A Case Of The Mondays: Vent Your Work Spleen Here

[backformore]

12 hours ago, Moose135 said:

I got called in this morning and told my services were no longer needed...it wasn't totally unexpected, as we have been going through departmental "transformation" for several months now, but I thought I might be around for a little while longer.  I'm on payroll through January 17 and get a package, so I have a little time to figure things out, it just sucks having to go back into job search mode.

Moose, that sucks.   

I was in the same position almost 2 years ago.  18 years at a company, and let go.  I am in a much better place now - much less stress.  

I was devastated to lose my job, but they actually did me a favor. 

[theredhead77]

Our office facilities manager sucks. He's a nice guy but has no drive and comes across as super lazy. In my old office I had to ask him 5 times to remove the keyboard drawer from under my desk. I don't use it and keep hitting my leg on it. First he says yes, and then he says he'd prefer to leave it. I finally got him to remove it. Fast forward to my new office, same issue. I'd remove it myself but I don't have the proper tools.

There is no one to escalate to either and numerous people have the same opinion about him.

[bilgistic]

I brought tools to a former job and removed a keyboard drawer myself. Ridiculous, but it wasn't getting done otherwise. In their weak defense, it was a tiny company.

There was absolutely no excuse for my former 70K-employee company to not bolt down my desk filing cabinet that kept coming down on top of me for six months...while everyone who asked was getting standing desks. Goddamn, that place was horrible.

[Hero]

I had a job interview a couple of weeks ago at a place that I have been applying to for a couple of years. It seemed as if they liked me. I really hope I get it. It's full time with benefits! feel like I have such bad luck at finding a job. 

My old job, where I was on a as needed basis, is somewhere that I would to work at permanently. I really loved the job and the people that I worked with. Sadly, there are no openings. I covered for this older woman in her early 80s. They literally have every reason to let her go, they don't even give ger work to do anymore! She just sits there and plays games on the computer. 

They have told me that I am a great worker and work harder than most of the people in the building. It just sucks that someone, who does absolutely no work at all, gets to have a job. Such is life, I guess.

Edited December 7, 2017 by Hero

[bilgistic]

Fingers crossed, @Hero. I'd been wondering how you were doing.

[Mindthinkr]

15 hours ago, bilgistic said:

Goddamn, that place was horrible.

Yes, but behind you now. You got out before any of the miserable conditions killed you. 

High hopes for you too @Hero as well. 

[theredhead77]

@emma675 any word?

[emma675]

theredhead77, nope, no word. ? I've pretty much accepted I didn't get the job now and I've started up my job search again. 

[Mindthinkr]

4 minutes ago, emma675 said:

theredhead77, nope, no word. ? I've pretty much accepted I didn't get the job now and I've started up my job search again. 

Best foot forward and now you have a bucketful more of experience to water your seeds of growth with. Sorry that it didn't work out (although I don't know that I've given up on a positive outcome for you!). 

[Hanahope]

On 12/5/2017 at 10:51 AM, Moose135 said:

I got called in this morning and told my services were no longer needed...it wasn't totally unexpected, as we have been going through departmental "transformation" for several months now, but I thought I might be around for a little while longer.  I'm on payroll through January 17 and get a package, so I have a little time to figure things out, it just sucks having to go back into job search mode.

I hate employers that do this right before the holidays.  Happened to me too, some years ago.  Merry fucking Christmas to you too.  I hope the package is decent, as it seems to me that its hard to find a new job right after the holidays.  

 

On 12/4/2017 at 10:53 PM, langway said:

Well, my manager sent an email out today and has made a mandatory meeting this fucking Friday right at the time of my doctor's appointment.

I hope things worked out.  Again, employers that seem to think their employees entire lives revolve around work, even on 'off time.'  The same employer that "let me go" right before Christmas, also had this "voluntary get together" (not really voluntary) once a month at the downtown office, so I would have to spend my own time to drive downtown and pay to park to attend.  Course, working at a "satellite office" I was paid less because "I didn't have to commute and pay to park in the city."  it was such bullshit.  I was almost glad they "let me go" (because they had to decided to close the satellite office a few months later and "didn't have room for me in the downtown office"), I was actually going to start looking for a new job anyway.

