To Stay or Not to Stay - Chandler,AZ

I'd stay. Just for the flex time. With the way it's going, it won't be long till the situation rectifies itself and you will be out of a job. If he is not an abusive boss, I'd just do my job and go along.

If you don't need the money, give notice.

If you need to work, start looking, and when you find something, give him notice. It sounds like the stress is outweighing the flexibility.

I'd consider staying for the job experience, it could help you get another job down the road. In the meantime you can look, but it will be difficult to find another job so lenient with your schedule and emergencies. You may have trouble getting a letter of recommendation from this flake, save any positive emails thanking you for something, complimenting something you did. As him in an email what did he think of .... How was the ...report you prepared? and then save his response.

I get that you're frustrated, but I personally wouldn't use the term "toxic work environment" to describe this situation. Toxic work environment is when you have someone who backstabs and undermines you at every turn, or it's sexual harassment -- that kind of thing.

What I would recommend instead is that you use his flakiness and loosey-goosiness to your advantage and further your own training. Take some accounting classes. Get yourSELF the proper training. That way, you can go out on the job market with great experience and a great recommendation. But maybe wait to do so when your kids are older, because you probably won't find this kind of flexibility anywhere else.

So, use your frustration to drive your career forward, not just to push you out the door.

Personally, I would stay. You are being paid by the hour. If the idiot wants to pay you to do the same work twice, his loss. Basically, I just remind myself that I do get paid by the hour and it's their loss when I have to do work again because of something they've done or haven't done. I also remind myself that it's their name/reputation that is suffering and if they don't care, hell I don't either.

Basically, I'm an employee not his mother. I take what he does and doesn't do with a grain of salt and do the best I can. Apparently you have taught yourself well since you're still there.

You need to stop taking the job personally and do what you can and let the chips fall where they will. As long as you are doing your job, you really shouldn't worry about anything else. It will work itself out or it won't, but it won't be your fault and it won't tarnish your reputation.

I firmly believe that the devil you know is better than the devil you don't. Sounds like you have a very flexible job and shouldn't give that up. Flexibility is worth SO MUCH!

You can always look for another PT job but I caution you to negotiate flexible time into any offer that you get. So if they give you an offer, make your demands heard loud and clear. Things like - sick kids, half days, field trips, vacations - you won't be able to work. If they agree to it, then maybe you've found another diamond in the rough.

Good luck!

I'd start looking for another job. The hours may be flexible, but look at the costs! You work with a "flake", you deal with pissed off clients and unhappy staff and your work often needs to be repeated. His business is highly regulated, could you be in any trouble if he goes down? Do you take your stress and frustration home with you for your husband and kids to deal with too? Basically, you sound like you are on a sinking ship!

It sounds to me like to Cons far out weigh the Pros. You seem like an intelligent women and I'm sure you can find a better, yet still flexible job.

I say stay. You'll not find another job with that much flexibility. So you have to sometimes do the same work twice. Oh well, you're getting paid for it. I'm sure the clients are well aware that he's at fault-not you! I'd stay!

I would bet you may get some PM's asking for your employers phone number so people on this forum can apply for this job when you quit.

To me it sounds like a great job. You do realize how hard it will be to find another job that is sooooo accommodating, right? What job isn't going to be a pain about something? But you have more pros going on than cons in this one.

Let go of things that are out of your control. If you have to re-do paperwork, so what, your paid hourly. But if you have to stay late or work on weekends to re-do paperwork due to his lack of timeliness, then that's when I say leave.

It depends. Can you grow in the job and get more training (by yourself or at a class or on line?) and then be more of an asset to frustrated clients? Can you start taking some of the meetings yourself? Maybe you could go on commission for any new business you bring in. Then it might be worth keeping. You're a self-starter who looks for work to fill open time, so that's a good thing.

But if the toxicity is growing to the point that you aren't learning, you're getting complaints from clients and storm clouds from the other employee(s), and the company is possibly at risk of going under because clients are leaving, then you should lay the groundwork to get the heck out of there before he lays you off with no notice. And if he's running away from clients, be sure he's just a flake and not doing something illegal or filing faulty returns! A friend of mine is a CPA and she worked part time for a non-profit organization for years when her kids were little. Then she got divorced and she got a job with an all-female accounting firm where everyone understood sick kids and soccer schedules, and they were willing to work with her. Her work could be done anytime and on a flex schedule. You now have experience, even though this job fell into your lap, but now you can market that into a better situation. Don't underestimate your abilities.

I'd stay. Find your zen there. Imagine yourself in an episode of the office. As long as he's not blaming you for his flakiness and throwing you under the bus to clients or hanging you out to dry, just do the work as best as you can and be happy for the flexibility and paycheck. It's a job, right? Not a long-term career?

I think that my response would be different if you were in a larger company and were trying to work your way up the corporate ladder and this guy was in your way, making you look bad to your colleagues and superiors, but that doesn't seem to be the case. That said, it's not the first or last job out there with flexibility. If the pay and schedule work, then stay there unless and until something better comes along.

