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Job Worry

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  • 04-12-2018 10:28pm
    #1
    Saint Sonner
    Registered Users Posts: 992 ✭✭✭


    I have been in my current company now for close to 3 years. I am doing the same role since I started however they made another role redundant and added it to my role.

    It's been very hectic but I have taken it on as best I can. I am putting in extra hours etc to cover it all and have done loads of unpaid overtime and I have never been off sick.

    I can't manage to take my full entitlement of holidays in a year either.

    Recently I have had a couple of errors in relation to work submitted. But in the whole my work is good in my opinion. In my last yearly review with my manager about 4 months ago I attained a 100% delivered on my objectives.

    However the two recent errors have been highlighted to me - they haven't cost the company money but are not great looking and I have said that I will make sure they dont happen again. The most recent was around a piece of work Where I had missed a formula error and whilst I had told my manager the work was still not complete and I had to review to make sure it all Tied up he went ahead with it and gave it to senior people in the company without me knowing. This then caused some angst after the basic error came to light.

    He had a call with me (as he is in a diff geographical location) today explaining his frustration which was fair enough however I don't think these errors would havevhappened only I'm being putting under pressure to deliver in other areas.

    Anyway he said we should talk on Friday and mentioned something in relation to HR and development plan. I'm just worried that I could lose my job and wondered what advice anyone would have so that I'm prepared on Friday.

    I am on a permenant contract and part of the company union. There is a worrying trend of getting rid of jobs in our location as there have been lots of people let go in the time I have been there albeit made redundant not fired so to Speak.

    Thanks in advance


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    #2
    _Brian
    Registered Users Posts: 18,501 ✭✭✭✭_Brian


    You need to discuss workload, tagging on loads of bits is a dangerous trend.

    Plus they are on shaky ground making someone redundant and then asking you to do their role


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    #3
    Baby01032012
    Registered Users Posts: 1,622 ✭✭✭Baby01032012


    I’m no expert and only my opinion.

    Sit down with your boss and explain everything as well as you have here. You sound like a very reasonable person and very conscientious.

    They may be setting you up here. Document everything. If you told your boss it wasn’t ready make sure it was in an email. Record dates and times and what was said. Keep copies of all emails. You may need to take a case if dismissed and will need this.

    Next I’d say think about your own self worth. Value yourself. Don’t loose sleep over it. Nothing about your performance warrants your bosses reaction.

    How easy would it be to move jobs? Maybe you should start thinking about it. 3 years is decent amount of time in 1 company.


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    #4
    Saint Sonner
    Registered Users Posts: 992 ✭✭✭Saint Sonner


    Just an update - I may have been over worried because my boss never arranged the meeting on the Friday. So since then I have kept the head down and done some really good work on some other things. We have been in a few meetings and emails together and the atmosphere is good.

    However I am having my half year review on Thursday so I'm sure it'll be addressed there but I know there are things I can work on if I am giving the space to get them done so I will be ready for some negative feedback but will be armed with the positives from my half year.

    Thanks to the contributions above really helped over those worrying days!


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    #5
    TrustedApple
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,678 ✭✭✭TrustedApple


    I am in the same ship myself told my manager I am over worked doing the job of at lest 6 people as we have had countless layoffs in the last year in my department and all the work got transfered to me and when I am PTO I great thrects of users that they are going to HR about me not fixing there issues.

    I told my manager all this I was told that you are just going to have to put up with things as that's the way things are.

    I am working from 8am to 10pm everyday for the past 12 months and when I highlight issues I get told to shut up.


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    #6
    dennyk
    Registered Users Posts: 1,652 ✭✭✭dennyk


    TrustedApple wrote: »
    I am working from 8am to 10pm everyday for the past 12 months and when I highlight issues I get told to shut up.

