Does anyone hate their job? #2

[TheGlossy]

I like my role but I think the culture doesn’t work for me because it seems to me they value a lot of stuff that add no value to anyone but the people who are involved in these initiatives such as:

- Creating birthday presentations for everyone in the team (with a birthday song and pictures etc)
- Yoga sessions in the middle of regular team meetings
- Bringing goods and coffee to managers on a constant basis

With a decade of experience in the business, I’ve never seen this type of stuff. This type of stuff seems rather childish to me. Past a certain age or level, this type of stuff comes across as juvenile.

I know it boots employee morale but I see a lot of value is placed on this and if you’re not this type of ‘social’ person, you’re the odd one out. It feels very unsettling to be honest. I’m not saying we shouldn’t have fun at work, but this is not my vibe.

 

[OnlyHereForTheLolz]

I like my role but I think the culture doesn’t work for me because it seems to me they value a lot of stuff that add no value to anyone but the people who are involved in these initiatives such as:

- Creating birthday presentations for everyone in the team (with a birthday song and pictures etc)
- Yoga sessions in the middle of regular team meetings
- Bringing goods and coffee to managers on a constant basis

With a decade of experience in the business, I’ve never seen this type of stuff. This type of stuff seems rather childish to me. Past a certain age or level, this type of stuff comes across as juvenile.

I know it boots employee morale but I see a lot of value is placed on this and if you’re not this type of ‘social’ person, you’re the odd one out. It feels very unsettling to be honest. I’m not saying we shouldn’t have fun at work, but this is not my vibe.

Sounds awful tbf. Forced participation is stupid but I guess if it’s the company culture there isn’t much to be done about it.
Trust me you’re not the only person who feels like this

 

[TheGlossy]

Sounds awful tbf. Forced participation is stupid but I guess if it’s the company culture there isn’t much to be done about it.
Trust me you’re not the only person who feels like this

Thank you - this is reassuring!

I think it’s more of a ‘team culture’. I worked in other teams in the same company and they weren’t like that at all.

I think my problem is that my manager favors people who come up with these initiatives and I’m glossed over in favor of these people despite my good work. It’s quite frustrating.

 

[OnlyHereForTheLolz]

Thank you - this is reassuring!

I think it’s more of a ‘team culture’. I worked in other teams in the same company and they weren’t like that at all.

I think my problem is that my manager favors people who come up with these initiatives and I’m glossed over in favor of these people despite my good work. It’s quite frustrating.

If that’s the case couldn’t you put in a complaint with HR? Utterly stupid to favour people because they come up with daft things to do at work

 

[milkywaymelon]

Does anyone know where I would stand with this - some people in my team work from home 2days a week if not more. Department regulations are two days at home and 3 in the office. I'm 6 months in the job and requested to work 1 day a week from home, there's nothing in any contract or handbook about working from home regulations or what makes you eligible. I've been told I'm not allowed to. Why should I be treated differently to others doing the same job at the same level as me? I'm a union member, would they help me?

 

[MsGilmore]

Does anyone know where I would stand with this - some people in my team work from home 2days a week if not more. Department regulations are two days at home and 3 in the office. I'm 6 months in the job and requested to work 1 day a week from home, there's nothing in any contract or handbook about working from home regulations or what makes you eligible. I've been told I'm not allowed to. Why should I be treated differently to others doing the same job at the same level as me? I'm a union member, would they help me?

I would contact your union and ask them where you stand. If your job can be done from home then besides it not being contracted, they may have to justify why you can’t work from home. The majority of people aren’t contracted to work from home, it has just become the norm since Covid.

 

[Codiaeum]

I’m very sure that someone on my team is gaslighting me and a couple of team mates.
I’ve complained about this person before, but today it really struck me that that is what is is. I’ve even looked up what gaslighting at work looks like and there were six signs listed and five I immediately checked. My manager, their manager and our director know about this and yet nothing is happening. It’s all very slow and there’s very fluffy language to help the person improve, but they are bleeping toxic and will not see their ways. They just will target the next victim..

 

[tomato_paste]

I’m very sure that someone on my team is gaslighting me and a couple of team mates.
I’ve complained about this person before, but today it really struck me that that is what is is. I’ve even looked up what gaslighting at work looks like and there were six signs listed and five I immediately checked. My manager, their manager and our director know about this and yet nothing is happening. It’s all very slow and there’s very fluffy language to help the person improve, but they are bleeping toxic and will not see their ways. They just will target the next victim..

