I sometimes wonder why I bother

So, we have a boatload of overtime going on at work at the moment. I’ve been asked by my current manager to sign up to as much as possible because apparently he considers me competent. So I did, I like money.

However very early on there were communication and behavioural issues between the team as a whole. The boss attempted to nip this in the bud early and it seemed to work. The next day, everything went smoothly, no issues.

Few days later, after I’ve taken two days off, I’ve arrived on time and everyone else is late. Someone very rudely asks me why I didn’t turn up yesterday (I cancelled the shift with the boss early this week, citing scheduling issues). Then nobody says anything to me for 20 minutes, chatting away between themselves and very clearly excluding me.

Then, when we start doing the work, nobody explains what is going on or what the new system they have designed to do then work is, and after asking one person how I can help, the boss loudly asks whether I am actually going to bother helping or not.

So, I advised him politely that I would like to cancel the next three weeks worth of overtime, and that I was going home. No doubt he will pull me into a meeting room tomorrow and either berate me massively, or ask me to reconsider. Either of those will probably end up with me telling him where he can shove our friendship, will speak to the manager of my next placement asking if we can deal with the move between teams as was expected. I was meant to move tomorrow, but delayed it for this project. The one I now want no part of.

Why do I bother?

I don’t know. I’ve worked in offices where we were treated as machines with no outside life. I left. If that’s an option for you, I can recommend it. You could apply for a job at Monzo. They seem to be good employers :+1:

Some managers are good bullies, but bad managers.

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Life is way too short…

This sounds like a toxic environment with toxic people. If you can, and I realise it may be a hard ask, remove yourself. You will never look back.

I’ve learned (the hard way) that you have a choice and I never tolerate behaviour like this any more. Sadly, it is all too common in business these days.

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HAH. I did, for a remote working position. Was planning to do it alongside my apprenticeship, however they just pulled the plug on those positions to push people to apply for the Cardiff office. Sadly, I feel that moving back to Wales would be more stressful for me than staying here in London and at my current place… XD

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Mmm. Agreed, life is too short. I’m thankfully on a fixed term contract apprenticeship till February 2020, and will be considering options for the next year… I do have an assessment centre for a Train Driver talent pool, a week tonorrow… So here’s hoping I pass those tests! :smiley:

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Hope you do too Jason! :slight_smile:

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I remembered this quote from Steve Jobs:

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.”

Very well said :slight_smile:

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This is also another good part from that Steve Jobs Stamford commencement speech what links well to your quote.

Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.

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Spot on @Chapuys :slight_smile:

Hope things work out, I’ve just finished my first week in my new management position running a shoe repair franchise. After spending years with another company ( same job). I was feeling fed up and not appreciated, I was given the cold shoulder because I was leaving. Worked a month notice and was slandered, security checked and one of the area team rang my new boss to slander me saying I was a crap manager who can’t be trusted…very stressful time. On my last day nobody said good luck or goodbye. Already a week in and I feel fantastic, getting my love for cobbling back again. Remember, someone needs yours skills…never doubt what you achieve, go for it!

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