[Petunia13]

My store has been cutting hours and trying to find a way to lay off people (we're union). Ugh. It just sucks to do when we all make so little, live in an expensive area, and it's the holidays. 

I went in to my interview w the VP of my corp weeks ago and I didn't get the job ? She wrote a feedback for my file which was very general and vague and I can interview again in a month. I feel like she had me in mind for a different position than I interviewed for and when I didn't show the proper interest or training she put a pin in it. 

[bilgistic]

Ugh, I'm sorry, @Petunia13.

[emma675]

It's been almost 5 weeks since I quit my job and I've become a bit unmoored this week. I've fixed everything around my house and yard (and then some) and now I really don't know what to do with myself. All of my friends have day jobs, so I may look for some volunteer opportunities to get myself out of the house. I hate to think of myself as someone who doesn't know what to do without a job, but it's getting there. Plus, I really miss having a paycheck!

I did have a phone interview with a consulting firm yesterday and a recruiter approached me with a new opportunity that we're discussing. I still have not heard anything back from the previous job I was interviewing for and I'm kind of angry now. After four rounds of interviews the least they could do is shoot me a standard "thanks, but we've gone with someone else" email. To not say anything at all is kind of crappy in my book.

[Moose135]

32 minutes ago, emma675 said:

After four rounds of interviews the least they could do is shoot me a standard "thanks, but we've gone with someone else" email. To not say anything at all is kind of crappy in my book.

When I was out of work during the financial crisis a few years back, it seemed like resumes and applications went into a black hole, never to be seen again.  I applied for one position, and the VP of the department (who I would be reporting to) called me herself to schedule an appointment.  She called on a Monday and asked "How soon can you come in?"  I lived on Long Island, and they were in midtown Manhattan, and I said "Tomorrow!"  We ended up scheduling the interview for Wednesday morning.  The meeting went well, she had a couple of concerns that I addressed, and I felt good about it. She said she had two other people to interview, and that she was making the final decision, no other people to interview with, no second/third round, and she would have a decision by that Friday.  I think she was abducted by aliens - 8 years later, and not a word.  I called and left a message, sent her e-mail, even mailed a letter, and not even the courtesy of saying "thanks, but no thanks."

[Mindthinkr]

As much emphasis is being put onto the person interviewing to write a handwritten thank you note, email et al, you'd think that the other side who's doing the interviewing would have the courtesy to reply (or get some assistant to do it). Haven't they ever been in limbo waiting for a job. IMHO most of us have. How quickly they forget. It's unkind. 

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, emma675 said:

I still have not heard anything back from the previous job I was interviewing for and I'm kind of angry now. After four rounds of interviews the least they could do is shoot me a standard "thanks, but we've gone with someone else" email. To not say anything at all is kind of crappy in my book.

If they've gone with someone else and not contacted you, that indeed sucks.  But maybe they just haven't pulled the trigger yet.  I don't hire anyone between the week of Thanksgiving and the first week back after New Year's unless I absolutely must.  Didn't they say they were hoping to make a decision before Christmas?  It's not here yet, and they may decide to wait until the new year.

[theredhead77]

11 hours ago, emma675 said:

It's been almost 5 weeks since I quit my job and I've become a bit unmoored this week. I've fixed everything around my house and yard (and then some) and now I really don't know what to do with myself. All of my friends have day jobs, so I may look for some volunteer opportunities to get myself out of the house. I hate to think of myself as someone who doesn't know what to do without a job, but it's getting there. Plus, I really miss having a paycheck!

I did have a phone interview with a consulting firm yesterday and a recruiter approached me with a new opportunity that we're discussing. I still have not heard anything back from the previous job I was interviewing for and I'm kind of angry now. After four rounds of interviews the least they could do is shoot me a standard "thanks, but we've gone with someone else" email. To not say anything at all is kind of crappy in my book.