IIRC you're already thinking of jumping ship, no? Do that ASAP then. Its not gonna get better, especially since manglement has kind of accepted it as the status quo.

 

[electricmallows]

My department is divided up into small teams of 3-4 people. Recently between 1 thing or another, it’s just been me in my group working the jobs of 4 people with no additional support. It was supposed to be temporarily but it hasn’t turned out that way and I’m completely burned out and on the verge of the flu(contributed by exhaustion). I’ve asked for help several times but haven’t received much unless it’s considered extremely desperate. I’m a strong worker and I’m able for a lot but I think sometimes that gets confused with being able to cope with an extremely heavy workload of more than 1 person. I’m starting to physically fade and now I find myself counting down the hours every day until 5pm (which I know a lot of people do but before now I actually did quite like my job). Not sure how much more I can take

 

[OnlyHereForTheLolz]

My department is divided up into small teams of 3-4 people. Recently between 1 thing or another, it’s just been me in my group working the jobs of 4 people with no additional support. It was supposed to be temporarily but it hasn’t turned out that way and I’m completely burned out and on the verge of the flu(contributed by exhaustion). I’ve asked for help several times but haven’t received much unless it’s considered extremely desperate. I’m a strong worker and I’m able for a lot but I think sometimes that gets confused with being able to cope with an extremely heavy workload of more than 1 person. I’m starting to physically fade and now I find myself counting down the hours every day until 5pm (which I know a lot of people do but before now I actually did quite like my job). Not sure how much more I can take

Stop right now. They will not employ another person as you are showing "capable". Just do what you can and leave the rest. This is not your responsibility. On top of that I would ask for a bonus or pay increase for the all the extra you've been doing.

 

[Lico]

I complained about a coworker being passive agressive with me. It's gotten worse now. Shows that management have no control. I'm considering leaving the job. Problem is, there aren't many jobs where I live, so I'll have to travel, which is a pain.

 

[it’s not been changed?!]

2 girls on my team are still making me feel uncomfortable when it’s just the 3 of us in. I think anyone would feel paranoid if 2 people were messaging each other while sat next to one another. It makes me want to not engage with them as when I do, they’ll be on their phones. I don’t have proof they are talking about me, but they exclude me, so I wouldn’t be surprised. I’ve been here 2 months and I’m a lot older than they are, so I shouldn’t let it get to me, but it makes me dread going into work. I’ve tried killing them with kindness. Not sure what else to do. We have a work night out and I really don’t want to go.

 

[OnlyHereForTheLolz]

I complained about a coworker being passive agressive with me. It's gotten worse now. Shows that management have no control. I'm considering leaving the job. Problem is, there aren't many jobs where I live, so I'll have to travel, which is a pain.

From management standpoint I can tell you dealing with difficult employees is not easy. You have to be incredibly careful what you say to people. Employees hold all the cards especially if they’ve been there for over 2 years. It can become very difficult to discipline them.
And I can tell you with regards to passive aggressiveness there is almost not a single thing your boss can do apart from ask them to be nicer. And I imagine that will just make the situation worse.
All one can really do is try and find problems and get rid of them and even then you have to ensure you go by the book so it doesn’t come to bite you in the arse.

 

[StrawberryBanana90]

Sorry this is just me rambling but I wonder if anyone else can relate, especially if you work in an admin based role. I really struggle with finding meaning in anything I do like I just don’t care about it at all. Nothing I do benefits anyone apart from my employer either, plus the fact I pretty much disagree with everything we do which is probably a big part of the problem as well.

I wish I could switch my brain off and just get on with it but all I can think about every day is how pointless it is and how much I don’t care. It’s so draining.

I can relate to this so much! I just fell into admin after uni because I didn't want to go further with my BA and I had no idea what else to do.
I still don't, I'm currently just pigeonholing myself to admin jobs because I have zero ambitions. It's really feeling like groundhog day and I can't even work from home

 

[Lady Macbeth]

I used to hate my job and really wish that I had done something different and worthwhile, that I would love going to everyday. Now that I’m retired Ive got the best job in the world!
I know it’s not for everyone but I love it!

