Texas
I work as a Project Engineer in Construction, an industry well known for the salty, old-school roughnecks that accompany the territory. I recently graduated Texas A&M with a Masters Degree in Land & Property Development and am just starting a career in this industry.
I have served in the Navy, worked and helped support my family since I was 16, and own/run a small Property Management company on the side. I am not your typical millennial that is stereotyped today. I've sacrificed and given up a lot to get to where I am at today. I don't mind working hard, and I don't expect things to be handed to me.
From the military, I battle Major Depression/Anxiety. Something I deal with daily, and can overcome most days.
All I want is to have the ability to do my job, without having to spend 70% of my energy in dealing with my superintendents consistent, unrelenting battery of harassment and verbal assault. I can be really wordy, so Im going to make bullet points on what I go through on a daily/ weekly basis.
- Lunch/Breakfast. If I do not buy my superintendent lunch or breakfast each day, in return I am met with harassment, unrealistic work requests and often have to work Saturdays as punishment. No Joke. I am already pulling 10-11 hour days, even though I am salaried. Doing the math, I make $13/hr based off of the time I put into this job on-site. Saturdays? I'm not even OSHA certified... I should not be here, the superintendents whose job it is to be in the field should be here.
- Unrealistic work requests : My job is a junior management position. I work directly under a Project Manager from Dallas. When he gives me instructions the super doesn't like, he will often have me do the exact opposite and then will make it seem as if I were the one to make that choice. I am new, and am not going to doing something out of the blue, on my own. Unfortunately, the PM is a little naive... I then get chewed out by my PM while the superintendent gets off without a slap on the wrist. 14 People have quit and this project is only 9 months old, all going back to this one guy because of things like this.
- Sexual/Verbal Harassment : This is the thing that gets me the most. . There are random days he asks about my sexual life. He will ask things like, "Are you going to plow into your fiance's P*** when you get home??" or ask if I ever have to rape her or anything like that. Since we are in a college town, there are tons of younger girls that walk around and he will say things that are incredibly derogatory. Locker room talk??? Yeah right! This is way beyond that. I can't begin to describe how infuriating it is when he says those kind of things. This guy is a pig, and is disgusting. I have values and morals that I believe in. I carry those from Texas A&M, the Freemasons and the military. This one person challenges those values every day.
- My Bonus : He sabotaged my end of year bonus. I asked what he said to my PM that resulted in a poor bonus and his response was " You're a millennial, green and don't deserve an end of year bonus." I am the first one here, and the last one to leave. I do and figure things out that this guy with 20 years of experience can't seem to grasp or comprehend. Don't get me started on technology and the use of it in the workplace.
- He disrespects me in front of all of the subcontractors and other field superintendents, resulting in bullying from them as well. I can handle locker room talk to an extent. There are some lines you don't cross though, my mom would have torn my behind up!!! The repetition and consistency of the verbal harassment I receive from these people is relentless. It doesn't stop. Every single day, I get called gay, or some obscure joke is made at my expense about how much I love male body parts. My nickname on this site is the Millennial, Somalia (Yes like the pirate), dumba**, or kid.
- This guy has a CHL and carries a gun to work every-day. To be honest, there are some days I am scared to be here with him because of that. He has never threatened me directly, but has mentioned he wanted to be a hit-man for the mafia when he was in his 20's. That he wanted to feel the warmth of someone's blood all over him. How am I supposed to feel comfortable in an environment with someone like that?
I'm beyond over this. I just want to arrive at work, do my job, and go home to my fiance. I've complained to my PM about his behavior, multiple times. I've complained to one of the owners of our company about it.
I have been on the hunt for a healthier work environment for the last 3 months and have not been able to find any jobs in Land Development, where I should be. Everyone says I'm over-qualified, or don't respond at all. I can't quit, I have a mortgage, bills, a car-note. Some student debt thanks to grad-school. I've spoken up, questioned, even freaked out and nothing has changed.
I don't know what to do, and am really struggling here. It is affecting my health, sleep, eating habits, relationship, life, and outlook on pretty much everything. I am out of energy. I don't have any hope, I don't have any self-worth. Depression and Anxiety... Often viewed as a crutch unless you've experienced it yourself. It is debilitating. I have endured many trials and tribulations through the 28 years I've been alive. I've met thousands of people through the military, and bouncing around to 26 different homes before turning 18. I have never experienced or met someone as destructive as this human being.
