Here we go

On By EstherIn Real life

Started work again today, still 100% from home until at least September 20th. I spent the first 90 minutes going through e-mails, then a first meeting with a small portion of my team including my service manager. First it’s a bit of holiday chit chat, then down to business and then the service manager starts pushing… ugh…

This is the dialogue from my side.

  • I’ll be picking up these two priorities (and explain them)

We go through a whole list of things then service manager starts.

  • Yes, I already told you that issue is top of my priority list.
  • And yes, that one too.
  • No, I have those two priorities first and they are a lot of work, that other thing will have to wait.
  • That too

He doesn’t want to put pressure on, but there he goes. And the annoying thing is that his priorities change daily. So, tomorrow it’ll be something else. And then I’ll have researched something he wanted researched and he’ll say, “Oh no, I’ve changed my mind, I don’t need that after all.” Or he wants advice on some policy change because “he trusts our judgment” and then we give that advice and he says it can’t happen because so-and-so (who has little to do with it or knows little on the matter) doesn’t approve. Honestly, the more I’m pushed, the more I get the urge to just sit back and do nothing!

Then after the meeting he wanted to speak with me privately, asking me how I am as he knows I don’t enjoy the work anymore. It’s very sweet and all but the last time I did that and spoke very honestly, he started excluding me from stuff, which didn’t help and I had to fight my way back in. There isn’t much he can do to make my work better, I just want other work completely. No more Office365 stuff, just something completely different that does not specialize in IT. He knows this, so there is nothing new I can tell him. So, this time I kept my answers friendly and diplomatic, told him I was quite refreshed and doing my best but also still looking around for other work. I decided to not go into confrontation mode about him being a big annoying factor in my work, I don’t need more drama than the drama of already disliking this IT job.

Suffice it to say that after an hour and fifteen minutes, I was really ready for my first break. Had some belated breakfast and decided that as the weather is nice, it might help to relax me to work outside…

So, here I am, blogging this before I move on to my afternoon’s work with priority number one (after I finish going through the final e-mails I have not gotten around to yet). I wish I was still on holiday…

24 thoughts on “Here we go”

    1. I was in management for a few years but that too takes its toll (especially if you have one rotten apple in your team like I had). But I wouldn’t mind management, just not in IT. I used to do office management, leading a team of 13 secretaries and receptionists, so maybe if I can find something like that again… I’ve been volunteering at an organisation that helps refugees (only one afternoon a week which really isn’t enough). I still feel a bit out of my depth topic wise but if I can do something in management there, I think I’d like it very much. Or back to librarianship, I’m sending out one and possibly two applications this week. Anyway, thanks for the sympathy and for thinking along. 🙂

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  2. It’s always hard after vacation, but triply so if you don’t like the job and have a super-annoying manager. Good luck going with the flow (even as it shifts) and searching for something new.

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  4. aradaghast

    🙂 Hang on, Esther!
    Maybe here’s a solution (humorous joke):
    We would be happy to hire you immediately, at 35 hours per week. Because:
    – An inventory at the end of September,
    – 2 employees on sick leave,
    – checking invoices, their payment and VAT for the last 2 months not made,
    – a new accountant unable to issue correct pay slips (3 versions before receiving the correct one), employees to whom we pay approximate salaries and several corrective payments,
    – the launch and reception of multiple orders for the winter,
    – the departure of sunscreens, plasters, refreshing sprays … from the sales departments, to install vitamins, syrups, hot water bottles …
    Radagast brews her magic potions !
    – AT THE END:, going on with kids first and 3rd adults vaccines, masks, antiCovid tests … Always at work, with a smile on lips and humor in heart because this very time-consuming and mentally and physically,exhausting work is a source of immeasurable joys and happiness.

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    1. Thanks, Herba. We have a weird construction here in that I have a boss for my ‘regular’ team that I rarely work with and a boss for my multidisciplinary team, which is this guy. Having two bosses is not a good thing…

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        1. I only have one official boss who I talk to about workload and sick days and all the normal boss stuff. She leads the team of people who do what I do (we are all functional administrators of all IT applications at the university). She’s alright, not great, but alright. He is the one who leads the multi-disciplinary team to make sure Office 365 is running properly, so for the job content he is the one I have to deal with. He doesn’t have any hiring or firing power, just deals with the content as an IT service manager. Yeah, all a bit convoluted.

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