enough all the tulip I've seen has been a large clients including ones that are suppose to operate with the utmost political correctness.

[ShandyDrinker]

This could be the problem with contracting at smaller clients.

On a different note, why can't you ask your client/agent for a 10-15% hike, to compensate for facing aggressive behaviour? Already you are facing and tackling it, well why not make money out of it. Just a thought.

^^ This.

[Illustrious]

Well I think Lance might have hit the nail on the head when he suggested that I was being set up to fail.

I was brought in to work on a very specific area of their software, and I've today been "retasked" to do something else. Not really an issue since I pride myself on being able to adapt fairly quickly but today I was given a task in a project I've never laid eyes on before; no documentation to review and the manager and senior dev flaunted out for the afternoon so I had no one to refer to. I was given an hour to get the job done. Needless to say I took a little longer than an hour.

I expect the inevitable tomorrow but on the plus side I spoke to the agent, told her the entire story including the abusive nature of the manager and the generally hostile environment. She wasn't surprised at the sabotage, a little about the abuse but just said you can never really tell with some people.

She just reassured me that they'd have to give me 7 days pay to terminate and that she'd get me placed elsewhere since there were other opportunities coming in. I asked her specifically about their right to terminate if they claim I'm incompetent but she assured me the legal team there would argue my case and they've got references for me to state I am good at what I do; the company would have a hard time making that case.

Weirdly though the same agent has been trying to fill a permanent role for the last 18 months at the company with no takers.....apparently the permie wages are very poor!

[ChimpMaster]

Well I think Lance might have hit the nail on the head when he suggested that I was being set up to fail.

I was brought in to work on a very specific area of their software, and I've today been "retasked" to do something else. Not really an issue since I pride myself on being able to adapt fairly quickly but today I was given a task in a project I've never laid eyes on before; no documentation to review and the manager and senior dev flaunted out for the afternoon so I had no one to refer to. I was given an hour to get the job done. Needless to say I took a little longer than an hour.

I expect the inevitable tomorrow but on the plus side I spoke to the agent, told her the entire story including the abusive nature of the manager and the generally hostile environment. She wasn't surprised at the sabotage, a little about the abuse but just said you can never really tell with some people.

She just reassured me that they'd have to give me 7 days pay to terminate and that she'd get me placed elsewhere since there were other opportunities coming in. I asked her specifically about their right to terminate if they claim I'm incompetent but she assured me the legal team there would argue my case and they've got references for me to state I am good at what I do; the company would have a hard time making that case.

Weirdly though the same agent has been trying to fill a permanent role for the last 18 months at the company with no takers.....apparently the permie wages are very poor!

All sounds hunky dory until the realisation hits that you're not her client.

Good luck though, hope it works out for you.