Job Stuff

[DISNEYSQUIRRELS]

I work for a company that started small but has grown considerably since I have been there.
One of my coworkers recently gave her notice. She gave 2 months notice knowing how TERRIBLE they are about hiring someone new hoping they would do the right thing.
Every time someone leaves, their workload is distributed amongst those of us that remain. It’s gonna happen again & the chatter has started amongst us of really not being able to take on anything more. We all feel we are at our max. I can truly say I work with a bunch of very loyal, hardworking people.
I like my job, I love my benefits & schedule.
Word has it that we are all going to be asked what we can take on that belonged to the person leaving.
I’m discouraged by the conversation coming my way & I’m a terrible advocate for myself.
Advice please.

 

[ronandannette]

I work for a company that started small but has grown considerably since I have been there.
One of my coworkers recently gave her notice. She gave 2 months notice knowing how TERRIBLE they are about hiring someone new hoping they would do the right thing.
Every time someone leaves, their workload is distributed amongst those of us that remain. It’s gonna happen again & the chatter has started amongst us of really not being able to take on anything more. We all feel we are at our max. I can truly say I work with a bunch of very loyal, hardworking people.
I like my job, I love my benefits & schedule.
Word has it that we are all going to be asked what we can take on that belonged to the person leaving.
I’m discouraged by the conversation coming my way & I’m a terrible advocate for myself.
Advice please.

Consider pro-actively approaching your boss as a group. Let her/him know the actual situation you're all in and your concerns. Have a list of your current tasks and the percentage of your day you spend on each. It doesn't have to be a confrontation - if you all feel the same way it is in the company's best interest to recognize the issue. Best of luck.

 

[tvguy]

I agree with ronandannette on the best of luck part.
My last two corporate employers didn't consider a job vacant until 3 months after the previous jobholder left. Only then could you start the search for a replacement.
We had seven positions 5 years ago. Two have officially been eliminated. A third appears to have vaporized, but has not officially been eliminated. The lone remaining opening has been posted for 3 years. Every time they find someone, one of the three remaining people quits. So it's me with 14 years on the job, a lady who worked here in the past but only hired back on seven months ago, and a guy who has been here four months. And forget just picking up the work done by others, our responsibilities have increased sharply without regard to staffing. My position used to be staffed 21 1/2 hours a day during the week, now two days a week it is staffed 16 hours a day. Weekends used to be staffed 16 hours a day, now they are staffed just 8 hours.

 

[DISNEYSQUIRRELS]

I agree with ronandannette on the best of luck part.
My last two corporate employers didn't consider a job vacant until 3 months after the previous jobholder left. Only then could you start the search for a replacement.
We had seven positions 5 years ago. Two have officially been eliminated. A third appears to have vaporized, but has not officially been eliminated. The lone remaining opening has been posted for 3 years. Every time they find someone, one of the three remaining people quits. So it's me with 14 years on the job, a lady who worked here in the past but only hired back on seven months ago, and a guy who has been here four months. And forget just picking up the work done by others, our responsibilities have increased sharply without regard to staffing. My position used to be staffed 21 1/2 hours a day during the week, now two days a week it is staffed 16 hours a day. Weekends used to be staffed 16 hours a day, now they are staffed just 8 hours.

So frustrating. You are clearly overworked. I hope you enjoy what you do for work.

 

[DISNEYSQUIRRELS]

Consider pro-actively approaching your boss as a group. Let her/him know the actual situation you're all in and your concerns. Have a list of your current tasks and the percentage of your day you spend on each. It doesn't have to be a confrontation - if you all feel the same way it is in the company's best interest to recognize the issue. Best of luck.

Thank you. This is what I had in mind too.
The problem is I picture the meeting as dramatic, confrontational & defensive...everything I despise.
One of my coworkers has her annual review coming up. She has been there 20+ years.
She got an email that asked her to come up with some ideas of how “S’s” workload could be “redistributed”. The email went on to say no raises have been approved. Excuse me?