I would suggest following up again. I seriously got my offer for my current job on December 30th (I was wine tasting with friends when I got the call). My first interview was in early November (or super late October) and I saw the position was marked as 'filled' on one of the job websites but when I followed up anyway they said they hadn't made a decision.

Edited December 14, 2017 by theredhead77

[DeLurker]

11 hours ago, emma675 said:

After four rounds of interviews the least they could do is shoot me a standard "thanks, but we've gone with someone else"

Having been on both ends of the interview process, I've had to wait longer than I wanted to receive or give news on a position.  If the sector has a work load crush at year end, that may play a factor.  I would be hesitant to hire anyone in Nov or Dec because I would have no real time to evaluate their performance at that time.  I also wouldn't want to pay salary and benefits until I could ensure they were coming in at a time where I could the appropriate training and supervision to evaluate them.  Or the decision makers may have too much on their plate to fully consider the matter.  The person with the opening in their department may be ready to pull the trigger, but they may not be able to get all the buy in they need.

My nephew* went through several rounds of interviews for a position and didn't hear anything for several weeks.  Turns out they were trying to reconfigure an existing position to better take advantage of his skills because the skills bridge multiple departments. 

*He graduated college in 2009 and the job market then was really crappy.  He ended up working at grocery stories & retail for quite a while which was not uncommon for his friends who were in the same position.  Between that and part time work (designing or redesigning websites) his employment history was as spotty as they come for a "real" job.

[JTMacc99]

14 hours ago, emma675 said:

the least they could do is shoot me a standard "thanks, but we've gone with someone else" email. To not say anything at all is kind of crappy in my book.

For a minute here I thought I was in the Online Dating thread. 

[Mindthinkr]

3 minutes ago, JTMacc99 said:

For a minute here I thought I was in the Online Dating thread. 

Swipe left. 

[emma675]

Quote

If they've gone with someone else and not contacted you, that indeed sucks.  But maybe they just haven't pulled the trigger yet.  I don't hire anyone between the week of Thanksgiving and the first week back after New Year's unless I absolutely must.  Didn't they say they were hoping to make a decision before Christmas?  It's not here yet, and they may decide to wait until the new year.

Bastet, the hiring manager said they are "hoping to have a decision from the group by Christmas". I thought that would be this week since I'm assuming people will start going on vacation next week, but who knows? I've pretty much given up and I'm applying to other jobs and speaking to other recruiters now. I think I'm just in a little bit of a funk and not hearing back in so long added to it.

[Moose135]

I wouldn't give up hope on this one, @emma675, but it's not a bad idea to keep looking at other opportunities while you wait.

Last week, a now-former coworker put me in touch with a guy who does recruiting for a consulting firm.  We had a short talk today, and I'm going in to his office on Tuesday for a meet and greet.  Not that I want to go the consulting route, but if nothing else, it should help pay the bills until I find something permanent.  And who knows, I might end up at a place I like where they like me, and offer me a permanent position.  A hundred years ago, I worked as a temp at the newspaper back on Long Island, and after several months, they hired me full time.

[Petunia13]

I think I'm going to start looking and putting my feelers out. My work really disappointed me lately. Also I feel like they're gonna restructure, posssible downsize. I've been in the same position for 2 years.

starting from my clocking in at 4am my boss had his foot up my ass and was cracking the whip. Everyone was spazzing out and completely disorganized today. They made it was more difficult and stressful than they needed to.  I was pretty pissed off. 

[Mindthinkr]

1 hour ago, Petunia13 said:

I think I'm going to start looking and putting my feelers out. My work really disappointed me lately. Also I feel like they're gonna restructure, posssible downsize. I've been in the same position for 2 years.

starting from my clocking in at 4am my boss had his foot up my ass and was cracking the whip. Everyone was spazzing out and completely disorganized today. They made it was more difficult and stressful than they needed to.  I was pretty pissed off. 

If that is how you feel at work then yes, it's a good time to start to look for other options. 4AM? Crazy too early hour. I'd be cranky for that alone! 

