Pecking Order

Laboring under the illusion that what is called an open door policy actually is what it is, meaning, no appointment necessary, bring your concerns and ideas so we can make progress and be a better, more responsive company to employee and customer needs, I had an approximately 30 second conversation with management the other day. I followed appropriate protocol, I spoke with his executive assistant and she walked me to his office. I got an unexpected answer, a positive one, albeit brusque. As I walked back to my work area, I had mixed thoughts. I was pleased that an ongoing issue would finally be resolved. Yet I was a little aggravated that after months of dealing with a daily problem that it was just that easy to get the job done if I went high enough. We are a team! The open door policy is a real thing, not just corporate busy-speak! The next morning, a post-it note is on my timecard to see HR. She asked me to close the door and sit down. I was about to be scolded for my mini victory from the previous day. It would seem that management, four layers up from my humble ranking, spoke to her about my dramatic and bossy behavior. Dramatic and bossy? I am still laboring to come up with a reasonable conclusion, and there just doesn't seem to be an obvious one beyond the smart ass observations I am prone to come up with. I remain puzzled as to why upper management would feel so threatened or so vexed by my appropriate employment of a company policy that he would go on record to HR about it. Darker conspiracy theories are sneaking in around the edges that I prefer to dismiss, but I can't quite entirely do that. I am known within the company for my propensity to speak up, not just for myself, but on the behalf of others. I don't tolerate workplace bullies and pettiness. I expect people to be grown-ups. I am interested in getting the work done, following procedures correctly and improving the process. I also have an unsettled Workers Compensation claim. I had a very favorable review at the end of 2009, I was given a raise. I was also told that until my Work Comp is settled, no changes would be made in my job description. Meaning that the work I do nearly every day does not match what is written in my job description. Top that off with the fact that my state of residence is something called a Right to Work State. Meaning that cause for dismissal can be as trivial as they don't like the socks you are wearing. So I'm left to wonder if my value as an employee has tipped to the negative. This is probably going to be interesting.