 

[ronandannette]

Thank you. This is what I had in mind too.
The problem is I picture the meeting as dramatic, confrontational & defensive...everything I despise.
One of my coworkers has her annual review coming up. She has been there 20+ years.
She got an email that asked her to come up with some ideas of how “S’s” workload could be “redistributed”. The email went on to say no raises have been approved. Excuse me?

In general, what is the corporate culture of your company? Are the bosses working managers or executives? Are they in touch with what each of you are actually doing and how much there really is to do? Do you have a fairly congenial, mutually-respectful relationship with them or any relationship at all?

Based on your original description I was imagining a fairly small company with a fairly small staff and where the owners/bosses are in the trenches with the rest of you. In that scenario I can't see any reason why you all just couldn't meet as a group and talk - like regular people, with all the stakeholders having input into what's best for the company. If it's something else altogether, well, I guess the options could be either like it or lump it.

 

[DISNEYSQUIRRELS]

In general, what is the corporate culture of your company? Are the bosses working managers or executives? Are they in touch with what each of you are actually doing and how much there really is to do? Do you have a fairly congenial, mutually-respectful relationship with them or any relationship at all?

Based on your original description I was imagining a fairly small company with a fairly small staff and where the owners/bosses are in the trenches with the rest of you. In that scenario I can't see any reason why you all just couldn't meet as a group and talk - like regular people, with all the stakeholders having input into what's best for the company. If it's something else altogether, well, I guess the options could be either like it or lump it.

My boss is one of the owners. I also handle work stuff for her husband but I barely see him. I have a great working relationship with her. It is obvious though that as they have grown larger, she/they have changed how they interact with all of us.
They are totally out of touch with how much we all do, IMO...way out of touch.
Communication is not their strong suit.
I’d like to be proactive & have a plan in place when the time comes.
I mean when your boss/owner comes to you & says ...here’s more work for you ...can you really decline? ugh

 

[Skippy918]

If your boss is out of touch with the work your team does, it would help to list out all the work each of you do, and how much time it takes to do each task. If it’s a daily task list for instance, take the total time spent on the tasks and divide by the number of working hours minus breaks. This will tell you how many resources are needed. You can either put everyone on the same spreadsheet and get a grand total or separate by team member.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I don't really know what to do, but I can understand your frustration. Where I am they expect and "project" growth by at least 25% over the next year. Duties, tasks and responsibilities keep increasing, yet they refuse to hire anymore help to do it.

That aside, on any given day at least one person will call in. Many times we will be missing more than one person. As luck would have it, the worst days seem to be Mondays or Fridays when things are the busiest is when we have the fewest people decide to show up to work. My "team" has 6 people... I don't know how many times we have been operating with just 3 people. I believe the worst day was a Friday when there was just 2 of us. We also have the problem if my "team" is not grossly understaffed on any given day... they may pull somebody to go help in another area because they are too shorthanded. Oddly enough, nobody has ever been pulled from another area to come help us when we are desperate. If we ever were to lose anybody, I think we would all be very upset.

 

[tvguy]

So frustrating. You are clearly overworked. I hope you enjoy what you do for work.

Once in a while a little bit of what got me interested in the business sneaks through, but with about a year with retirement, really doesn't matter. As a former co-worker who retired put it, "I didn't leave my job.......my job left me"

 

[SC Minnie]

OP-- if asked for suggestions --

Everyone lists what they do and the time it takes per day/per week/month- whatever makes sense. This needs to include the duties of the person leaving.

Once there is a list of everything that is being done by everyone a decision by the manager/owners can be made if all of these tasks need to continue. Are some being done because they've always been done but no one looks at them? Are some tasks repetitive with multiple people? Can tasks be combined? Changed in a way they take less time? Is there software that can be used/purchased that can help? Does it make sense to use a 3rd party for something?

It needs to be looked at from a whole department/office instead of individually. The answers to the questions above may be 'no' and nothing can be changed or eliminated. That will give the answer to the question if people can take on more than they are currently doing.