A lot of jobs do on the job training. A lot of jobs have flaky bosses. A lot of jobs require you to redo work for one reason or another. A lot of jobs interact with upset clients and coworkers.

But you have a lot of bonuses. You're getting paid. You get paid whether your boss is a flake or not. Your boss doesn't really sound like a jerk or even unethical. Just flaky. You have a very understanding boss and flexible schedule.

Since you've been there since November 2012, I would ask him for an immediate sit down when you know his schedule is clear to "show you how to ____." Pick and choose the times and for items that you need training on most urgently and/or at hand.

Remind him in the mornings when you see him that so-and-so is coming in to meet with him and why that day, and that if he misses the meeting then ____ will be the consequence. It might help if he gets his e-mail on his phone and you can e-mail the reminders to him. "So and so expects you at 10:30 for a meeting to discuss _____ because of the urgency of the August 12th due date."

So my point is that it's okay to take some initiative here.

I'd stay. Remember that you are getting paid to do whatever it is you. If others are in bad moods then avoid them. Staying in your office is a great idea. As long as the boss doesn't flake on paying you then stay. It's a great resume item and you would be hard pressed to find another job that's so flexible.

If you decide not to stay then consider working part time so you have the opportunity to do things with your children.

Wow, J., your post really hit home for me.

Without going into details, I worked for a guy similar to what you describe. His was a slow decline, but boy, it was long and painful and tragic. Like your situation, the hours were convenient (it was a second job but was essential to my income) but I was left holding the bag a lot of the time on messes he made with clients. Empty promises-- I understand what it feels like when someone is upset with you and you simply don't have any information about their business with the boss and have no clue as to what to tell them.

Honestly, hindsight being 20/20, I would strongly encourage you to move on. I'd only proffer this advice since you are asking. Be glad that you don't know much about the guy's personal life; that ended up being painful as well. Everyone has stress at their jobs from time to time, but when you are coming home stressed out from absorbing so much negativity from others, it's like there's nothing left to give to those you love. It IS a categorically toxic work environment. Several years ago, a girlfriend of mine was in a similar situation working as a personal assistant for a chef. It was terrible and chewed her up, but she didn't leave until she could see that his mistakes were making her look bad to others.

Good luck whatever you choose, but that's what I did-- eventually just had to leave. Sometimes, there's nothing noble about going down with the ship.

ETA: I did read many people's perspectives that the flex time was worth staying. I think they likely have more ability for professional distance than I was able to experience. :) Please know that my situation was unique to me, and that's the place my answer comes from. It doesn't mean it's the right one for you-- just one opinion.

I look at a job in 3rds.
1/.3 do I like my boss
1/3 do I like the work
1/3 do I like the employees .

I have to say 2/3s yes, I stay.

I would suggest, looking to see if the grass is better else where. Good luck and follow your gutt

If you don't have to have the work, then you could be bold with him and let the chips fall where they may. Only if you don't actually have to work, or if you could easily get daycare clients again.

If you were to go this route, tell him that you need a sit-down with him and keep at it until he sits down with you. Tell him that you are afraid he is going to lose his business. His clients deserve follow-through and he's not giving it. Empty promises have them calling upset and it upsets everyone.

Listen to what he says. Then tell him that you like having flexibility, but no proper training and him blowing off meetings with you and the clients makes you hate this job.

From your description, I doubt that he cares one wit when you come or go. You are paid by the hour, you scrounge for work, and you don't cost him much, so I don't think I'd give him a lot of kudos for his flexibility.

Who knows - he might listen to you and start doing a better job.

If you aren't interested in this, then start a running tally of the problem calls. Inundate him with complaints from clients. If he tells you to call and make excuses, tell him you aren't comfortable with that because the clients already know that what you say are just excuses. Dump it in HIS lap.

If he doesn't like it, maybe he'll start honoring some of his promises.

J.:

Do you HAVE to work?
Do you NEED the income?

If you do NOT HAVE to work and your family does NOT need the income? Leave.

This is NOT a toxic work environment in my opinion. A toxic environment is one where your boss micromanages you, demeans you, you have co-workers that throw you under the bus and don't take responsibility for their actions; a boss that comes into your area and talks like a lover to you - you know sexual harassment stuff, etc.

What would **I** do? I would find and get the training I need. I would get the costs of the training and then tell my boss via e-mail that he needs to pay for this training. You can take the bull by the horns, you know that right?

You do NOT need to succumb to others foul/bad moods. Bring in a radio and pictures of your kids to put on your desk.

Then keep a log of what you do and for whom. Just because your boss doesn't have his stuff together - doesn't mean you can't have your stuff together.

You can make a meeting happen. You can tell him what you need. Get it in writing. Do you want to put the effort into it? If so - I say stay and take the bull by the horns....shape up the office - you're a mom of six - are you telling me you don't know how to take charge? I doubt very seriously - you made it through six kids and a home day care without knowing your stuff and getting it whipped into shape!!

Write the pros and cons down. If you decide to leave - make sure you have another job lined up. You might not find one so flexible in the future.

Good luck!