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Subject:RE: Working later than the boss - Part II From:"Lauren" <lt34 -at- csus -dot- edu> To:<techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Fri, 6 Jul 2007 12:30:47 -0700
Hey Anon,
YOUR BOSS
It sounds to me like your boss wants to work a 7-hour day, if even that,
and, since 40 hours of week is required, then she will need someone to work
her extra hour or more per day. If you are giving the impression that you
do not mind working longer hours because you do work at home sometimes, then
she will look to you to make up her extra work time.
I find it very frustrating when people comment that they are asked to work
more hours than other people, but the people making the comments do not
stand up for themselves and work the longer hours. The manager sounds like
she is funneling her work through you without compensating you for your
extra work. She is getting "free" money and you are getting less
compensation per hour.
Does your manager have a manager? Perhaps you should look above her head to
mention that your group needs a little resource leveling. If you are being
asked to take on a senior-level workload and are not being compensated or
even given the opportunity to reject the promotion, then you may need help
from your manager's superior.
YOUR JOB
Job descriptions describe the work that a person does. They also provide
the base compensation for the person that holds the job. Sometimes, people
fail to recognize that job descriptions limit the work that a person should
do and offer a protection against inequity, but saying, "that isn't in my
job description" sounds bad.
Job descriptions also protect the employer by limiting who can do a
particular job. If your employer (not your manager) has not assigned you
the role of manager, then your manager should stick to doing her own job.
If your employer wants you to be productive in *your* job, then you should
stick to doing your own job so that you can maximize the productivity that
your employer wants. Employers generally do not shotgun jobs to a group of
employees and say, "figure it out for yourself who does what," they assign
jobs. There is a reason for a person's particular job assignment and the
employer has a right to know if the assignments are not working out.
YOUR WORK HOURS
The issue of your children really becomes a non-sequiter in determining your
roles at work because people need to schedule work and home, but it does
indicate that you and your manager are on the same level with respect to
personal workloads. Personal workloads can be accounted for when taking a
job, but the nature of the personal needs should not be influenced by
whether children are involved. You could also have a second job or you may
attend school or you may be in a rock band, whatever the personal needs are,
*you* control how much time is available for work.
If you took your job and the agreement was that you would work 40 hours a
week and leave the office by 4:30, then that is your work agreement with
your employer. Your manager may be trying to change this, but it is up to
you to be clear with what hours you have available for work.
You can say to your manager, "I would like to help you out here. Let me
know what I can do, but remember that I leave the office at 4:30." You
could also mention whether you will come in earlier to work overtime when
necessary for a project.
OFF-TOPIC
I have an off-topic question. Your manager seems to have an issue with
mornings and with working full days. Does she drink? I've seen this
pattern in drinkers. The people that arrive at 7 am tend to be non-drinkers
or people who rarely drink, but regular drinkers prefer the after 9 am
shift. Although, I do have a non-drinking friend that works 10 to 6
developing web content. Web people and programmers tend to keep kooky
hours, anyway.
Lauren
> -----Original Message-----
> From: techwr-l-bounces+lt34=csus -dot- edu -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+lt34=csus -dot- edu -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On
> Behalf Of TECHWR-L Administrator
> Sent: Friday, July 06, 2007 10:16 AM
> To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Subject: FWD: Working later than the boss - Part II
>
>
> Forwarded anonymously on request. Please respond on list--
> no responses will be privately forwarded. TECHWR-L Admin
> &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
>
> It's important to point out that this manager does NOT put in extra
> hours at home or in the office, no matter what. I'm not aware of her
> daily tasks/goals but there have been at least six times
> where some of
> her work has wound up on my desk because "she couldn't get to
> it." What
> irritates me so is that this individual does not go above and beyond
> like some of the other managers from the list seem to (ex. checking
> email in the evenings or during commuting time, etc.). She goes on
> vacation and comes back and checks email for one or two days when she
> returns. Her attitude is if it cannot get done during
> business hours, it
> doesn't get done. In addition, we are constantly waiting for her to
> review our work, which holds us up, instead of occasionally bringing
> home the work to review.
>
> BTW, my point in mentioning that we both have children the
> same age is
> that I manage to check my email in the evenings and BEFORE I
> return to
> the office from vacation. No, I don't think this is SUPER
> HUMAN, but I
> do think it is part of the job and what a responsible employee will
> likely do when they give a hoot about their job.
>
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