SOS!!! Please Help!

What should I do in the following situation?


Yesterday, one of the clerks at my hotel asked if he could speak with me. He seemed really upset so I agreed. What a story he told me! He began to speak of the new French manager and how things were changing under her regime. I was aware of her but didn't really know who she was as the hotel has never really seemed to have a manager or, one I ever knew about. Anyway, he told me she has instituted several new rules to improve hotel operations. First of all, no one is allowed to sleep while on duty! Can you imagine! The clerk is not even permitted to sleep at night! When asked for her rationale for such a spartan rule, she exclaimed that hotel security is compromised when the clerk is asleep. Apparently, this person asked if he could sleep as long as he kept his shoes on allowing him to give chase after any thief immediately. The manager replied that he could not sleep under any circumstances because doing so while on duty was also very unprofessional and didn't look good in front of the guests. I think she is being totally unreasonable on this issue.

Another new rule, when a guest makes a request, the hotel employee must strive to fulfill this request as soon as possible. To facilitate this, under no circumstances are the clerks permitted to leave the phone off the hook due to it's ringing too much. The employees should also never try to barter something in return for fulfilling the request. They were told this is part of their job and not something they are doing on their own time.

There were other rules established but those were the two most egregious. But, you haven't heard the worst yet! This manager has even taken measures to cut off the revenue stream of the hotel employees! For example:

*The TV technician is not allowed to manipulate the channel selections (all Somali language channels) in order to elicit bribes from guests who prefer other channels

*The security guards must stop others (or themselves) from letting air out of guests' tires with the hope of then receiving funds to replace the air

*Finally, the maids cannot cull discarded magazines from guests' trash cans and resell them at magazine shops in the city

What is it with this manager?! Is she the Ayatollah of all managers or what? Anyway, I seek your sage advice for how to handle this situation. A dark cloud is now hovering over this hotel and me and the other guests are on suicide watch for the hotel employees. I don't know if they're going to survive these draconian measures and I'm seriously thinking about reporting this to a human rights organization.

Hopefully, someone, somewhere on this vast planet can help me solve this problem.

Comments

  1. It's such a big problem...If I were you I report this to a human rights organization...

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  2. Yes...If I were you I would report that...but...I hope those employees will support your cause, I mean...maybe they could be afraid to lose their jobs.

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  3. Lilia,

    Sorry but my site was blocked in DJ the last few days so I couldn't respond to your comments. Perhaps, they were trying to hide this major HR problem from international organizations:) Anyway, I'm sure the organizations would be very angry about such abuses especially not allowing employees to sleep while at work!

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  4. So...what are you going to do? Have you contacted any international organization yet?

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  5. I tried but they seem more concerned with the human rights violations in other countries! Can you believe it?

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  6. so strange...which international organitazion did you contact?

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  7. It's called "The Organization for a Good Work Ethic." They refused to take the case!

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  8. Is this organization from Dijbouti?

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  9. well...I think that organization is not very serious...maybe you could try to ask to another organization.

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  10. I think the UN is going to have to get involved. They need to drop those other 'unimportant' cases and defend the rights of Djiboutians to sleep while at work!

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  11. This is too funny! I also live in Djibouti and am enjoying perusing your blog. Was out of the country when you were writing so I enjoyed the updates, such as the stoplight picture!

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  12. Hi, Djibouti Jones!

    Glad you enjoyed it. Ahh, those were the days. I'm now working in Taiwan for a six-month stint but my posts are not as funny as they were during my two stays in DJ--just can't find any good material here:) How are things there now?

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