    Then quit working from 8AM to 10PM every day. Do your contracted hours and go home, and take the annual leave you're entitled to (and don't let them talk you into working on things remotely while you're away; don't even answer their calls). They ignore your protests because the work is still getting done, so it doesn't affect them, and as long as that's the case they will continue to ignore it forever. Once things stop getting completed on time because they've assigned 80 hour of work to a 39-hour employee, they will be forced to confront the problem themselves.

    Just be polite but firm about it; when they give you too much work to complete in your contracted work time, let them know up front. "Hey, boss, you've assigned me tasks X and Y, but I will only have time to complete one of them this week; which do you want me to prioritize?" If they insist you must complete both, just reiterate that each task will take XX hours and therefore there isn't time to complete them both. If they still insist, then prioritize them according to your best judgement and complete what you can during your normal working hours. And if you go on approved leave and users complain to HR, so what? HR will ask why you didn't help them, and you'll answer "I'm sorry, but I don't know why they were not helped; I was on leave that day and so I don't know what went on in the office. I'd suggest checking with my manager, perhaps they can look into what happened with the backup they assigned while I was away..."


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    #7
    mfceiling
    Registered Users Posts: 12,786 ✭✭✭✭mfceiling


    Do as much as you can in 8 hours then stop completely. If asked why the work isn't done just reply there's only a fixed amount you can do in an 8 hour working day.
    I'm not being smart but the more you do the more you'll be expected to do.


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    #8
    Wanderer78
    Registered Users Posts: 28,919 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    mfceiling wrote:
    Do as much as you can in 8 hours then stop completely. If asked why the work isn't done just reply there's only a fixed amount you can do in an 8 hour working day. I'm not being smart but the more you do the more you'll be expected to do.


    I'd agree with this, even though it can be easier said than done, but try do it. Try introduce some relaxing activities in and outside of work. If you re becoming too stressed during work, walk away from work activities for a short while. It also might be a good idea to start looking for a new job also, as it doesn't sound like a nice working environment. Best of luck


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    #9
    amcalester
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,121 ✭✭✭amcalester


    mfceiling wrote: »
    Do as much as you can in 8 hours then stop completely. If asked why the work isn't done just reply there's only a fixed amount you can do in an 8 hour working day.
    I'm not being smart but the more you do the more you'll be expected to do.
    Wanderer78 wrote: »
    I'd agree with this, even though it can be easier said than done, but try do it. Try introduce some relaxing activities in and outside of work. If you re becoming too stressed during work, walk away from work activities for a short while. It also might be a good idea to start looking for a new job also, as it doesn't sound like a nice working environment. Best of luck

    I'd agree with both of these, and just add; is it possible to prepare a daily report on work done and work outstanding? Essentially a daily handover and give this to your boss as you leave each day.

    Let your boss worry about how the backlog is gong to get cleared and just focus on closing out the tickets.


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    #10
    Pelvis
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,758 ✭✭✭Pelvis


    TrustedApple wrote: »
    I am working from 8am to 10pm everyday for the past 12 months and when I highlight issues I get told to shut up.

    It's hard to have sympathy when you're doing this tbh. Just. Stop. You will have no one to blame but yourself when you burn out.


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    #11
    Wanderer78
    Registered Users Posts: 28,919 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    Pelvis wrote: »
    It's hard to have sympathy when you're doing this tbh. Just. Stop. You will have no one to blame but yourself when you burn out.

    disagree with this, you d be surprised what people do to survive, op you do need to cut your hours back, this employer probably wont change, id get cracking with the cv's, lifes too short


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    #12
    dennyk
    Registered Users Posts: 1,652 ✭✭✭dennyk


    TrustedApple wrote: »
    I have told them that there is not enough time in the day to do things and asked can someone else take over this for me I got laughed at and told I was pitty and said to its only a few hours.

    It seems it's gotten to the point now where speaking up isn't going to change things; the only thing that will is to actually take action, put your foot down, and stop working those extra hours. Like I said, your bosses can ignore your complaints because all the extra work is still getting done; the only way to change things is to ensure that's no longer the case.
    My boss does not assign me tasks, it's a it based job we're I have tickits to work and world wide I am the only one working them and getting the issues fixed when I am off on pto there is no backup as I am the main person and the backup rolled into one.