I work as a Project Engineer in Construction, an industry well known for the salty, old-school roughnecks that accompany the territory. I recently graduated Texas A&M with a Masters Degree in Land & Property Development and am just starting a career in this industry.
I have served in the Navy, worked and helped support my family since I was 16, and own/run a small Property Management company on the side. I am not your typical millennial that is stereotyped today. I've sacrificed and given up a lot to get to where I am at today. I don't mind working hard, and I don't expect things to be handed to me.
From the military, I battle Major Depression/Anxiety. Something I deal with daily, and can overcome most days.
All I want is to have the ability to do my job, without having to spend 70% of my energy in dealing with my superintendents consistent, unrelenting battery of harassment and verbal assault. I can be really wordy, so Im going to make bullet points on what I go through on a daily/ weekly basis.
- Lunch/Breakfast. If I do not buy my superintendent lunch or breakfast each day, in return I am met with harassment, unrealistic work requests and often have to work Saturdays as punishment. No Joke. I am already pulling 10-11 hour days, even though I am salaried. Doing the math, I make $13/hr based off of the time I put into this job on-site. Saturdays? I'm not even OSHA certified... I should not be here, the superintendents whose job it is to be in the field should be here.
- Unrealistic work requests : My job is a junior management position. I work directly under a Project Manager from Dallas. When he gives me instructions the super doesn't like, he will often have me do the exact opposite and then will make it seem as if I were the one to make that choice. I am new, and am not going to doing something out of the blue, on my own. Unfortunately, the PM is a little naive... I then get chewed out by my PM while the superintendent gets off without a slap on the wrist. 14 People have quit and this project is only 9 months old, all going back to this one guy because of things like this.
- Sexual/Verbal Harassment : This is the thing that gets me the most. . There are random days he asks about my sexual life. He will ask things like, "Are you going to plow into your fiance's P*** when you get home??" or ask if I ever have to rape her or anything like that. Since we are in a college town, there are tons of younger girls that walk around and he will say things that are incredibly derogatory. Locker room talk??? Yeah right! This is way beyond that. I can't begin to describe how infuriating it is when he says those kind of things. This guy is a pig, and is disgusting. I have values and morals that I believe in. I carry those from Texas A&M, the Freemasons and the military. This one person challenges those values every day.
- My Bonus : He sabotaged my end of year bonus. I asked what he said to my PM that resulted in a poor bonus and his response was " You're a millennial, green and don't deserve an end of year bonus." I am the first one here, and the last one to leave. I do and figure things out that this guy with 20 years of experience can't seem to grasp or comprehend. Don't get me started on technology and the use of it in the workplace.
- He disrespects me in front of all of the subcontractors and other field superintendents, resulting in bullying from them as well. I can handle locker room talk to an extent. There are some lines you don't cross though, my mom would have torn my behind up!!! The repetition and consistency of the verbal harassment I receive from these people is relentless. It doesn't stop. Every single day, I get called gay, or some obscure joke is made at my expense about how much I love male body parts. My nickname on this site is the Millennial, Somalia (Yes like the pirate), dumba**, or kid.
- This guy has a CHL and carries a gun to work every-day. To be honest, there are some days I am scared to be here with him because of that. He has never threatened me directly, but has mentioned he wanted to be a hit-man for the mafia when he was in his 20's. That he wanted to feel the warmth of someone's blood all over him. How am I supposed to feel comfortable in an environment with someone like that?
I'm beyond over this. I just want to arrive at work, do my job, and go home to my fiance. I've complained to my PM about his behavior, multiple times. I've complained to one of the owners of our company about it.
I have been on the hunt for a healthier work environment for the last 3 months and have not been able to find any jobs in Land Development, where I should be. Everyone says I'm over-qualified, or don't respond at all. I can't quit, I have a mortgage, bills, a car-note. Some student debt thanks to grad-school. I've spoken up, questioned, even freaked out and nothing has changed.
I don't know what to do, and am really struggling here. It is affecting my health, sleep, eating habits, relationship, life, and outlook on pretty much everything. I am out of energy. I don't have any hope, I don't have any self-worth. Depression and Anxiety... Often viewed as a crutch unless you've experienced it yourself. It is debilitating. I have endured many trials and tribulations through the 28 years I've been alive. I've met thousands of people through the military, and bouncing around to 26 different homes before turning 18. I have never experienced or met someone as destructive as this human being.