Each Department is so vastly different, and some are just tragic. The work culture and ethic varies from one place to the next. This really is bad if you are newer employee and do not know and move between Departments.
My current Department is a disaster (simply put). The management is unaware of what they are doing, they play the "blame game" constantly and attack staff, yet are always unavailable to answer questions. In my own section they sat down with me less than five times in eleven months- and I run a very important unit. If things go right you get zero recognition. A large swath of staff are out sick at any given moment. There is a massive amount of in-fighting. If you are a manager you can't expect other managers to even be helpful or answer questions. I've had secretaries respond to me like I was a pesky used-car salesman telemarketer when I just wanted assistance with a printer. The Department is run like a stress-camp. The more they induce through acting as if desk-work is open-heart surgery the more they get their kicks. In the particular Department I am in there was a manager who passed away at their desk, only to be discovered by a janitor over the weekend...(if that gives you ANY indication of how toxic the work culture is). I'm convinced people only stay here who have been in the county for several years and feel they will "lose their benefits" if they quit. Everyone is expected to be a "workaholic." If you leave work on time or have family obligations you will get the evil eye from at least one tenured manager if not more. Their favorite form of manipulation is giving you bad news right before you either 1) leave for the day or 2) go on vacation. It never fails- getting disciplined- it will happen at 4:50pm. Being told you are in "trouble" 4:55pm. What they don't realize is the entire office knows within 10 minutes since all the lower-level staff text each other all manner of details. Every meeting the management has with any staff member that isn't management is broadcast within 2 minutes, and if the staff are friends with managers and those other managers not in the meeting find out at the same time... All the politics and fake friendliness is just stupid. The best part is they pretend to have an open door policy.... the reality is people hide when they see certain people walking down the hall, and cower at some of the management.
