Grinding Away..Things that grind your gears, part three

[jen]

Re: Grinding Away..Things that grind your gears, part three

I've been doing the job above mine (there's 5 levels - I'm at 4) for, well, probably a few years, and have yet to receive a promotion. When I ask what I need to do to get one, my boss agrees that it isn't my performance, but says "we're working on it". They've been working on it for quite awhile, and have promoted others instead of me (so it's not as if they aren't giving them), but I am still expected to perform at the highest level. I've been generally disillusioned with work (and my clueless boss) the past 4-5 weeks, so this seems more annoying than it probably is. and yes, I know I should just be happy to have a job.

 

[Handyman]

Re: Grinding Away..Things that grind your gears, part three

People in other countries who try to rip me off by faking Paypal payments...

 

[goldy_331]

Re: Grinding Away..Things that grind your gears, part three

I've been doing the job above mine (there's 5 levels - I'm at 4) for, well, probably a few years, and have yet to receive a promotion. When I ask what I need to go to get one, my boss agrees that it isn't my performance, but says "we're working on it". They've been working on it for quite awhile, and have promoted others instead of me (so it's not as if they aren't giving them), but I am still expected to perform at the highest level. I've been generally disillusioned with work (and my clueless boss) the past 4-5 weeks, so this seems more annoying than it probably is. and yes, I know I should be just happy to have a job.

That is a very legit gripe and not anything you ever need apologize for! While unemployment is bad, it's not like half the country is out of work or anything. If I were you I'd keep looking for other options in your field.

 

[Handyman]

Re: Grinding Away..Things that grind your gears, part three

I would agree with goldy on this one...it is one thing if they aren't promoting others but if they are passing you over then honestly you should be looking for ways to leave them.

 

[LynahFan]

Re: Grinding Away..Things that grind your gears, part three

Thirded. Go apply for a level 5 job at another company. You never have more bargaining power than the day you making your first counteroffer to a new company. They've made you an offer, so they've admitted that they want you and that you're qualified - find out what their ceiling is and get it. Once you're in the door, your bargaining power has a half life of about 1 year. Once you've been there 10 years, you're just a lackey for life.

 

[alfablue]

Re: Grinding Away..Things that grind your gears, part three

comcast/xfinity.

I swear they are setting up for a pay/mbyte service (and yes, I mean milli). I've always hated the ads they force onto me for the web-based e-mail, which slows things down, and makes it so that my wife can't access her e-mail at work (they block ads). Most of the times, the ads are spam- mortgaes, or other stupid things, and I have never once clicked an ad.

So today they launch a new web e-mail browser, and, of course, it's slower thanks to more "stuff". Stuff that I don't use. Stuff that I can't turn off. And I just have to take it, apparently- as my question was followed up by "is your cache clear?"- which is irrelevant, and a "ads make it cheaper"- bs. Gmail is free, and has a single ad line on it's page. Even with Google being as ad intensive as they are, it's nowhere near comcast/xfinity- which you have to pay for.

ugh.

 

[jen]

Re: Grinding Away..Things that grind your gears, part three

here's a good example of squeaky wheel gets the grease.

I off-handedly asked my boss this morning about promotion cycles. He just sent me an IM that he's waiting for approval on my promotion from our "big manager", but he doesn't see any reason he won't approve it, and he'll know by Monday. so I guess he really was working on it.

 

[goldy_331]

Re: Grinding Away..Things that grind your gears, part three

here's a good example of squeaky wheel gets the grease.

I off-handedly asked my boss this morning about promotion cycles. He just sent me an IM that he's waiting for approval on my promotion from our "big manager", but he doesn't see any reason he won't approve it, and he'll know by Monday. so I guess he really was working on it.

Fingers crossed, jen!

 

[collegehcky2]

Re: Grinding Away..Things that grind your gears, part three

My bank.

