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The incessant requirement to "further" yourself at work

Potential-Monke

So it's EOY (End of Year) time at work, and the bi-annual self reflection crap is rolling out, along with the feedback survey. I'll point out I work in a multinational in the telecomms industry, so it's full of Americanised self-rate/help bolloxology.

As I've done just over 1 year, I'm relatively new to this as I didn't have to complete it last year (we were still in training at the time). It's the usual very well worded but closed questions, and the company does push you to improve yourself via LinkedIn courses, and even IT courses which you can do yourself and the company may pay for the test if it deems the company will benefit, ie: CompTIA A+/N+ courses, Cisco, etc.

Anyway, I had said last year I would complete A+ and N+ as they were inferring that we would need them. Doubtful I thought, as I was hired without them, along with 2 others I worked with in the last job, one of which never did technical troubleshooting before, let alone network based. So I knew these courses were not required. Still, I said I'd do them anyway, but then covid hit and my complete and utter lack of caring came with it.

Now, I can do my job fine (training was, in the end, shockingly bad and barely covered an overview, everything we've learned we've done it ourselves with our new-to-the-position team leader, who did what we were doing before he took this role. This is no requirement for this, and as I work nights (which is awesome, I don't want to leave it), the room for promotion is miniscule. So I'm happy to keep doing what I'm doing, and I really couldn't be bothered to "further" myself to do the same job I'm doing now, with no other benefit, ie: increase in wages. But if I was to say this, I wouldn't be considered a team player, or I wouldn't be "showing interest" in my job.

Which is true, and the reason for my topic. I don't care about progressing. I'm very happy with what I do and how much I'm paid for it. The company pays a bonus, which in turn affects your base wage, all dependant on performance. As we're new, and the role itself is new, there's nothing to base us on, so bonus should be good this year (only my third time in my life getting a bonus, so yay!). But "furthering oneself" doesn't appear to affect the bonus, and appears to simply be a company thing.

So, does your employer have this BS too? Do you think an employee doing what they're being paid to do, but with no interest in anything else job related, is something to worry about, or should it be lauded? As I said, not everyone can get promoted, and one of the ones who started with me finished the A+ and got a couple of Teams messages saying well done and that's it. Doesn't seem worth it. At the end of the day, I'm just a series of 6 digits to them, nothing more. I've also tried the management route in the last job, but found out quickly it doesn't suit me (being all nicey nice to upper management even though there are glaring issues, one needs to word them better or some other BS).

Why can't we just do what we were hired to do, and not be expected to "further" ourselves? The company is around over 25 years, and they have plenty of day time people who have been there for 20 years in the same or similar roles, so they know not everyone wants to move up.

Rant over... Now just need to finish 2 more EOY survey shyte... Explain in 3 words the companys culture... Oh just fu...

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worded

The three stages of employment in some places

1 ~ spring lamb. All entuastic
2 ~ apathy
3 ~ madness. Don't fight it. Go with it

auspicious

In the system's profiling you are either a 1 or a 0. You need to suck up or suck it up.

sasta le

All the Masters bores

Trouser Snake

That wall is high as a skyscraper.

Dayo93

It's a game those that suck harder proceed through the ranks, those those that just want a job still have to go through this **** every year, all about metrics weather they actually make a difference or not welcome to the multinational corporate life

[Deleted User]

You probably could have filled out the form in fewer words than you'd written in this rant.

PTH2009

If you're good looking enough your sorted no matter how intelligent you are

Your Face

PTH2009 wrote: »

If you're good looking enough your sorted no matter how intelligent you are

If you're good looking or even in good shape - you'll have jealousy to contend with.

sasta le

Good looking women do very well in jobs...

Potential-Monke

Deleted User wrote: »

You probably could have filled out the form in fewer words than you'd written in this rant.

As pointless as threads are in general, it carried more weight than that form!

yoke

This kind of bull**** is there in a lot of US multinationals. It’s usually something that’s easier to plan for and do the bare minimum for so you “pass” every year.
If they insist on a ****ty certificate which you have absolutely no interest in, just pay for a brain dump online and pass the stupid cert. it’s far easier than fighting the system when you’re at the bottom.