    This is absolutely 100% not your problem. It's your company and your manager's job to ensure adequate staffing is in place to complete the necessary work. They are the ones who are failing here, not you; don't let them guilt you into trying to cover for their lack of planning and inadequate staffing.
    I am just brunt out as its just to much work now and it keeps growing and growing. I highlight issues to local management go's no were. Usa management do not even reply to my emails when i ask for meeting.

    Aah, this explains a lot, if your company's head office is in the US. US workers enjoy far fewer rights and protections than folks here do (no employment contracts, no time off required by law, can be fired at any time with zero notice for any reason or no reason at all, etc.), so poorly run companies there are used to running roughshod over their employees and working them to the bone because the workers can't push back without risking their jobs (and with little or no social safety net, losing your job there often means losing your home, food, and health care). Seems your management may not realise that things work differently in other countries; it's time you demonstrated that you don't have to bow to their ridiculous demands.
    I have countless times tryed to speak to people and it'd gets no where. Yesterday my manager joked in front of people after we spoken to each other in a meeting room why don't you just leave and go to the other department

    I'd take him up on that offer, except replace "department" with "company that appreciates their workers and treats them like human beings". Seriously, IT is a hot field these days; get your CV updated and start looking around. Odds are you can find something better fairly quickly. And in the meantime, quit trying to speak to them with words and switch to actions instead; work your contracted hours and not one second more. Take your leave and don't answer your phone. If things fall apart because you're no longer doing the work of two or three employees by yourself, so be it; again, that isn't your fault and it isn't your problem to fix (and it will never *be* fixed as long as you continue killing yourself to keep things going).


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    #13
    TrustedApple
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,678 ✭✭✭TrustedApple


    Just a update this went nuts this evening as I called out everything and there is classic government replys of work arounds to the quastion and issues.


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    #14
    Wanderer78
    Registered Users Posts: 28,919 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    TrustedApple wrote:
    He has also passed a remark about my long winded explaining of things in emails it's like you have suss age fingers hitting a keyboard. 8 have delsiexa and have issues in explaining things and using the right grammar.


    I'm dyslexic myself, with an added bonus of autism, unfortunately you ll find many employers couldn't give a ****e about these issues, and if you inform them of the laws governing these disabilities, you ll quickly find yourself being managed out the door. I do think it's time for you to move on from this employer, before it badly affects your mental wellbeing


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    #15
    TrustedApple
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,678 ✭✭✭TrustedApple


    That's the plan fingers crossed something else will come up


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    #16
    Saint Sonner
    Registered Users Posts: 992 ✭✭✭Saint Sonner


    Saint Sonner wrote: »
    Just an update - I may have been over worried because my boss never arranged the meeting on the Friday. So since then I have kept the head down and done some really good work on some other things. We have been in a few meetings and emails together and the atmosphere is good.

    However I am having my half year review on Thursday so I'm sure it'll be addressed there but I know there are things I can work on if I am giving the space to get them done so I will be ready for some negative feedback but will be armed with the positives from my half year.

    Thanks to the contributions above really helped over those worrying days!

    So we had the HY review before Christmas and it wasn’t pretty. I thought I would seek more advice on this.

    As I knew there would be a bit of a telling off for the errors I had written a summary addressing the errors but also trying to bring focus to a lot of good work in the 6 month period as the review is usually a 2 way conversation. My manager stopped me a few minutes in and cut me off on some of the good areas and started into the errors he wanted to talk about. We discussed them and I defended myself with workload issues and also saying that I would be more careful in future etc. I also said that I had personal problems and that some of the biggest changes in my life took place over this period. I was pushed for what I meant by this and I am quite a private person and don’t like to cause a fuss or have my personal life discussed. However being pushed I thought that this then may help my case – I told him that after having our first child my wife was suffering from Post Natal D and that I was getting little sleep due to support and also the worry that comes with it. Thankfully we got through it. I was surprised when he basically said that it didn’t matter (in so many words).