[Petunia13]

I'm not a morning person so whether I rise at 5 or 2:50am I'll be equally grumpy and tired. I'd rather rip the bandaid off. The bonuses are I get a lot of work done before store opening & w less people around and I get off work by lunch so I have an entire afternoon and evening free. I am a department head so could schedule myself later, just don't. One day I do a split  so I have 3rd off a week. 

[riley702]

My brain refuses to work in the morning. I've had to lay out my clothes in the bathroom the night before for years. Despite the fact that I wear the same thing to work every day (scrubs), if I didn't have them laid out, I'd stand in front of the closet paralyzed with indecision. Think slack-jawed drooling, saying, "Umm...." for 5 minutes. It's ridiculous.

[walnutqueen]

1 hour ago, riley702 said:

My brain refuses to work in the morning. I've had to lay out my clothes in the bathroom the night before for years. Despite the fact that I wear the same thing to work every day (scrubs), if I didn't have them laid out, I'd stand in front of the closet paralyzed with indecision. Think slack-jawed drooling, saying, "Umm...." for 5 minutes. It's ridiculous.

Story of my fucking (working) life  ... night owl in an early start day job.  In order to make it to work by Zero Dark Hundred (6:30 in the a.m.!!!), I had to "arise" at 4 a.m. (constant exhaustion & missing out on a large sector of prime time television, before the VCR).  Yet the moment I took early retirement, I became an early riser and spotty sleeper. Go fucking figure.

[Mindthinkr]

9 hours ago, riley702 said:

My brain refuses to work in the morning. I've had to lay out my clothes in the bathroom the night before for years. Despite the fact that I wear the same thing to work every day (scrubs), if I didn't have them laid out, I'd stand in front of the closet paralyzed with indecision. Think slack-jawed drooling, saying, "Umm...." for 5 minutes. It's ridiculous.

LOL...scrubs. I wore them too. It was always what do I wear under the top...short or long sleeves? In the beginning of my career nurses always wore white. I'm glad they finally figured out that working around body fluids meant for another half shift scrambling to get our clothes clean. We also wore those silly caps that defied every Bobby pin, would come off at inappropriate times and were impossible to clean. 

Like the Queen I was a night owl when I was younger and now am becoming an early riser. I don't have. DVR and miss watching late night shows too. Watch your body do the turn around when you get older. 

[walnutqueen]

1 hour ago, Mindthinkr said:

LOL...scrubs. I wore them too. It was always what do I wear under the top...short or long sleeves? In the beginning of my career nurses always wore white. I'm glad they finally figured out that working around body fluids meant for another half shift scrambling to get our clothes clean. We also wore those silly caps that defied every Bobby pin, would come off at inappropriate times and were impossible to clean. 

Like the Queen I was a night owl when I was younger and now am becoming an early riser. I don't have. DVR and miss watching late night shows too. Watch your body do the turn around when you get older. 

Ageing is a wonderful surprise (who knew my liver would last this long?!?), and a shocking reality-check, wrapped up in a gift basket of hormones gone awry.

It ain't pretty, but when the alternative is being a beautiful young corpse ... you deal with it.  Amirite?  ;-)

[Mindthinkr]

46 minutes ago, walnutqueen said:

Ageing is a wonderful surprise (who knew my liver would last this long?!?), and a shocking reality-check, wrapped up in a gift basket of hormones gone awry.

It ain't pretty, but when the alternative is being a beautiful young corpse ... you deal with it.  Amirite?  ;-)

Ha, I doubted that I'd make it over 50 and I've lasted more than a dozen years more!! 

Yes, you are right. We deal with it. We invent ways to make things easier, less painful and I don't even envy the younger people. I've made all my big-ish mistakes and can happily roll along with the flow now. 

[Petunia13]

I have a funny story about work and my assistant but don't know how to tell it without it being too long. It was funny in the absurdity, she yelled at a meat manager and me over some sales stuff she lost or forgot to hand out like we were assholes for asking where it was and then stomped off.  His face got so red and our eyes locked like "wtf?!" I actually feel bad for this guy he's senior to her in the organization and is a likable person. 

