chilli Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 Basically I was informed that I have to move desk earlier in the week, and given no choice about it, or good reason why. The reason that was given being that someone else needed my desk to sit near a ‘key’ person on the project. Thing is, that reason applies to me also and there were perfectly good alternatives (other desks) that could have been used to achieve the same outcome. It turns out (I knew it anyway) that the other person didn’t want to sit in the other spaces for personal reasons and so must have kicked up a fuss. They are more senior than me so would have had a chance to funny handshake and ‘rub’ the powers that be the right way Based on this I was determined not to be side-lined or just shoved out of the way! I wouldn’t normally care, but I think the whole incident has been rather underhand and made me feel like I’m second best to someone else. I.e. their personal preferences are more important than mine. Anyway so today I sent an email today with a nice 'wide audience' and the sh1te hit the fan when it turns out key people like the program manager hasn’t even been consulted! Oh dear, now I think some individuals may look rather silly when I asked the basic question - why had they decided I had to move (with risk to the project) and chosen to ignore the other blatantly obvious, common sense solutions. Work, doesn’t it suck sometimes! Sorry it probably doesn’t sound like a big deal, indeed it isn’t. The only thing that annoys me is the conduct, closed door decision making and underhandedness of individuals concerned! t@ssers! Lol Should I just have backed down, or was I right to stand my ground? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrew7 Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 The only thing that annoys me is the conduct, closed door decision making and underhandedness of individuals concerned! t@ssers! Lol Sounds like just about everywhere... When dealing with petty tyrants always make sure you have an ally who is senior to the petty tyrant before you act (even if you have to cultivate one for a few months -yuk!!). Then when you act, you have strong ground and backup.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chilli Posted May 4, 2006 Author Share Posted May 4, 2006 lol you're right of course, just sometimes it gets a bit much. All I want to do is get on with my work in a professional way and not get caught up in office politics - same as everyone the world over I guess. Is there a switch though, the more you head towards managment the more the tendancy to be a w@nker? lol - not in every case though, some are great (don't take offence if you are a manager, just a sweeping generalisation of course...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 Ah, office politics. Makes me glad to be in the construction industry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kopite Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 I had a shite day too.... had a mum bring a little girl in for a sight test, they didn't speak English at all. Bugger, but not to worry, she'll ring the dad to come down and translate. Dad turns up..... he didn't speak English either What a fun time that was! The irony was that we needed a translator to explain to them that a translator was needed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soonto_HAS_soop Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 I love sending a bitchy email to as many people as possible, you may get in the shite for a short period, but the long term effects are much more satisfying to sit back and watch.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chilli Posted May 4, 2006 Author Share Posted May 4, 2006 I love sending a bitchy email to as many people as possible, you may get in the shite for a short period, but the long term effects are much more satisfying to sit back and watch.... oh this is so true lol. although it wasn't bitchy as that would have weakened my argument, I just asked a simple (but blunt) question and sent it to loads of people I thought should be in the loop but were not, that caused a right todo with people saying "why wasn't I consulted etc"... lol I've been told off for doing it before as apparently "it's not the appropriate communication medium" lol what a load of old tosh, mostly it's because people who should know better and like to hide behind secrecy and closed doors might get shown up for who they really are... office politics, it sucks but then again I suppose if you realise it's just a job then you can see the funny side, shame people can be so two faced at work though, but it's their conscience at the end of the day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrew7 Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 Ah, office politics. Makes me glad to be in the construction industry! Ah, the construction industry. Makes me glad I work alone at home..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom S Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 so, trouble maker eh! notes taken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Headroom Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 Basically I was informed that I have to move desk earlier in the week, and given no choice about it, or good reason why. The reason that was given being that someone else needed my desk to sit near a ‘key’ person on the project. Thing is, that reason applies to me also and there were perfectly good alternatives (other desks) that could have been used to achieve the same outcome. It turns out (I knew it anyway) that the other person didn’t want to sit in the other spaces for personal reasons and so must have kicked up a fuss. They are more senior than me so would have had a chance to funny handshake and ‘rub’ the powers that be the right way Based on this I was determined not to be side-lined or just shoved out of the way! I wouldn’t normally care, but I think the whole incident has been rather underhand and made me feel like I’m second best