The Work Thread 2 - Get back to work!

Zilnad wrote:All I got today was a tirade threatening to replace me

On what basis?

Some bullshit about invoicing not being done even though I've invoiced any and all orders that have come through to me. It's someone else's fault and something I couldn't possibly be aware of with the way they allocate work but they're clearly pissed off that I've told them I'm continuing to isolate and work at home. My anger has more or less subsided now and I'm just baffled and slightly amused. Clearly the big boss was just having a morning tantrum over his failing business.

Our team has still been in the office throughout all of this. One of my colleagues was out for most of last week because they were ill (high temperature, persistent cough...) but have returned to work now because they have had two negative COVID tests. He's now sat in the other side of the room coughing constantly.

strawberry floating livid at the situation. :evil:

Even if you genuinely don't have COVID you're still clearly strawberry floating ill so why the hell are you here!? :fp:

Still no response from work regarding my continued isolation due to my wife being high risk. Not even an acknowledgement of the email I sent from anyone.

I'm really struggling today to be honest. I know work and the government don't give a gooseberry fool about us but it's particularly difficult to deal with when they're so open and brazen about their complete lack of empathy.

Zilnad wrote:Still no response from work regarding my continued isolation due to my wife being high risk. Not even an acknowledgement of the email I sent from anyone.

I'm really struggling today to be honest. I know work and the government don't give a gooseberry fool about us but it's particularly difficult to deal with when they're so open and brazen about their complete lack of empathy.

Just try to stay calm, as much as possible. Keep things over email as much as possible, they're clearly in the wrong here. As long as you don't make a mistake, like letting your temper go for example, they shouldn't have a leg to stand on. Get a head start on things, speak to citizens advice so you know what to do if worst comes to worst. It'll make it less difficult if you have a plan in place.

Union, union, union all the way.

Thanks guys

Jenuall wrote:Our team has still been in the office throughout all of this. One of my colleagues was out for most of last week because they were ill (high temperature, persistent cough...) but have returned to work now because they have had two negative COVID tests. He's now sat in the other side of the room coughing constantly.

strawberry floating livid at the situation.

Even if you genuinely don't have COVID you're still clearly strawberry floating ill so why the hell are you here!?

Do you get sick pay? Or just SSP might be the reason they aren’t calling in.

gaminglegend wrote:
Jenuall wrote:Our team has still been in the office throughout all of this. One of my colleagues was out for most of last week because they were ill (high temperature, persistent cough...) but have returned to work now because they have had two negative COVID tests. He's now sat in the other side of the room coughing constantly.

strawberry floating livid at the situation.

Even if you genuinely don't have COVID you're still clearly strawberry floating ill so why the hell are you here!?

Do you get sick pay? Or just SSP might be the reason they aren’t calling in.

We get sick pay and the company have said that additional time taken off due to the current crisis won't impact anyone negatively so there's not really any excuse for it.

Jenuall wrote:
gaminglegend wrote:
Jenuall wrote:Our team has still been in the office throughout all of this. One of my colleagues was out for most of last week because they were ill (high temperature, persistent cough...) but have returned to work now because they have had two negative COVID tests. He's now sat in the other side of the room coughing constantly.

strawberry floating livid at the situation.

Even if you genuinely don't have COVID you're still clearly strawberry floating ill so why the hell are you here!?

Do you get sick pay? Or just SSP might be the reason they aren’t calling in.

We get sick pay and the company have said that additional time taken off due to the current crisis won't impact anyone negatively so there's not really any excuse for it.

Maybe it’s their mentality that they’d be letting the team down, or maybe just love their work then?

Your managers should make the decision to send them home to be fair if they are as poorly as you say. I’ve sent people home before for that very reason.

Yeah I think someone senior should have a word with this person because I think the right place for them to be is at home, unfortunately the line seems to be that "they've had a negative test so they're fine to be here" :dread:

In other news I've just read a proposal that has the word "synergies" twice in one sentence.

Can this day get any worse! :lol:

That's not a growth wrote:
Zilnad wrote:Still no response from work regarding my continued isolation due to my wife being high risk. Not even an acknowledgement of the email I sent from anyone.

I'm really struggling today to be honest. I know work and the government don't give a gooseberry fool about us but it's particularly difficult to deal with when they're so open and brazen about their complete lack of empathy.

