Really struggling at work - what to do?

LegacyUser

Hi
I am really struggling at work. In a nutshell I am on a team of about 15 people, I am there a fairly long time and all of my colleagues have been promoted above me. It's a fairly standard promotion rather than a really difficult thing to get. I find it really demoralising basically - I know it's superficial but when you're working as hard as you can and never get anywhere and know you're the lowest paid it's not great.

Another problem is that I'm really struggling with the work itself. I am constantly stressed out and I usually stay until about 7 every evening to try and finish things up. The long working hours would be ok if it led to some achievement but that's not the case.

Compared to other people I'm not as useful - I don't mean to be negative but I think this is the situation. What I mean by this is basically in the team certain people are considered very "good" by management - but they don't have much time for other people. I have done a lot of work for them (and tried to become useful lol! ) but if I left tomorrow it wouldn't affect them in the slightest.

I don't know what to do in this situation because I've put in years of my life (and an awful lot of work) into the job and I don't want to give up on it.
I can't continue on in a job though where I put in so many hours and get nothing out of it (and it really does affect my life because I don't have any time for things outside work).

My position etc at work is one thing but the stress of it technically, the long hours (in every evening til 7) and the difficulty of it make me think that there must be a better job out there somewhere that at least is a little bit better. The pay is average but it doesn't justify the work at all.

Another aspect of it is that it's a very difficult job technically that changes every so often into a different completely unrelated project. It's a constant game of catch up with people who are on the project for a long time already before you join.

If I put the same amount of work into getting a diploma I could change job - but I'm in my early 30s with mortgage....

phill106

Perhaps the fact that you are struggling in your position is the reason you are not being promoted? Assuming the extra hours you are doing are not mandatory, perhaps you should instead devote that time to upskilling via a night course or similar and look for a more rewarding position that would suit you better.

LegacyUser

Hi Phil yes I agree - it's not reasonable to expect to be promoted when you're not coming up to scratch, it's just disappointing when you put so much into a job.
I should explain though: I've gotten qualifications outside work (in evenings) as well to upskill but it's not really seen as being that important - irrelevant in fact because it's all about delivering day to day. Also you could upskill only to find that the next project needs something completely different.
Then there is also the problem where some people do the same thing for years whereas others get changed very frequently - it makes it much harder to build up competency in what you're doing. For the person that's always on the same thing it's very hard to understand the problem, but if you're changed around constantly you realise how much of an effect this has on your actual working conditions.
It could be a change equivalent to a maths teacher suddenly teaching physics for example - they could do it but the transition (over a short period of say 2 weeks) is going to be difficult especially if you immediately have to do something critical in that area.
While you're getting the basics of the new thing others are getting knowledge that will actually help the business - the fact that this is ignored is a big problem I think.

It's just very demoralising not being able to do your bit but not all of this is a personal failing on my part. I am thinking that it might be a bad idea to stay there long term because I'm in a position where I can never catch up (at the moment anyway). Also there is a lot of really bitchy behaviour like false accusations and just general abuse (I mean to the point of disrupting meetings) that is ignored, so it's not the best workplace from that point of view either...

bbam

userX123 wrote: »

Hi
I am really struggling at work. In a nutshell I am on a team of about 15 people, I am there a fairly long time and all of my colleagues have been promoted above me. It's a fairly standard promotion rather than a really difficult thing to get. I find it really demoralising basically - I know it's superficial but when you're working as hard as you can and never get anywhere and know you're the lowest paid it's not great.

Another problem is that I'm really struggling with the work itself. I am constantly stressed out and I usually stay until about 7 every evening to try and finish things up. The long working hours would be ok if it led to some achievement but that's not the case.

Compared to other people I'm not as useful - I don't mean to be negative but I think this is the situation. What I mean by this is basically in the team certain people are considered very "good" by management - but they don't have much time for other people. I have done a lot of work for them (and tried to become useful lol! ) but if I left tomorrow it wouldn't affect them in the slightest.

I don't know what to do in this situation because I've put in years of my life (and an awful lot of work) into the job and I don't want to give up on it.
I can't continue on in a job though where I put in so many hours and get nothing out of it (and it really does affect my life because I don't have any time for things outside work).

My position etc at work is one thing but the stress of it technically, the long hours (in every evening til 7) and the difficulty of it make me think that there must be a better job out there somewhere that at least is a little bit better. The pay is average but it doesn't justify the work at all.

Another aspect of it is that it's a very difficult job technically that changes every so often into a different completely unrelated project. It's a constant game of catch up with people who are on the project for a long time already before you join.

If I put the same amount of work into getting a diploma I could change job - but I'm in my early 30s with mortgage....

Do you have an annual appraisal at work?? If so how does it go??

If there is no formal structure there and if managment are a decent sort I'd be requesting a meeting, explain your case to your manager and request a plan be put in place to support you become more effective.. Request training/mentoring or whatever is available... If possible have a list of where you are doing well and instances where you are in trouble..

It may well be the case that management are happy with your performance as is and think you are the same..

If they are a difficult shower you may be in for a harder time...
I'd be cutting back the long hours as you might get on better if you had more free time to unwind and recharge... I know it's easy saying it but it's only a job...

Remember "Work to live NOT live to work"