Help! Work problem...very long...sorry

[beagle744]

I have a situation at work and I’m hoping for some suggestions from you folks. I’ll try to outline this story but its kind of complex.

I have worked for my company for 17 years. During that time I’ve worked my way up through the ranks in a “direct support” department. About 10 years ago I was moved to the division’s administrative arm. I was doing the same job but for 7 departments instead of 1 and shared these duties with one other colleague. It was an efficiency/cost-savings measure. I did not receive a pay increase nor a title change.

A year after this change another person was hired into one of the 7 departments. He, I’ll call him Jim, was hired to do similar tasks that I do in my position and some other tasks specialized for the department he works in. Our similar tasks differ however as his are more hands on facilitating while my tasks are oversight and monitoring of his activities. He was hired in at a higher title but lower pay.

A couple of years later (about 5 years ago), the colleague in my office is transferred out and his position is not filled. I now assume sole supervision of my unit including 5 staff (another efficiency). At this point, I am now asked by my boss, the divisional operations manger, to start the paperwork for my promotion. (In my company we are asked to initially outline our position description for promotions as we know in detail what we do).

Well as you can imagine I’ve become one busy puppy over the years and don’t have time to start my promotion paperwork. No one, including me is terribly concerned about this and I’m well aware that I’m only harming myself with this delay. Thorough out all this time my performance evals. are excellent and I have a reputation companywide for being a talented systems person and for quality work and am asked to serve on several companywide committees and task forces each year to develop and implement new procedures and systems for the company.

Three years later my boss, retires. He is replaced but my new boss is now the operations manager for 3 divisions so he is only in our division 1/3 time (another efficiency). So now I’ve inherited yet again more duties. My new boss is insistent I move my promotion along and at this point I’m very willing to do this. He would like the promotion to reflect ENTIRE of the scope of my duties and accomplishments as they’ve accrued over the past 10 years.

Back to Jim. Recently we have had employee departures in 6 of our 7 departments. These are all people in identical jobs and titles as Jim. My boss and the division’s general manager see this as an opportunity to streamline the division (read another efficiency). Jim will now handle 2 departments and receive a 1 grade promotion, We will hire 2 more “Jim’s” to each handle 2 departments. I and another colleague will handle operations of department 7. I will now supervise Jim and the 2 new hires. In exchange, I have received a 3 grade promotion and now am 1 grade over Jim.

Here’s the problem, Jim refuses to acknowledge my new role as his supervisor. He will not communicate with me and continues to report to his former supervisors. His former supervisors do not redirect Jim to me. I feel this is mainly for 2 reasons. 1) They still need Jim to do their departmental tasks so the direct communication is easy (I work in a different building). 2) The former supervisors have little awareness of my career trajectory over the years and “see” me where I was 10 years ago.

I am sensitive to the fact that Jim might resent my leap frogging over him so I’ve deliberately downplayed the change to the extent that I barely acknowledged it except to make sure I acknowledged his promotion. Prior to this change I would get work on time from him and had a pretty good work relationship. Now those things that always worked well in the past such respect for my deadlines are totally ignored. Jim would probably be the first to admit he couldn’t do my job as it has evolved and therefore wouldn’t want it but I think he doesn’t think my position deserves the recent elevation it received.

Question how do I repair the working relationship with Jim in its new context? I want it to succeed because I’m afraid failure will be viewed as solely my failure and effect my new position.

 

[RadioFanatic]

Why in the world would Jim resent your promotion over him? You have been there a lot longer than him. I would try talking to him personably once about the situation and if that did not work, make a written directive to him, cc'd to his old directors and your boss (and I would probably talk to your boss first to okay this) outlining his responsibilities as expected for you. Do you do his evaluations?

 

[beagle744]

Yes, I will do Jim's evals. Although this year, his former bosses will have the most input. It's hard to tell the story without turning it into a book, but Jim has been there in some ways as long as I. He was there before I started, left about the time I came then came back so we have about the same amount of time with the company. I think Jim resents my promotion because it puts me at a similar level has his former bosses and he just doesn't accept that (at least that's what I'm guessing). Yes, I will consider your suggestion but I will have to be diplomatic. Jim's former bosses carry a lot of weight with the division GM as they run their departments well. Since their production record is good the GM can't afford to alienate them and compromise production for the sake of my issues.

Thanks

 

[Sherri]

Now that your position is offical and you have finished all of your paperwork, could you have a meeting with the people that need to report to you?
Even if that hasn't changed from before. Outline the things that will remain the same and the things that will change. Even if they already know, you now need them to know what they need to bring to your attention and not to the prior supervisor. Even if they know already, it would still be an official meeting. That way if they don't follow the correct chain of commands, that will look like a strike against them. It sounds like Jim might just need time to adjust. Some people don't like change, EVEN if it does not effect them.
Some people are creatures of habit.

 

[DisneyBlonde]

I'm in the same sitch as you...and the only way things have gotten better here, is that the Jim's have gotten fed up, and posted out to other positions...and we have had better luck and more cooperation with the Jim's replacements. It is a really difficult situation. Ours was further mirked up by the fact that a year ago when we went from doing our duties for one department to several departments (as you did in your opening lines) no one ever "announced" this new group to the people who needed to 'report' (using term loosely) their status to us. One day we are their peers, the next, we're asking them to send us a status. Our shift in responsibility was handled really, really poorly. I hate going to work everyday. And I hate my job now.

Hope it gets better for you.

 

[beagle744]

Now that your position is offical and you have finished all of your paperwork, could you have a meeting with the people that need to report to you?
Even if that hasn't changed from before. Outline the things that will remain the same and the things that will change. Even if they already know, you now need them to know what they need to bring to your attention and not to the prior supervisor. Even if they know already, it would still be an official meeting. That way if they don't follow the correct chain of commands, that will look like a strike against them. It sounds like Jim might just need time to adjust. Some people don't like change, EVEN if it does not effect them.
Some people are creatures of habit.

Thanks Sherri. This is the plan but we're waiting for the other 2 new hires to get on aboard which will be after the holidays. Both Jim and I have our hands full as we're both on the search team for the new hires.

As I write this, I think I could use the search team to build the bridge. Jim is on the team for his perspective as someone doing this position already. I could keep the dialogue going on the applicants and solicit his input regularly. Perhaps this will keep his stewing around in his resentment to a minimum while re-enforcing, in a subtle way, the new structure. Just looking for a way the prevent the recalcitrant behavior from become entrenched before we can start the team meetings.

 

[beagle744]

DisneyBlonde - wow I hate to see when folks really come to hate their jobs. We spend so much of our lives there. I hope things turn around for you too.