Just try to stay calm, as much as possible. Keep things over email as much as possible, they're clearly in the wrong here. As long as you don't make a mistake, like letting your temper go for example, they shouldn't have a leg to stand on. Get a head start on things, speak to citizens advice so you know what to do if worst comes to worst. It'll make it less difficult if you have a plan in place.

Keep your head down and keep records of everything and worst case scenario you might not keep your job but you might get an apology that clears you of any wrongdoing for subsequent jobs / references that come back negative, unfortunately you have to go above a manager to get that. Mine eventually left and good riddance, I had the same bullish experience of threatening my job if I didn't magically correct things that weren't my fault, within mere days of starting so I knew it couldn't be me, of course I was trying my best as otherwise why would I even show up to begin with, and unfortunately I stuck around long enough to let it continue (after being told it was probably bullying by someone else working there) until I got cut off by payroll as a mere technicality despite delivering solid labour. By that point I was so depressed with the work barely worth doing it wasn't worth continuing anyway, but my dignity remained intact in the end. You just have to speak up eventually and wait for the right time to do so without undermining your own integrity by blowing your stack, so to speak.

Need time to calm down but work are absolutely pushing me now. Just been bombarded by about three different people, all handing me tasks I can't do and have never been taught or shown. It's clearly a tactic to say I need to come into the office but I'm going to take a moment to calm down before responding, diplomatically advising the complications in asking me to do this. It's so utter bullshit so I've got to stay calm.

Staying calm is definitely the road to go down here, no sense in losing it with anyone as that will just give them ammunition against you.

In normal times I would be telling you to quit and find another job because these people sound like a terrible outfit to work for, but right now is not exactly the ideal time for a career change!

Thanks, I definitely feel a little calmer now and would absolutely look for other jobs if the world wasn't currently fubar

They've basically not acknowledged or spoken to me about my WFH situation and are clearly unhappy with it. It seems like they've spent the last two days deciding what to do and today I've been bombarded by multiple members of staff with completely new work loads and responsibilities I've never had before.

So it's obviously going to be difficult to learn it all and it's too early to tell if it's an easily doable amount but it absolutely feels like they're trying to set me up for a fall to build a case for coming into the office.

Hey, I might be paranoid and panicked but the track record tells me they are just being banana splits as always.

Indeed, try not to worry about 'hints' or 'tone'. These tactics are used to make you make a mistake. Keep things documented, and make sure any requests they have of you are explicit. Don't be afraid to keep going back and asking for clarity / specifics. Be stubborn, but polite. Don't let them get you to agree to something that's vague, not in writing, or especially both. If they insist on a call say you're going to follow it up in an email so you know you're on the same page. Be prepared to detail what specifics you expect to be met before you go to the office. While you're in the right currently, this is a dynamic and change will be gradual. You need to set your line in the sand right away, as it's unlikely you'll get away with moving it later.

twitter.com/charlottor/status/1259565799175569414

Zilnad wrote:Thanks, I definitely feel a little calmer now and would absolutely look for other jobs if the world wasn't currently fubar

They've basically not acknowledged or spoken to me about my WFH situation and are clearly unhappy with it. It seems like they've spent the last two days deciding what to do and today I've been bombarded by multiple members of staff with completely new work loads and responsibilities I've never had before.

So it's obviously going to be difficult to learn it all and it's too early to tell if it's an easily doable amount but it absolutely feels like they're trying to set me up for a fall to build a case for coming into the office.

Hey, I might be paranoid and panicked but the track record tells me they are just being banana splits as always.

And just further to TNAG's very good advice, I think it's good to try and park any guesses of motivations and tactics, and address things as they come up at face value. You don't 100% know that these unreasonable requests are to try and trip you up, so let's use Hanlon's Razor and give your mental health a bit of a break.

How would you go about addressing an unreasonable and unfamiliar workload under normal circumstances? I'd probably have a chat (although an email in this case for the paper trail) with my line manager + people requesting the work that you a) don't have the capacity to do this and your current projects, so what's the priority and FYI things will slip now, and b) you don't have experience in this so will need appropriate training (and be prepared to fall back on what your job description is. This is a bit of a dick move but they've been dicks so you can too).

I cannot stress enough how much I think meditation could help you here - hit me up if you want some tips and pointers.

So I have a new job which I've just returned the signed contract for. Background checks are still outstanding.

When should I submit my resignation (bearing in mind I have a 3 month notice period)? Is it safe to do so with the signed contract in place?

Isn't it a bit early to be quitting your new job?

The Work Thread 2 - Get back to work!

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