Remember, you can only change the system from the top, unfortunately. Remember that if you reach it, accidentally or otherwise, and remove that directive. It was probably decided by some marketing idiot who somehow got to VP level in the support organisation, or who had the ear of a clueless VP in the support org, who wanted to tell customers “hey! All our network troubleshooting staff are up to a certain level, they have comptia a+ certs!”.
If I was a customer I’d immediately think “OK, so the management in that company are blinkered idiots who don’t live in the real world, and not only can’t judge their own staff, they also haven’t heard about brain dumps so they’re ****ing stupid”.

Unfortunately I’m not most customers, most customers are probably banks or something who never have a clue about anything and are sitting there going “wow, certs coming out of their ass, what an educated workforce”

Neames

I think having the option of taking on further training is a good thing. This isn't really a hardship at all. I'm sure if you tried you will find some training that interests you and not only will have you fulfilled your obligations in terms of performance review but you're going to be better protected and more likely to get another job if this one doesn't work out for whatever reason.

Or you could just continue with your current mindset.

Wanderer78

its extremely important to wear 'i am a legend' badges and t-shirts etc, going to annual reviews, always seals the deal for me

85603

sasta le wrote: »

Good looking women do very well in jobs...

Then they pull a maternity.

Ranjo

There is mixed emotions in your post. First you seem happy with your current job and no major intentions to change. That's fine and can be stated in the end of year review.

Second, you're trashing your employer's intention to enable those who do want to grow.

Be honest in your review. You're happy, the job is good, you don't feel there are any skill gaps to plug with training (your manager may say otherwise if different work is on the horizon).

Dont feel the need to fill out a loads of BS because you think that's what they want to hear.

bennyineire

The very reason I hated working for multi national companies, there are so many layers of management all filtering down to each other.

Sure you'll meet some good people there and you might even be lucky enough to get a decent direct report but for the most part they really don't care about you.

Like a previous poster said, just tell them you are doing a course but don't do it if you don't want too. Then every half year but a brain dump and study it over a weekend, sit the test and done.

Management won't really care but if you add 2 certs a year it's an easy win for you and for you manager come review time.

And sure who knows the certs may come in handy in the future

jrosen

I think its great to see companies offer up and encourage paths to progress but equally there is nothing wrong with being happy and content where you are.
All companies need the steady eddies.

Smee_Again

I work in a multinational and take on whatever extra training they are willing to pay for.

I’ve no interest in actually progressing, I’ve a cushy well paid job at the minute, but if I can improve my skill set without taking on extra responsibility I’d be mad not to.

biko

"What do you hope to achieve during next year?"
"Not get laid off..."

optogirl

85603 wrote: »

Then they pull a maternity.

The cheek of them. Impregnating themselves and then going on holiday. I 'pulled a maternity' twice. Sat at home doing nothing except keeping a small child alive. Well worth 18+ years of responsibility to get some time off work.

OP - my work also has these end of year self assessment things. Painful but I've been there 12 years now so know to just fill them in and nod and smile. Companies need people who are happy to come in, do the job and go home but for some reason you have to pretend that you want to be the next head of department anyway.

Strumms

The US multinational I worked for rolled these out online...

In fairness the couple of courses I did were pretty good, very good.But trying to find the time to do them was impossible...

About once or twice a week I’d stay at my desk even during break and lunch but it was impossible, you’d remind people verbally and via email in advance that you were not available, to be left alone, phone and messenger on make busy, work mobile off...

Still... “ sorry Strumms, I know you are busy, but can you look at your email quickly and tell us what you think “. “ Strumms, I have Michael on the phone from sales about xyx can you just have a quick chat it’s about the customer presentation ?.... because you are AT your desk you are available (apparently) despite informing the world you are NOT.

Potential-Monke

The problem I have with these courses is A: I didn't need them to get the job, B: I don't need them to do my job, and C: They won't pay for the recertification every few years, and I'm not paying for them so....

Ah twas a bit of a rant. I do enjoy the job, but I hate the self-progressing nonsense, simply because not everyone will get a promotion or move up with them, because places are limited. And while I understand that having the certs might make it easier to get another job, I don't know if I'd continue to work in the same area if this doesn't work out. Seems like they wanted network engineers without paying for network engineers (I'm a good 40k below what they would be getting).