How old were you when you retired and what line of work were you in?

 

[nicalibres]

I can relate to this so much! I just fell into admin after uni because I didn't want to go further with my BA and I had no idea what else to do.
I still don't, I'm currently just pigeonholing myself to admin jobs because I have zero ambitions. It's really feeling like groundhog day and I can't even work from home

It’s demoralising isn’t it? I wish I had a talent or a passion so I could figure out wtf I’m supposed to be doing with my life!

I was actually offered another job which I know I would’ve loved but the wages would barely cover my bills so I didn’t take it . I’ve managed to work my way up in my current place and I make decent money for where I am in the UK (although Londoner’s would think I’m a pauper ) so I’ve cut my hours and plan to take a career break next year.

I watched a YouTube video recently about how working flat out until you can retire is a scam cos you might not even live that long and it really resonated with me. So I’m going to start living how I want right now instead of working and saving for a retirement I might not see a day of. I fully appreciate not everyone can do this though.

 

[tomato_paste]

I watched a YouTube video recently about how working flat out until you can retire is a scam cos you might not even live that long and it really resonated with me. So I’m going to start living how I want right now instead of working and saving for a retirement I might not see a day of. I fully appreciate not everyone can do this though.

Ugh, I know, it's so tit right? Who says I will live to 65 (official retirement age here) - and they might even increase it to 67 or higher before I get there... Work work work and then I have possibly if I'm super super luck 10 years of somewhat ok living? And that is without climate crisis, illness, poverty, etc? No thanks!

My parents generation a lot of people retired or semi- retired at 55 to 60. They also had different rules - they had to do 35 years of full work and then they were done. Even with studying at Uni that was doable. I started working at 14 and I will have done more than 50 years of work by the time I'm 65. Ludacris.

 

[nicalibres]

Ugh, I know, it's so tit right? Who says I will live to 65 (official retirement age here) - and they might even increase it to 67 or higher before I get there... Work work work and then I have possibly if I'm super super luck 10 years of somewhat ok living? And that is without climate crisis, illness, poverty, etc? No thanks!

My parents generation a lot of people retired or semi- retired at 55 to 60. They also had different rules - they had to do 35 years of full work and then they were done. Even with studying at Uni that was doable. I started working at 14 and I will have done more than 50 years of work by the time I'm 65. Ludacris.

Exactly. We’re not reaping the same rewards as the previous generation - much higher (and rising) retirement age, house prices in comparison to wages etc - so it makes sense to have a better work life balance.

 

[tomato_paste]

Exactly. We’re not reaping the same rewards as the previous generation - much higher (and rising) retirement age, house prices in comparison to wages etc - so it makes sense to have a better work life balance.

Yeah all the current rethoric of "people not wanting to work any more" - uh yeah? Because it's not worth it? We work more hours and are increasingly productive but get paid less and less - so it's not even a question of "same work for less pay" it's one of "more work for less pay".

At least back then you could be assured to having had paid off your home and a smashing pension waiting for you at the ripe old age of 55. Our generation? We're fucked. Pensions are going to be worth tit, inflation at an all time high, rising cost of living in general (my leccy increased by 200%!), climate change, working conditions getting worse and worse, AI is a real threat now, etc.

I'd gladly not have any of the technical improvements we've made (inb4 "BUT IPHONES") and a 14% interest rate but a well paid job with fantastic benefits, rather than the fucked up tit we live in now. So no, I won't work myself to the breaking point as I've done before for the carrot that is my pension. I won't get to enjoy it, I'm sure.

 

[Codiaeum]

IIRC you're already thinking of jumping ship, no? Do that ASAP then. Its not gonna get better, especially since manglement has kind of accepted it as the status quo.

Yeah indeed it’s not a situation I’m willing to put myself through forever. I called it by name to my manager and also the skip manager that that is what is going on, plus have more evidence s person being detrimental to pretty much the team and the product. It will be hard to prove it all, it’s so very subtle.

What I have generally found it my company is that processes are sooooo slow. I get that people managers need to give a person a chance but there has to be some point at which you call out a thing for what it is an not give it yet another three months and feedback. It’s all very niceynice, helping feedback. Problem is, that is really not helping the people targeted.