    There was also positive feedback from my key stakeholders which they had told me they had given which he didn’t mention until I had asked if they had said anything positive… he told me they had but he turned this into a negative by saying he would need to check into it.

    The company has a policy of encouraging working from home which suits a lot of us as we have pretty long commutes to work. I have the longest commute of any of us in the office but I am still probably the one who is in the office the most usually 4 days a week and on occasion 3. In the review he told me that he wanted me in the office every day (to me it stank of them trying to make my life awkward). I then asked would there be a formal communication by the company that flexible working and working from home policy was now abolished. He got a bit stuck when I asked this and he said it was just being done with everyone on a one to one basis but I have asked others and it has not been mentioned to them.

    Then he told me that his boss was pushing that HR go through a formal process on me – at this stage I asked him could I have a meeting with her (as I have had meetings with her in the past) to explain and to try and convince her not to do that. He said that it wouldn’t be the right thing to do.

    This all happened about 2 days before we got off for Christmas – so I spent the whole of my first Christmas with my wife and 4 month old with this hanging over me and worrying that I was going to lose my job.

    So since all this happened I have been keeping the head down and doing really good high quality work – better than ever before in my opinion.
    So I had my monthly one to one with my manager today and he said that he has asked HR what is going to happen and that he hasn’t got an answer back and that I should just work away. This is really frustrating cause I don’t want to push in case it works against me however how long are they going to hang this over me – is it proper to do this? I am just wondering if this is hanging over me and I make another simple error will they go nuts. Also there is a major annual piece of work coming up in a couple of months time which I have a lot of knowledge and experience on and have delivered on it really well in the past few years. I just wonder if they are stringing me along to get that work out of me and then going to give me the boot. I just don’t know what my options are and its not been good for my mental health if I’m honest.

    Any advice?


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    #17
    racso1975
    Registered Users Posts: 5,273 ✭✭✭racso1975


    Can you contact hr directly?


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    #18
    Diziet
    Registered Users Posts: 831 ✭✭✭Diziet


    Well done for pushing back. Keep things documented but otherwise do your work, and don't take on more duties if that means you cannot do your work effectively. Your manager likely was told to wind his head back in.

    Enjoy your new baby - hope your wife is feeling better. Babies are only small for a very short time :-)


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    #19
    Saint Sonner
    Registered Users Posts: 992 ✭✭✭Saint Sonner


    racso1975 wrote: »
    Can you contact hr directly?

    I'd say I could but i'm worried about poking the hornets nest so to speak. Don't want to bring it up in case it ends up getting worse but how long would it be normal for this uncertainty to last!


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    #20
    Saint Sonner
    Registered Users Posts: 992 ✭✭✭Saint Sonner


    Diziet wrote: »
    Well done for pushing back. Keep things documented but otherwise do your work, and don't take on more duties if that means you cannot do your work effectively. Your manager likely was told to wind his head back in.

    Enjoy your new baby - hope your wife is feeling better. Babies are only small for a very short time :-)

    Thanks for the advice - she is much better now she only has to listen to my job worries and be in bad form generally.

    I have now taken the attitude that i now log off at my end time unless something totally and utterly urgent is happening whereas when i had the flexibility of working from home in the past i tended to do an hour or two extra every day I was in the office to get through stuff but flexibility is a two way street so I am waiting for him to ask me why I log off quickly these days!


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    #21
    NSAman
    Registered Users Posts: 3,394 ✭✭✭NSAman


    Wow. Read the thread from start to finish. Your manager is certainly covering HIS ass. You should have brought up the point that the figures given to the manager were not checked and you had asked him not to send them in.

