toxic environment in the workplace of a gay venue

John: I came and stayed with you a couple of years ago from Colorado and wanted to share something with you.

I worked in a gay environment.

The staff were all afraid of the manager.

He was a manic mad man who shouted and screamed at staff for any little thing they had done wrong while making a mess of his own work, being late, not doing his job and then blamed staff members.

I tried reasoning with him once to get shouted at.

It is really toxic and many left and the workload was then doubled up on existing staff to complete or he threatened to fire us.

After being shouted at in front of everyone one day, I stood up, sorted my bag - all the while him shouting at me as to what the fuck I was doing, and when I had my things together, I went to leave as he shouted after me. I politely and in my indoor voice, not my shouting outdoor voice, that I was not here to have someone with serious mental health scream at me all the day and that I would be reporting him to the Big Boss and to the Gay Businessmen's Association for bullying, screaming at staff, swearing at staff and generally being an incompetent loud mouthed cunt - and that this environment was toxic because of his attitude and that I was not prepared to have him shout at me any more than I would allow ANYONE to shout at me, and I turned to leave.

He kept shouting after me that he was my employer and he had every right, to which I replied -

' Wait and see what the company lawyers say when I play them the tape of you screaming ( oh yes - I had started taping him on my phone weeks prior ) and see what the authorities make of his manner, and with him now open mouthed, I left.

The big boss was not interested, so I took it up the ladder to the various bodies responsible and after quite a fight, and it did take over a year, BOTH were fired and I received $22,000 in compensation - largely for stress related to the way he had behaved - and after a new manager was put in, it vastly improved, productivity went up, staff morale improved dramatically and all the problems left the very day this toxic fuck up of a human being was fired.

I had left and started my own small business and have thrived very well thanks to good staff who I appreciate, reward when they give that little bit extra and am always thankful and thoughtful if they want extra time off, have a family emergency or anything, as ANY VENUE is only ever as good as its staff and if the staff work in a toxic environment, then the business will suffer.

And it all comes down to staff and I noticed how you laugh and have fun with your staff at Hamilton Hall and I suppose being small and where they live in, makes it more personal for you all. I loved your relationship with - I think it was Gary - and how you had great patter between you and joked and poked fun. It was such a relief after the few years I had over this toxic environment I found myself in.

Keep it up John ( and Gary ? )

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Norman ( Now in California )

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