Manager refuses to promote employee after seeing her 'clap talk' at new hire; she says she's being 'victimized'. AITA?
"AITA for not giving a woman a promotion at work because I saw her clap after every word when telling someone how to do something?"
Ukcheatingwife
At my company we’ve recently had a position come up for for a supervisor in our warehouse. I wanted to promote from within so put a notice up then anyone is welcome to apply and I’ll consider everyone. It’s an extra £5 an hour so I had a lot of people apply.
I’ve also been recruiting in the warehouse as it’s got busy and took on another 10 members of staff. I always try and pay £5 an hour above market average to make sure I get better applicants but it also means I get a hell of a lot of applicants.
Hiring these ten people meant sifting through over 1000 applicants. Eventually I got the ten I wanted and i want to keep them as they are great. One of the new starters is quite a timid woman in her early 20s.
On her second day she asked one of the other women who works there named Heather where to put a certain item once it had been unpacked. I was walking past when I heard Heather let out a big sigh and say “I 👏 told 👏 you 👏 this 👏 yes 👏 ter 👏 day 👏 you 👏 need 👏 to 👏 learn 👏”
I was fuming. I hate it when people type like that on social media but to hear one of my more senior employees talk to a young new starter like that on her second day really irritates me and I just couldn't let it go.
I told Heather I wanted to see her in my office straight away. I was honest with her and said that out of all the applicants for the supervisor role she was in my top three I was considering but I will now not be considering her at all.
She asked why and I told her. I said after what I just saw i believe she will be the type who would let any sort of power and authority get to her head and treat people cruelly.
I said she was just asked a simple question by a new starter and she proceeded to embarrass her and belittle her in front of other coworkers and that is not the sort of person I want supervising a team of 20.
She was so angry and has since lodged a complaint saying it’s unfair she’s no longer being considered for the job and she feels she’s being victimised for the way she communicates.
I don’t think I'm an AH for not giving her the job but am I the AH for telling her why she’s not getting it now rather than just dealing with the applications and telling her afterward that she has not been successful? I suppose it can be seen as a bit petty of me.
Here were the top rated comments from readers in response to the OP's post:
whiteOzzzy
NTA - temperaments like that are cancer to an organization, especially at senior levels. Management is a physical embodiment of the company culture that will be perpetuated. If you wouldn't like her to be your manager and that's not the culture you're trying to build, the choice is self-evident.
brelywi
Yep, you get what you grow! Also, if you communicate like a condescending asshole you should probably be prepared to be “victimized” for it, lol.
Proper-District8608
Gotta love the AH move for pulling out 'victimized'. NTA you dodged a bullet.
brelywi
Yep, you get what you grow!
Also, if you communicate like a condescending asshole you should probably be prepared to be “victimized” for it, lol.
Proper-District8608
Gotta love the AH move for pulling out 'victimized'. NTA you dodged a bullet.
Suejbacon
You did the right thing by addressing Heather’s behavior immediately. Supervisors need to set the tone for respect and professionalism, and she clearly failed in that regard. Giving her direct feedback was necessary—she needed to understand why she wasn’t being considered for the promotion. It wasn’t petty; it was holding her accountable.
naeviie_
NTA - It wasn't petty, it was direct. Her inability to communicate in a professional and respectful manner is the exact reason she's being passed up, and if she has any brains at all she'll take that to heart.
Imagine complaining that you're not getting a promotion because you're incapable of not being an AH to your coworkers lmfao, hopefully she'll get laughed out of any HR meeting.
Cybermagetx
Nta. She would cause people to leave. Shes not leadership material. At all.
Ukcheatingwife (OP)
That’s my thoughts. If that’s how she talks to people on her “level” what is a bit of authority going to do to her? I want a good happy workforce and she will make people leave.
Ukcheatingwife (OP)
I’m the owner so the only person the complaint will come back to eventually is me or if she wants to take it outside of work and to court I’ll see her there.
Exotic_Ideal_8255
NTA - HR would tell you that you should never tell a candidate why they aren't getting a job, but if you don't they'll never have the opportunity to improve. You did the right thing. That's not a "communication style" that is just unprofessional behavior.
Ukcheatingwife (OP)
I’ll be honest the sort of person I am I’d like to be told if I’m doing something wrong so I carry that forward. I’m a woman in engineering who now owns my own company manufacturing tools, parts and equipment, I’ve been spoken down to many times and I won’t stand for it.
Queasy-Trash8292
NTA. You’re great. Thank you for protecting your employees like that. You didn’t do anything wrong except for the timing of your delivery. You could have waited to make the supervisor announcement and talked up the qualities you promoted the person for (positive coaching, employee development, kindness, empathy, etc).
Then when Heather asked why she wasn’t chosen, you could again highlight those qualities, ask her how she thinks she does on those, gather feedback from other employees, then calmly explain why what you overheard did not demonstrate empathy, and that you’d be happy to work with her on communication style so she can be considered for the next time a role opens up.