    Sounds like your manager is the issue here. He is effectively stopping you from contacting HR. He is also signalling you out personally, if no one else has been told to be in the office.

    Sounds to me as if the manager is subpar and is using your work to further his chances of promotion.

    Simple things and I know this is difficult. Stand up for yourself. ANY company will want talented people who show determination and grit and can also get the job done. If your company cannot see this, then IMHO it is time for change.

    BUT... and this is a big but, you are relying on what your manager tells you... something tells me from what you have written that he is not up to the job himself. He obviously knows you are a good worker or else it would have been curtains long ago.

    You have been given some good advice above by others, follow it. Document everything.

    You have a new child , you have a wife, I know money coming in is important, but so is your family.

    Personally, I would contact HR directly and find out what the issues are. If policies such as remote working are there, ask why you have been singled out as the office resident... Do not complain about the work load, but show that all assignments have been delivered properly. Inform them of the managers "mistake" and tell them that you are a committed employee as your work rate and dedication to the job have shown. I would also ask them why all these changes to your personal role have been made and can you expect any further changes down the road (not being specific but trying to feel them out about promotion and also cutting back on jobs)..... you have to use that smart brain of yours which you obviously have.

    Don't sweat this... you have it.


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    #22
    SirChenjin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,111 ✭✭✭SirChenjin


    Could you have a chat with someone from your union? It can help sometimes to talk things out with somebody who is outside of the situation. Am not saying it's a magic bullet but could help to outline the issues and get their views.

    I would also consider a chat with HR. Even from the perspective of finding out if there are actual changes in relation to remote working, for example, or is it just your manager making things up as they go along.
    It happens, unfortunately.

    I would also have a concern about you not being able to take all of your annual leave.

    Mind your health during all this.


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    #23
    Wanderer2010
    Registered Users Posts: 6,681 ✭✭✭Wanderer2010


    TrustedApple wrote: »
    I am working from 8am to 10pm everyday for the past 12 months and when I highlight issues I get told to shut up.

    I say this in the nicest possible way: You are an idiot. Working from 8am to 10pm and then getting dismissed like that? That's all on you. They are laughing at you for those hours I guarantee you that. Do your 8 hours then come home and take all your holidays too. You need to see the big picture here and not let a company rule your life. The company survived before you it will survive after you.


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    #24
    Saint Sonner
    Registered Users Posts: 992 ✭✭✭Saint Sonner


    NSAman wrote: »
    Wow. Read the thread from start to finish. Your manager is certainly covering HIS ass. You should have brought up the point that the figures given to the manager were not checked and you had asked him not to send them in.

    Sounds like your manager is the issue here. He is effectively stopping you from contacting HR. He is also signalling you out personally, if no one else has been told to be in the office.

    Sounds to me as if the manager is subpar and is using your work to further his chances of promotion.

    Simple things and I know this is difficult. Stand up for yourself. ANY company will want talented people who show determination and grit and can also get the job done. If your company cannot see this, then IMHO it is time for change.

    BUT... and this is a big but, you are relying on what your manager tells you... something tells me from what you have written that he is not up to the job himself. He obviously knows you are a good worker or else it would have been curtains long ago.

    You have been given some good advice above by others, follow it. Document everything.

    You have a new child , you have a wife, I know money coming in is important, but so is your family.

    Personally, I would contact HR directly and find out what the issues are. If policies such as remote working are there, ask why you have been singled out as the office resident... Do not complain about the work load, but show that all assignments have been delivered properly. Inform them of the managers "mistake" and tell them that you are a committed employee as your work rate and dedication to the job have shown. I would also ask them why all these changes to your personal role have been made and can you expect any further changes down the road (not being specific but trying to feel them out about promotion and also cutting back on jobs)..... you have to use that smart brain of yours which you obviously have.

    Don't sweat this... you have it.