Later that day she disappeared for like 2 hrs and when she got back she was super fake friendly and giggly, she's so weird. She does this stuff with me all the time, outbursts or tantrums and then spells of agreeabilty. 

[hoosier80]

Ugh, having to review set ups done by the Dip.  The shit she was oh so concerned about, all done correctly (well we had multiple meetings about two fucking screens so it should be ok).  I got into some other stuff and holy shit.  Three plus pages of crap done wrong.  I mean even IDs are wrong.  Kills me because Dip wrote out a bunch of shit on stuff I'd just gotten set up, and half were - not applicable.  Bitch was trying to catch me on mistakes.  We're talking she can't even get our address correct, or names.  Typos and more typos.  The screens involved would populate data files sent to government agencies, too.  Just such a moron.

I have a ton of crap to get done by the end of the week, and I really couldn't care less right now.  Everything dumped on me, and the rest of the team leaves on time every damned day.  Then I get assigned shit blindly.  I go look in the ticket database and oh there's something assigned to me.  Couldn't tell me, because that would be the professional and courteous thing to do.  

Going to set up a heart to heart with boss and tell him that someone is going to have to step up next year, because I'm just not going to do it again.  Goes for some other events, too.  Dip has said multiple years in a row, oh I'll take care of it next year.  The next year rolls around and oh, it's on that date?  I have the day off.  Not that she has any plans, just took the day off.   Really pisses me off because she's taking time off, screws up the available time that we can take, then I end up with vacation time not used.  I should try and take off the last week of the year, but I know that wont' fly as I have to watch over year end activities.  I will bet my pay that I get some grief about her having to work around year end.  I may just lose and (a) strangle someone, or (b) walk out.  

[DeLurker]

Your Honor - she needed killin'.

[Hanahope]

Another year, another 'what's Christmas?' at my job.  No party, no bonus, no food gifts from vendors.  Yet I get to listen to friends on the bus go on and on about their company/firm's party, all the food gifts from the vendors, how they're going to spend their bonus.  Oh, and everyone I know who's firm/company is open tomorrow (and many are not), is closing at noon.  Us?  no clue.  Could be 2, 3 or not till 5.  its whatever the boss feels like deciding tomorrow.

Its not that how we get treated for christmas is a deal breaker, but it definitely isn't good for work moral along with a lot of other issues (like lack of good support staff, constant printer problems, and a hostile office manager).

I generally like my job and my boss, but I'm tired of no raise for 4 years, and no bonus (or a pittance) and this upcoming year is likely really going to be tight.  I know 2 other associates got other job offers, yet ended up staying, so I presume the boss met their increased salary demands to stay.  I guess I have no choice but to do the same, and at least ensure I have another job offer I'll really take in case I'm the one they decide can do without.

[theredhead77]

I feel ya, @Hanahope.  At a previous job the support staff were all contractors. Our parent company did nothing and we were surrounded by employees who worked for the actual company who went on and on about their awesome holiday parties, bonuses, etc...

It's always frustrating when there may, or may not be an office closure. I understand some of it may be HR related in regards to pay-laws but it's still annoying.

[Petunia13]

Ridiculous. All weekend whenever front end was in the weeds I jumped on to bag or ring and help. (Im in merchandising). Today I mentioned to one of the service desk leads I was over charged by a small amount and she looked at my reciept and gave me such a stank attitude then said she'd give me credit (it was nineteen cents ?) then she paused and asked smugly if I was on break since I "could get in trouble or reported for using company time". 

shes not my senior or a manager, I'm a department lead, it was all of 5 minutes and would have been less if she didn't blow me shit over .19 and then the front wonders why I'm the only person in back of the house who volunteers to help... Not anymore when this asshole ingrate is working. Some people just can't help themselves to correct or criticize anyone even if it hinders them. Hope she had fun when I ignored her struggling today. 

