Annoying things your work colleagues do all the time? #3

[1001 others]

Our manager is taking two weeks off and has appointed the team leader who I posted about previously (the one who refuses to do certain things that are in her [all of ours] contract). When one of my colleagues asked why she was given this opportunity - noting that she is the newest of us all and hasn't worked 'on the floor' like the rest of us - our manager said it's because she's a very valuable employee and he doesn't want to lose her!

Hearing that made the rest of us wonder why we bother to do exactly what our job descriptions specify, and why we're not seen as 'valuable'.

It's becoming very obvious why the team leaders don't stay long in this organisation.

 

[rosemarina]

Sounds like you need to start taking a leaf out of her book and do less.

 

[PinkBeaux]

The Director over our team is driving me insane. She doesn't have a partner or children and she seems happy with that, she's flying up the ranks at work so great for her! However pre pandemic she wanted us all physically present in the office 9-6, 5/7 no exceptions. She would constantly schedule team building events, drinks and demand our team travel together for a year conference (at your perril if you cant go) She uses hustle language

 

[PinkBeaux]

Sorry hit post and it won't let me delete cause I'm here here. Story continued...

She uses hustle language like "Work Fam" and "all for one' she doesn't respect that some of us have families and cannot show up in the way she'd like. Our lives to not revolve around the company the way hers does. Now we're back into the office her old ways are creeping back in, except post pandemic most peoples priorities have shuffled again and we value work life balance even more. I'm not willing to slip back into her old ways when all my family, friends and colleagues in other teams are working from home more, spending less time at the office, taking meetings on zoom rather than unnecessary travel etc. I love my job and I don't want to leave but this woman is too revered at work to challenge.

 

[Emerald37]

See my work problem is people who have kids expect to be given priority ahead of people without kids when it comes to days in the office and that's certainly not acceptable either.

 

[TheGlossy]

People who change their status to "away" the moment you ping them. If it happens all the time, it's not a coincidence.

I agree on the above post though. I used to be a second-class citizen when I worked with people who had children. Those with children were allowed to book both Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve off and I when I asked to do the same, it was a hard no. They always had priority when it came to summer holidays (I wasn't allowed to book July / August because I had to cover for them).

It also appears that if you have other responsibilities (such as taking care of a family member or a grief following a death), it's always relayed to the bottom of the pile with the people who have kids as "priority". I've experienced this first hand. I was given 3 days off when my dad died and someone went on a 6 weeks long paternal leave right at the same time. It's a disgrace. I'm all for balance for all employees, but there shouldn't be any favouritism towards people with children.

 

[thetis]

Sitting/leaning on my desk to chat, especially when I'm obviously busy. Move your arse somewhere else and give me my personal space!

 

[PinkBeaux]

See my work problem is people who have kids expect to be given priority ahead of people without kids when it comes to days in the office and that's certainly not acceptable either.

Absolutely, everyone should have the same level of flexibility regardless of their personal circumstances. My gripe is people whose life revolves around work expecting people to prioritise work over their personal life. I will always be flexible where I can but never to the disadvantage of my children. For me the problem occurs when people want to blur the lines of work requirements vs eating into my personal time. At the end of the day relationships can't be forced and I'll never consider colleagues as family regardless of whatever hustle language management use to try manipulate you into giving more.

I didn't articulate myself properly, I never intended to imply that colleagues with children have more rights to personal time than those without. What I am saying centres around the expectation to go "above and beyond" and how hustle culture feeds into that narrative. E.G in titles that are often bestowed upon female colleagues such as "work Mom" or "work wife" which are really just subtle but sneaky way of mimicking familial bonds as a tactic to encourage you be switched on 24/7 for your team. Its beyond toxic. If management value you they should encourage you to disconnect and pursue other interests so you can perform to your best when you're at work. Whether it's a sports, hobby, time with friends, family or even just watching TV. The expectation feeds from the top down. Pressure to work longer, be more visible, unnecessary work trips when a meeting could just as easily be held online and socialising more being pushed from the top down because that person /people have nothing else going on outside work...

 

[abadtroll]

This weird thing in my current job where everyone is obsessed with age! Little cliques for each age group. So strange. Never experienced it before. The younger ones act like anything over 25 is ancient.

 

[Rxt156]

This weird thing in my current job where everyone is obsessed with age! Little cliques for each age group. So strange. Never experienced it before. The younger ones act like anything over 25 is ancient.

Similarly the older ones act like anyone under 30 is a teenager/naive/useless

 

[abadtroll]

Similarly the older ones act like anyone under 30 is a teenager/naive/useless

Yes! You're so right!