    Thanks for the advice I am documenting everything - since we have had the conversation about Work From Home I have had numerous calls where he has been working from home on different days and also Fridays (he said he only worked at home on a Friday cause it was a half day for him). For example It happened today - I don't think he realised we had a video call with others and looked very sheepish when I came on and I smiled a tad. Also first day back after new year which i would have normally worked from home i went into office as it was a Wednesday and he was at home himself.

    Another example is an employee same level as my manager who is based in Dublin office and lives about 30min drive arrives in today and said happy new year... laughing that it was her first day in the office in 2019 as she had been working from home (I don't resent heri just think its a double standard)


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    #25
    Saint Sonner
    Registered Users Posts: 992 ✭✭✭Saint Sonner


    SirChenjin wrote: »
    Could you have a chat with someone from your union? It can help sometimes to talk things out with somebody who is outside of the situation. Am not saying it's a magic bullet but could help to outline the issues and get their views.

    I would also consider a chat with HR. Even from the perspective of finding out if there are actual changes in relation to remote working, for example, or is it just your manager making things up as they go along.
    It happens, unfortunately.

    I would also have a concern about you not being able to take all of your annual leave.

    Mind your health during all this.

    Yes i was talking to a colleague today who is same level as me and he suggested Union - I may go down that route soon.


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    #26
    ANXIOUS
    Registered Users Posts: 3,095 ✭✭✭ANXIOUS


    If it wasn't a formal communication from HR about working from home then I would ignore it, that in my opinion is an indirect disciplinary sanction.


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    #27
    SirChenjin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,111 ✭✭✭SirChenjin


    Saint Sonner wrote: »
    Yes i was talking to a colleague today who is same level as me and he suggested Union - I may go down that route soon.

    Just an informal chat with someone as I said, who is outside of the situation, might be helpful.

    All the best.


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    #28
    Fishdoodle
    Registered Users Posts: 321 ✭✭Fishdoodle


    It's pretty evident that

    -you are being overworked & doing more than you initially signed up for
    -not able to take your holidays
    -anxious about (making errors / not meeting target / losing job)
    -you're not being paid for hours worked
    ... more than likely the whole work environment is one of stress ...

    -you work hard
    -you are loyal & conscientious
    -have a family that you care for
    -a decent guy

    Probably, it is your biggest fear that is driving you to work harder ...that you could be let go.

    I'll bet if you took at least 2 weeks away -long enough to begin to de-stress...you'd see some clarity.

    How much do you value yourself?

    Become the master of your own fate ... cogs in wheels are easily replaced


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    #29
    Saint Sonner
    Registered Users Posts: 992 ✭✭✭Saint Sonner


    Thanks to everyone - some sound advice on here. I'll update again soon :)


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    #30
    Wabbit Ears
    Registered Users Posts: 3,043 ✭✭✭Wabbit Ears


    Practically all of OPs issues are ressolvable himself if he just learns a little bit of how to professionally manage expectations.

    Working lots of extra hours for free for no good reason? Stop doing that.

    Apologising for small mistakes? stop doing that. Everyone makes mistakes. Admit them sure but don't cower as you describe yourself doing.

    And finally workload: be clear and upfront about how much you can manage. The trick is don't say no to anything, say yes with conditions. "Sure, I can do Y but it won't be done by next Tuesday as I am currently working on X. If you want me to prioritize Y send me an email saying that and I'll focus on Y.

    Always, always give realistic timelines on what you can get done in a standard 8 hour day. If you work 12 hour days that's on you. That's your fault. Manage expectations better.


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    #31
    Saint Sonner
    Registered Users Posts: 992 ✭✭✭Saint Sonner


    So he finally came back to me and told me that HR are putting me on a PIP (Performance Improvement Plan)

    I told him that for the record that I thought it has been a disgrace the way it has been handled so far and that for his information that I was going to go to the union to seek advice on a few things that where going on. I got pretty annoyed.

    Don't know how these PIP things work but starting to get paranoid that it will last until end of June when the big piece of work they need me for is over and then they'll say you failed the PIP and we're letting you go.


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