Feeling used!

I've been working at my present job since September 2011, after a very long period when I just couldn't get a job at all.

I was grateful to get the job and felt it would be ideal for me but over the years I've become more and more disillusioned.

Since I've been working there it seems to me that my understanding of a day's work is at odds with the norm; gossiping seems to be the norm with the occasional breaks to do some work.

OK, I'm exaggerating - a little - but I get in and get on with what needs to be done when it really seems to me that the priority in the minds of most of my colleagues is socialising and chatting - or they are off!

In my department, my first work colleague was ten years older than me and had been there rather a long time so I turned a blind eye to the fact that he didn't actually do much because I thought "fair enough, his IS 70!"

He went on an extended holiday the following January, had an accident in Singpore Airport and was off for about 9 weeks altogether.

He then had a chest infection and was off, then a repeat and was off again then he announced his retirement in June and left.

I'd only actually worked with him for 5 months!

It was down to just me from then until October 2012 when a new man started - who handed in his notice 8 weeks later so I was on my own again!

My present colleague started in January 2013 but this year he's been off for two weeks because of a family problem then 9 weeks after a knee operation and today he tells me it'll be months before he can do much - so it's all down to me AGAIN.

In almost three years I've worked there, I've had to do it all on my own for ten months in total!

My line manager hasn't bothered to ask how I am, even though he knows about my wife's hip etcetera - even he went off sick for 9 weeks last year!

I'm a hard-working man - always have been, but lately I've been feeling I'm not considered part of the team because I don't stand around yakking for hours on end and I don't believe in socialising with the people that I work with to the extent that others apparently do.

To me that's NOT a good idea as it can put you in awkward situations!

My immediate colleague's "popular" apparently!

Rant over - for now! stevmk2

Re: Feeling used!

Don't blame you for ranting Steve - its bloomin hard work for you, which although you don't mind, its never good if you don't feel appreciated.
Hope things will improve soon

Re: Feeling used!

quote Stevmk2

I'm a hard-working man - always have been, but lately I've been feeling I'm not considered part of the team because I don't stand around yakking for hours on end and I don't believe in socialising with the people that I work with to the extent that others apparently do.
-----------------------------------------------
Has it occured to you Stev that attitude has made you unpopular
with your workmates, it does come over as being rather aloof
and perhaps your colleague being more sociable is more
popular than you.

Re: Feeling used!

My sympathies are entirely with Stev, the true British ethic of a hard days work has almost totally gone now. I blame the senior managers who do not have the ability to manage efficiently. I have been in the same situation where idlers waste the time away and it left to a small core of the workforce to keep things running at all. Trouble is the senior managers occasionally have a study done which tells them things are going badly so the under manager gets bulleted and a new one is parachuted in who is no better. If those in charge knew what they were doing they would realise who were the ones producing and promote one of them to the post.
Sociable, Popular, humbug, what qualities are they in a efficient unit ? usually they are the ones who spend all day e-mailing their friends , updating facebook page, answering private mobile calls and attending to their nails.

Re: Feeling used!

Agree Curmudgeon but Stev was moaning about his popularity
(or lack of it) and I just came up with a suggestion why that probably
was.

Re: Feeling used!

\
I may be wrong but as Steve is deaf his colleagues may find it difficult 'conversing' with him. (Apologies Steve if you think I spoke out of turn there )

He is a hard worker though and he shouldn't be made to feel any less popular than others there.

Re: Feeling used!

yes Mags I know what it's like I've been stone deaf for 25 years
(through an illness) but that don't stop me socialising with people
you've just got to make the most of it.....there again it's better
than being blind.

Re: Feeling used!

OK well this is entirely addressed to Stev then :
Stev mate, popularity is transient , what matters at work is appreciation for an individuals contribution to the business at hand . If management do not appreciate or are unable to recognise which staff do and which don't just hang on in there, a situation like that is not stable and time will bring opportunities. Remember the old Japanese Proverb > If you wait by the river long enough you will see the bodies of your enemies float by , I did.

Re: Feeling used!

I'm confused as to who Steve's colleague is socialising and chatting with if there are only the two of them in the team.

Re: Feeling used!

I have always treated work as something that must be done before any chatting takes place, much prefer to get finished first it always irritates me a bit when I see the younger members of our team chatting and joking around then rushing at the end of the shift asking me to help them get finished on time. Never socialise with anyone I work with, only ever made that mistake twice and it just isn't worth it for the difficulties it creates.

I have great sympathy for you Steve, it isn't easy when others just don't take what they are paid to do seriously.

Only thing I take comfort in is I know I do the best I can, I earn my money and can be proud of the job I do. The others well they have to live with their consciences and if they can sleep at night knowing they haven't done their best well that is for them to know and I can't worry about it.