to someone else. I.e. their personal preferences are more important than mine. Anyway so today I sent an email today with a nice 'wide audience' and the sh1te hit the fan when it turns out key people like the program manager hasn’t even been consulted! Oh dear, now I think some individuals may look rather silly when I asked the basic question - why had they decided I had to move (with risk to the project) and chosen to ignore the other blatantly obvious, common sense solutions. Work, doesn’t it suck sometimes! Sorry it probably doesn’t sound like a big deal, indeed it isn’t. The only thing that annoys me is the conduct, closed door decision making and underhandedness of individuals concerned! t@ssers! Lol Should I just have backed down, or was I right to stand my ground? Im so glad I work with children, don't get any of this edit: stand your ground, otherwise they will ALWAYS walk all over you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supragal Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 I've been told off for doing it before as apparently "it's not the appropriate communication medium" lol I've had this. Winds me up. You give people email as a tool then expect them not to use it. IMO it's the only way to state all of the facts as you see it with no interuptions and not being on the spot. AND I'm sorry but managers are meant to be flexible to their staff so if a member of staff prefers email then tough! You can't expect your whole team to want to communicate or be best at communicating in X way just because the manager does. Grrrr. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkey76364 Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 I hated it when I had to move offices and desks ... now i cant use the net as much as I have some one that can spy on me and tells ohh well thats life huh !!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian C Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 You done good Stand up for yourself -Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chilli Posted May 5, 2006 Author Share Posted May 5, 2006 cheers everyone, I've been moving and not moving more times than I can count now this week lol got in this morning, got called in to see the line manager, he tried to bollock me for sending the email (well tell me it wasn't appropriate lol) and I was having none of it. He basically said it was a done deal and I had to stick to what was said and move today. So we had quite a heated discussion and in the end I told him I thought it was sh1te but that I'd do it if I was being forced too. so come out of the meeting, back to work a little hacked off and tens mins later he comes over and says it's out of his hands and it's now in the hands of all the managers and big wigs, so I am not to move at the moment, what a farce lol still I'm happy that I havn't had to move yet, I'm sticking to my guns but I hope that when it's passed by I don't get this held against me, I think some people are in danger of being made to look a bit silly and I hope that doesn't come back to bite me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snooze Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 Well, in my experience, the best way is to give return fire in language that they understand. ie. All your stuff will have to be physically moved - with re-settling, re-installation, re-filing of paperwork and a full test of everything set up satisfactorily. From a legal perspective, the company does not want you to be moving your own stuff unless it's part of your job description and you have adequate training for "moving stuff", otherwise they are horribly liable for any injuries you incur - so they'll have to provide somebody with appropriate skills to move and set up your stuff for you. Even if that's someone immediately available in the office, the liasing and communications required on top of the actual physical moving is a whole day's effort right there. Then you'd need to make sure everything was okay from a physical work environment point of view. eg. height of desk, alignment of chair, light reflections on monitor, seating position, etc. The company should be doing this sort of stuff for you. If there's an office manager, this should be their responsibility - that's half a day of their time and half a day of your time to sort everything out. After that, if this actually affects your direct communications with other key staff you need to work with, that needs to be accounted for as well - for ease, let's say an additional 12 minutes a day just total just to-ing and fro-ing to get the equivalent communications benefit of your previous location. That's another hour of effort for every week the project continues. Total cost: 2 man days' immediate effort + 1 hour effort/week. And that doesn't even include all the effort and cost already incurred by the ongoing communications and managerial discussions to get this far! So.....who is accounting for this time and the impact on your project costs and deadlines. Who's budget is it coming out of? That's the question I'd be asking. Office politician? Me? Nah.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobSheffield Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 stand your ground! i just started working for a company as a temp, and have been given 'a lot of responsibilty' (im not a manager or supervisor, though i may be a co-ordinator) and nobody else who started at the same time as me has, so some of them are pissed off. to be fair, its the closest i have been to management. i still talk to people normally and hope i dont change :S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Todd Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 Ah, the construction industry. Makes me glad I work alone at home..... Ah working at home, Makes me glad I work at the office............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 Ah, working. Makes me glad I don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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