[Mindthinkr]

@Petunia13  Thank you for working so I can shop. I always try to thank people as I know that they, just like me, would rather be at home with loved ones and enjoying the time leisurely. 

[emma675]

Happy 2018, everyone! I have an interview for a new job tomorrow, so hopefully it goes well. After the fiasco with the previous potential new job, I just hope to hear something, if anything, back, lol.

[MargeGunderson]

After 3 weeks off I’m back at work with my irritating co worker. My husband and I bet on how long it would take her to start bitching after she walks in the door. He said less than 5 minutes but I think she’s going to state that one of her resolutions was to stop being so negative and will hold out for about 2 hours. This is an educated guess based on prior experience of similar proclamations. If anyone has suggestions for how to politely say “I don’t have time for your shit,” please send them my way. 

[auntlada]

@MargeGunderson, I made a sign for my desk that says, "Quiet. Working." It's not perfect, but it helps some. I don't use it all the time, though, just when I am really trying to concentrate on editing something long and dull or writing something for our director.

Edited January 2, 2018 by auntlada
Stupid tablet keyboard.

[AuntieL]

@emma675 I hope your interview went well. 

[MargeGunderson]

On 1/1/2018 at 8:46 PM, auntlada said:

@MargeGunderson, I made a sign for my desk that says, "Quiet. Working." It's not perfect, but it helps some. I don't use it all the time, though, just when I am really trying to concentrate on editing something long and dull or writing something for our director.

That's much nicer than my sign! Fortunately I got a reprieve - my coworker is working remote this week. 

[emma675]

My interview yesterday went fine, everyone was really nice and I could totally do the job, however....this job was just as long of a commute as my previous one and while the recruiter told me they were open to working remotely the ladies I interviewed with kept mentioning how the position would need to be in the office. Also, they mentioned several times how busy it was and how there were a lot of long days (although they did mention they were hiring for several positions so the work should ease up eventually). I just was not feeling the excitement or the feeling of totally wanting this job like I was with the previous one I didn't get. I quit my previous job almost two months ago and I thought that would be long enough to recover, but maybe it's not.

[BookWoman56]

@emma675, it may not be a question of whether you've recovered from your previous job so much as just your gut instinct telling you that the job for which you just interviewed may not be the right fit for you. That is, there are always jobs that sound fine on paper but once you go in to the interview, there are various signals that this specific job is not really what you were looking for. There is the disconnect between what the recruiter told you about them being open to work remotely and what the women who interviewed you said about the position needing to be in the office. That kind of disconnect does not bode well. My son has been looking for a job for several months now, and finally just got a job through a staffing agency that starts in a couple of weeks. But about 3 months ago, the staffing agency sent him to a job. He assumed, as I would have in his place, that the agency had sent his resume and so forth to the on-site person ahead of time and that they had approved him for the job. Instead, he'd been there about a day and a half doing the job with no problems when the agency emailed his resume to the on-site person, who reviewed it and then told him, no, we specifically asked for someone who has at least one year of experience doing ABC, and you don't have that experience listed on your resume, so we have to find someone else. IMO that was a major gaffe on the part of the staffing agency, so with this new job that starts in a couple of weeks, I'm hoping this time they matched his employment history and skill set to the actual job requirements. With the position you just interviewed for, if they ask you for a second round of interviews, I would for sure bring up the issue of being able to work remotely, even if it's just to state that the recruiter told you it was a possibility, but the first set of interviewers made it sound like it was not an option. Finally, I realize that you may end up taking a position that is not really what you want because of financial pressures. If so, do what you need to do to pay your bills but continue to look for something that is a good fit for you.

[emma675]

Thanks for the sage advice as always, BookWoman56! Luckily I'm good financially and don't have to take anything on for a while. All those years of saving have given me a cushion, thank goodness.

And I got an email back already from the hiring manager that they liked me and want to bring me back in. I told him they had a different take on working remotely than he told me and that I wasn't willing to add to my commute. 

Why is it the job I don't want is jumping for me and the one I did want never contacted me back? Lol!

ETA, I finally (two months after the last interview) heard back from the first potential new job. They went with someone else. At least now I know for sure.