 

[DISNEYSQUIRRELS]

If your boss is out of touch with the work your team does, it would help to list out all the work each of you do, and how much time it takes to do each task. If it’s a daily task list for instance, take the total time spent on the tasks and divide by the number of working hours minus breaks. This will tell you how many resources are needed. You can either put everyone on the same spreadsheet and get a grand total or separate by team member.

If your boss is out of touch with the work your team does, it would help to list out all the work each of you do, and how much time it takes to do each task. If it’s a daily task list for instance, take the total time spent on the tasks and divide by the number of working hours minus breaks. This will tell you how many resources are needed. You can either put everyone on the same spreadsheet and get a grand total or separate by team member.

Exactly, I already know we need another person WITHOUT anyone leaving.
It’s crazy...it’s not like the conversation goes “we’re going to be dividing up “S’s” workload AND HER SALARY
My boss/owner is a nice person, she is flexible & does not micromanage any of us. We all know what has to get done & when.
We never fail, we all work well together with zero drama or personality problems.
That said, the owners of our company purposefully keep their head in the sand. We don’t have open communication, it’s more of a secret, unspoken culture. Weird.
Thanks for listening.

 

[DISNEYSQUIRRELS]

I don't really know what to do, but I can understand your frustration. Where I am they expect and "project" growth by at least 25% over the next year. Duties, tasks and responsibilities keep increasing, yet they refuse to hire anymore help to do it.

That aside, on any given day at least one person will call in. Many times we will be missing more than one person. As luck would have it, the worst days seem to be Mondays or Fridays when things are the busiest is when we have the fewest people decide to show up to work. My "team" has 6 people... I don't know how many times we have been operating with just 3 people. I believe the worst day was a Friday when there was just 2 of us. We also have the problem if my "team" is not grossly understaffed on any given day... they may pull somebody to go help in another area because they are too shorthanded. Oddly enough, nobody has ever been pulled from another area to come help us when we are desperate. If we ever were to lose anybody, I think we would all be very upset.

I truly understand what you are describing.
It is difficult to accept the culture that has been created by decision makers in so many businesses & offices. More, much more, is expected with less & less in return.
My current (& previous) employers can just declare tough times, no raises this year...and what is our recourse?
I’m just not the type of person that is built to say @$&! that & start to slack off.
I consider myself to be a positive person. I want to approach this as an opportunity for positive change, but my Spidey senses are up & I am unsettled.

 

[DISNEYSQUIRRELS]

OP-- if asked for suggestions --

Everyone lists what they do and the time it takes per day/per week/month- whatever makes sense. This needs to include the duties of the person leaving.

Once there is a list of everything that is being done by everyone a decision by the manager/owners can be made if all of these tasks need to continue. Are some being done because they've always been done but no one looks at them? Are some tasks repetitive with multiple people? Can tasks be combined? Changed in a way they take less time? Is there software that can be used/purchased that can help? Does it make sense to use a 3rd party for something?

It needs to be looked at from a whole department/office instead of individually. The answers to the questions above may be 'no' and nothing can be changed or eliminated. That will give the answer to the question if people can take on more than they are currently doing.

Your points & suggestion are great & this is exactly what I wish would happen.
I work with a bunch of really smart people. I’m sure all of us have ideas about how the workload could be tweaked, but the reality is our owners are not receptive to change.
They are a large corporation now with the mindset of a small, one office start-up.
I know I have personally made suggestions about how a couple of simple programming updates in our software could save me hours worth of time over the course of the month. There was a nominal price tag attached to the modifications, so nope.
It’s so ridiculous as I reflect on this stuff.

 

[kuhltiffany]

I would be blunt. Extra work can equal one of two things. Extra hours, paid, OR some of your responsibilities ignored in favour of the new tasks that now need to be done. As them which they would like you to do...

 

[DISNEYSQUIRRELS]

I would be blunt. Extra work can equal one of two things. Extra hours, paid, OR some of your responsibilities ignored in favour of the new tasks that now need to be done. As them which they would like you to do...

Agreed.