 

[grumpy-nosy-cow]

This weird thing in my current job where everyone is obsessed with age! Little cliques for each age group. So strange. Never experienced it before. The younger ones act like anything over 25 is ancient.

you must work with me ! its same at my work..i have never worked anywhere before like it ..all the young women stuck together and then the older ones in their group..i don't fit into either age group so wasnt welcome in either groups.
it took me until the pandemic to really settle into and enjoy my job..mainly because i wasnt in the office and away from crap like this !
Every other job ive had the departments have been people in their 20s up to 60s and people all got on well. my first job the older ladies gave us both work and life / relationship advise and looked out for us all c

 

[no-no]

The moron I work with has emailed several teams asking to investigate something, saying that something I’d done isn’t looking right so he checked it (honestly, the audacity) and is getting the same error. I went through my emails and shock, all the missing info was on my one.

 

[StephenTJackson]

The blame game annoys me. Nobody just saying, yeah there's a duck up, let's deal with it and try to prevent it happening again. But going, it's warehouses fault, it's processing line, it's wagon driver, etc. Just bleeping deal with the problem.

Or the worst one for me, a certain manager who whinges and moans whenever any other manager, supervisor, or MD says, or asks or does anything. Saying they know nothing, or complain about changes or being asked to do something by the MD. He's so negative it pisses me off so much.

But then they will come to him, or speak to him and he is all yes boss, no boss, three bags full boss. And just generally two faced. Really annoys me.

 

[CatCafe234]

I am so very sick of chasing people for things at the moment. It’s literally got to the point that when I send an email to certain people, I have to diarise a reminder to chase them as they never, ever respond to the first email. It’s driving me nuts as it’s making everything take about twice as long as it should.

 

[Captainmouse]

I am so very sick of chasing people for things at the moment. It’s literally got to the point that when I send an email to certain people, I have to diarise a reminder to chase them as they never, ever respond to the first email. It’s driving me nuts as it’s making everything take about twice as long as it should.

Just bcc the world and his wife

 

[1001 others]

See my work problem is people who have kids expect to be given priority ahead of people without kids when it comes to days in the office and that's certainly not acceptable either.

I remember working in places where the pick of the holidays went first to parents - a lady's request for two weeks during Winter for her wedding and honeymoon were declined because the dates crossed school holidays. I also remember rules about meetings - none before 10am and after 2pm because they impacted on school drop-off / pick-up times ...

People who change their status to "away" the moment you ping them. If it happens all the time, it's not a coincidence.

I agree on the above post though. I used to be a second-class citizen when I worked with people who had children. Those with children were allowed to book both Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve off and I when I asked to do the same, it was a hard no. They always had priority when it came to summer holidays (I wasn't allowed to book July / August because I had to cover for them).

It also appears that if you have other responsibilities (such as taking care of a family member or a grief following a death), it's always relayed to the bottom of the pile with the people who have kids as "priority". I've experienced this first hand. I was given 3 days off when my dad died and someone went on a 6 weeks long paternal leave right at the same time. It's a disgrace. I'm all for balance for all employees, but there shouldn't be any favouritism towards people with children.

100%!

I've just been reminded of a young guy I worked with who went so far as to fake having a wife and kids so he could get special treatment!

------------------------

Some industries are worse than others with cattiness - IT (specifically project management) would have to be the worst in my experience.

There seem to be a lot of people performing project management roles who shouldn't be there quite frankly (not only do they not have the project management qualifications, but they also lack the experience). A lot of them get through via nepotism, even in this day and age.

When those who don't know what they're doing are fearful they're about to be caught out, they defect ... backstab, light little fires everywhere and run away ... it's just hideous. It's not a gender-specific thing either - some of the bitchiest I've seen do that have been men. Nor is it age-specific - I've worked with PMs in their 20s and PMs in their 60s who've been the worst of the worst.

I'm so thankful to be out of the industry. It paid extremely well but certainly wasn't worth it.

 

[TheGlossy]

The same colleague, each and every single time we have a group call with any stakeholder - they ask the call lead if they can grab 5 minutes with them after the call to "discuss something". Doesn't matter who leads the call, they always ask for a 1-1 after each group call. Smh.

 

[TheGlossy]

Somebody asks me a question - I provide a comprehensive answer - then someone else in the chain responds no "hi" or "thanks" nothing, just to say: "And what about XYZ"? I don't know because XYZ was not in the original question addressed to me and on top of this, a "hi" or "thanks" would have been appreciated.

 

[rosemarina]

It’s so bleeping rude.