Edited January 4, 2018 by emma675d

[Quof]

The same way that guys you are interested in are all "don't fence me in. I gotta be free" and the guys who are interested in you make you say "Stop smothering me, I can't breathe"?  

No? Just me? 

[hoosier80]

 I don't have the co-worker who bitches, but one who just asks me questions non-stop (Dip).  I mean stuff that after almost 4 freaking years, she should know.  I'm beyond overwhelmed with shit to do (can I pull a rabbit out of my ass and get something done within 2 weeks that normally takes up to 4?  Sure....).  I get the well what about this, how do you do that, how do you know how to do that?  Uh, I research, I find the documentation, write it down or note where I found it.    Today I was asked something that I literally said you have to be fucking kidding me (I was at home).  Something I've gone over multiple times.  I just dread the days when we're both in the office.  I get nothing done.  The sign is an excellent idea.  The other problem is that then the rest of the group likes to have little 'coffee klatches' talking about whatever, and I'm trying to listen to a conference call or get my shit done.  If I say something then I get the dagger looks, like what a bitch.  Now, when I've said anything, I've not been saying anything calmly or nicely.  It's beyond rude, but I'm painted as the bad guy.  

The end of year festivities went ok - for our portion of the business.  Another group, messed up - noted after the fact.  They did the assume shit.  I'd merely asked one question, did they get whatever resolved, which they asked me about (yeah I handle their systems - NOT), then my boss went after another director or SVP, it was freaking wonderful (NOT).  I acted like I was Switzerland and stayed the hell out of their way.  Then on the last business day of the year, everyone on our team left at NOON.  I'm at home working.  I went off on boss - WTF.  Well, I thought you said everything was done.  Pretty much yes, but I quadruple checked every damned thing I could, then we got last minute revisions.  I told him you need to get someone else to do this shit, this old broad is done.  Done it well over 10 years, so it would behoove you to get someone else trained (I thought it very loud but didn't say it - a good manager would make sure his team all knew how to do this shit - instead of just one person).  Our top dog stopped and chatted with my, saying thanks for the great end of year.  

Boss made an announcement today that I'd not be doing the shit next year, but he said it after saying there were problems.  I had to hop in and say problems with our shit?  Oh, no, the other group's shit.  Fine.  I was kind of pissed, because the way he said it was almost like I was being replaced because I was a giant fuck up.  Excuse me?  Go see Mr. Big Wig - your boss, who just thanked me profusely.  The thing is, if he picks the Dip, I'll have to walk behind, like the guy behind the elephants in the circus parade, scooping up the poop.  Sigh.

[DeLurker]

On 1/4/2018 at 7:45 PM, hoosier80 said:

 I don't have the co-worker who bitches, but one who just asks me questions non-stop (Dip).  I mean stuff that after almost 4 freaking years, she should know.  I'm beyond overwhelmed with shit to do (can I pull a rabbit out of my ass and get something done within 2 weeks that normally takes up to 4?  Sure....).  I get the well what about this, how do you do that, how do you know how to do that?  Uh, I research, I find the documentation, write it down or note where I found it.    Today I was asked something that I literally said you have to be fucking kidding me (I was at home).  Something I've gone over multiple times.  I just dread the days when we're both in the office.  I get nothing done.

Can you just say "I'm buried right now so you'll need to ask someone else/check the manual/send me an email?  Not sure if I can get back to you though today."  If you get the email, you have documentation as to how much help she asks for despite being doing the same thing for however long she's been there.  Might help justify being named a team lead (since you're doing that anyway and there go-to person for things with high priorities and short fuses) and a bump in pay.  Having that role formally recognized and compensated takes the sting out of doing it anyway.

[hoosier80]

I doubt they're doing anything like team lead.  Been there done that, and while nice, it meant more responsibility and not a lot of compensation.  