But it's these self assessment things I hate. I think I'm doing fine, and I don't need to make up some corporate BS worded replies to what are honestly shockingly terrible "Aren't we a great company, aren't we, AREN'T WE!?!?!?!" pat on the back management crap. I'm pretty sure that's why I have TL, a manager, his manager and the support manager all above me. It's making me do their job, because they're too far up their own managers hole to be bothered to actually see if I'm doing what I should be doing.

I worked for a different company which was taken over by this one after I had left years and years ago. Back then, there was none of this crap. Your TL spoke to you on a weekly basis, they did their job and you got feedback. Now you've to give you own feedback and then your TL either agrees or otherwise. It's a terrible model imo. I don't believe that checking your own work after the fact is helpful in the slightest, especially in this role where most things are still relatively new and the training was lacking. We spent the last 9 months creating and improving a process for something the company has been doing for years, but not 1 person was able to do it from start to finish properly. Only after 9 months have we a single document showing all the steps. But yet I was supposed to be able to self asses myself on something that nobody else was able to assess properly anyway. Just a disaster waiting to happen really (we have averted some other disasters waiting to happen because of this process).

I just want to be left to do what I was hired to do, and not have to self manage myself. I'm not management material, I do what I'm asked and wait for the next thing to be done. I'm proactive insofar as if something comes in and I can work it, I'll work it. But I'm far too negative on myself to complete these things in the company way (again, last job had me re-word some feedback because it wasn't "management appropriate"... In other words, it wasn't covered in a ball of wool so management won't get hurt reading it... ugh).

I did complete it though, and the first few questions got a paragraph answer. By the last question, I was down to a 6 word sentence. Thing is, even the TL and their manager knows this is BS, but still insist on it instead of challenging the HR twats who robbed this from some American company and don't actually have to complete it themselves.

Rant 2 over... :pac:

Edit: Oh, TL;DR - boo self assessment crap.

Ubbquittious

I never worked in a company that has these. I'm glad to say

What draws people to the corporate world? I can't shtick corporate bull**** at all.

Potential-Monke

It was a job and I needed one. That's literally the only reason for now!

Smee_Again

Ubbquittious wrote: »

I never worked in a company that has these. I'm glad to say

What draws people to the corporate world? I can't shtick corporate bull**** at all.

Salary, pension, benefits and security.

My dad worked for himself for 40-odd years and would rarely have actual time off and had all the pressures of running a business.

Screw that, let me clock out at 5pm and collect a paycheque at the end of the month.

COVID

Ranjo wrote: »

There is mixed emotions in your post. First you seem happy with your current job and no major intentions to change. That's fine and can be stated in the end of year review.

Second, you're trashing your employer's intention to enable those who do want to grow.

Be honest in your review. You're happy, the job is good, you don't feel there are any skill gaps to plug with training (your manager may say otherwise if different work is on the horizon).

Dont feel the need to fill out a loads of BS because you think that's what they want to hear.

If you don't ask people 'How does that make you feel' for a living, then you should.
You've got that counsellor shít down dude.

sameoldname

I worked at a place once where I was asked to fill out a self assessment form when there were only 3 of us working there, and 2 of those were the company founders!

I wouldn't have minded so much but for the fact that this wasn't a role I had trained for and basically I was to learn on the job, which was fine but how in the name of all that's holy can you judge yourself on work you've never done before and had no one else in the company to judge yourself against?!

The only reason this had come up was because I asked for more training while we had downtime and that was their response! :rolleyes:

I left a month after being handed the form.

suicide_circus

I was looking for a job and then I found a job and heaven knows i'm miserable now.

Bob Harris

suicide_circus wrote: »

I was looking for a job and then I found a job and heaven knows i'm miserable now.

The next line is also very apt for OP's plight (which i sympathise with btw)

In my life Why do I give valuable time
To people who don't care if I live or die?

Yikesoc3

Bob Harris wrote: »

The next line is also very apt for OP's plight (which i sympathise with btw)

In my life Why do I give valuable time
To people who don't care if I live or die?

Time is not valuable. We all have more or less an equal amount of time.