Boss has been really going after the Dip, which not all of the time has been fair, but damn.  He was part of the decision making team to bring her over to our unit, so now he's feeling the heat a bit.  Unraveled something else she did, which yeah it was what was requested, but no thought into what she's doing.  She shut stuff down way too early; just did preliminary shut down in November, and knows (or should) know damn well and good the final shut down isn't for a year.  Had reporting implications so I had to drop everything and help out on that - or she'd still be working on it, which would have put my work three days behind.  Had it been something that didn't impact me, nope, I would've let her deal with it until hell froze over.   

I had the crud that is going around, should have just taken time off but worked remote instead.  Newbie on team basically interrogates me, are you going to doc, maybe you should see new doc, etc.  I wanted to say biatch why is it your business?  I work longer and do more than you do on any given day, plus you called off last week.  Did you see a doc?  Then today, I basically didn't want to deal with icy roads, so I logged in and got caught up in stuff (I sort of knew that would happen).  I ended up with an over 10 hour day anyhow, so wasn't like I was eating bon bons or drinking the afternoon away.  Anyhow this new person decides they need to email others on our extended team that I am at home.  Why?  Why did she feel it was her place to do that?  I almost asked am I reporting to you now?  It was just such petty BS.  

[BookWoman56]

@hoosier80, if you were copied on the email she sent to the team notifying everybody you were working from home, you might reply to her and just say, "Thanks for sending the email, but FYI, it's not necessary to do this, and if I need to notify specific people that I'm working from home, I prefer to do so myself."  Also, I don't know if your office has an official policy or guidelines about working from home, but if so, you might point out to her that you are accustomed to working from home on days when you are sick, so that you don't spread  your germs around, and also for days when road conditions are hazardous, and that your actual manager is aware of this and has no problems with it.  To the extent you can, you need to shut down this faux manager BS right now. Also, I'm wondering if she's in training to be the office snitch; you know, the one who always has to notify everyone that person A was 5 minutes late getting back from lunch, even though person A will be working a couple of extra hours and it is no BFD. 

Right now my manager is freaking out because of a relatively new policy regarding assigned cubes, essentially that if you don't use your assigned cube a certain number of days per month, you lose it and have to play musical cubes on the days you come into the office. A few people in our general area, although not on the same specific team, have taken this opportunity to transition to 100% working remotely. I was already 100% remote, since that's something I negotiated while being hired for this position. Also, because my department doesn't have any designated official space in this city, they would have to pay $300 or so a month if they wanted me to go to one of the buildings that the company has here in town, and so there's thankfully no push to get me to start working onsite.  However, she did tell my colleagues that they need to start being in the office at least 4 days a week, which is not going over too well.  I just don't understand why it should be such a big deal for someone to have a specific assigned cube. Her argument is that she needs F2F interaction with some other people on a regular basis, but it's not like she would be unable to do that if she had to stay in one cube on one day, and another cube the next day. For her, maybe it's worth it to be in the office 4 days a week, but the others would prefer to be able to work remotely more often. I think a couple of them are planning to "share" a cube, so one of them would work at the cube 2 days a week, and the other one would work there on 2-3 other days each week, so that our team can officially keep the cube. The thing is, every single person on the team has commented, more than once, that they are much more productive when they work from home.  My manager and one colleague spend a good bit of every day socializing, but even the social butterfly colleague would prefer to be able to work from home a couple of day per week. This is a high pressure area, and one of the perks everyone has been grateful for is being able to work remotely on a pretty regular basis.  It just bugs me that the other managers in our department sat down with their teams and asked for feedback about the cube situation, while my manager made a unilateral decision without bothering to consult with anyone. As noted, there's no effect on me, and she has reiterated a couple of times that her new 4 days/week onsite rule doesn't apply to me, but I feel like that opens up some possible resentment by my colleagues. Fortunately, my role is quite different from theirs; as a tech writer, I need a lot of silence to concentrate and working in a cube doesn't generally provide that kind of quiet. But I feel like I'm going to have to point out to some of my colleagues that given we're supposed to be minimizing expenses, nobody's going to want to suddenly start spending $300/month for me to have a seat at an onsite location when they have not previously had that expense.