I started a new job a few weeks ago about 6 hours from my credit union's closest branch. I had direct deposit done through my work. Well, come today, still nothing in my bank account, talked to my work, they said the bank refused to accept the transfer. Called the bank, they said they needed a physical check before they'd authorize any direct deposits into my account. It's the end of the month, I have rent to pay and now I have to get a check from my employer then get it to my bank.

It all goes back to a merger my original credit union had with another about 2 years ago. My old credit union was great, I always got help when needed, never had any problems. From the merger, they got rid of all of my credit union's employees, started new policies that only make my life more difficult. They've now lost my business.

 

[jen]

Re: Grinding Away..Things that grind your gears, part three

Whatever is making traffic horrible this week is grinding my gears. It took me 40 minutes to get home on Tuesday, and almost an hour yesterday. Looks like it will be almost an hour again today.

Related, on Tuesday, some stupid ***** in the left lane decides she wants to get off the freeway. I was in the middle lane when she decided to move over (apparently if you signal, you get to just move over without looking). I honked at her because, well, she was going to hit me if she kept moving over. I slowed and let her go in front of me (traffic was going maybe 10 mph). Then she moved over another lane, and when I drove past, she GLARED AT ME AND FLIPPED ME OFF. What the **** is that?!?!? I let her in!!! If someone honked at me in that situation, I would be grateful because I was obviously doing something wrong. grrrr!

 

[goldy_331]

Re: Grinding Away..Things that grind your gears, part three

Whatever is making traffic horrible this week is grinding my gears. It took me 40 minutes to get home on Tuesday, and almost an hour yesterday. Looks like it will be almost an hour again today.

Everybody heading to Summerfest?

 

[aparch]

Re: Grinding Away..Things that grind your gears, part three

What grinds my gears? President of my former employer graciously said yes to offering me a letter of recommendation on my job hunt (since he was the one that laid me off because the company was starting to struggle financially due to Illinois *tty economy).

So I get said letter of recommendation in my e-mail today. It's a seven sentence work of 3rd grade literature that I'm frankly embarrassed to even have sitting in my e-mail inbox. And both the president of the company, and the senior technical writer/Project Engineer worked this afternoon on it.

Six straight winning proposals for State of Illinois work (unheard of in the industry, they attempt not to, to prevent favoritism) I put together for that company, and I get greeted with "well, he's great with Word and Excel and any 'other tasks as assigned.'"

 

[The Rube]

Re: Grinding Away..Things that grind your gears, part three

Tonight's attempt at streaming Netflix on my PS3. Slow to load, fine. That happens. But the ONLY Instant Viewing thing that doesn't work is the X Files series (I attempted 4-5 other View It Nows, and they all worked). XF's attempt ran 10 minutes before I got mad, quit the program, and tried again. Same result.

 

[Handyman]

Re: Grinding Away..Things that grind your gears, part three

Friends that make no effort...especially when it is more than one :/

I guess it is my fault since I put in a ton of effort meaning they don't have to for the most part but still, this doesnt feel like we are friends this feels like I am friends and you just keep me around for when it is convenient.

Eh, I will survive it just is lame.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Grinding Away..Things that grind your gears, part three

Ok, Minnesota. Your shutdown finally affected me.

My apt complex's elevator was in need of some minor maintenance after a state inspection. Nothing to worry about or anything. They fixed it, but to have it start operating again, they need another state inspection to see the repairs. Ugh.

I don't mind walking the stairs (I usually do, it's only 4 flights), but what about when you have a crapload of grocery bags/luggage/whatever?

 

[johnnypohlfan]

Re: Grinding Away..Things that grind your gears, part three

People who lie on their timesheets. Being aware of someone lying on their timesheet. Thinking your manager is aware of what's going on, but apparently isn't doing anything about it.

So a few months ago, I was in my manager's office for a meeting, and she had left a legal pad out in the open on her desk right in front of me (she's pretty absent-minded sometimes), and on the paper was a list of dates and comparisons between an employee's "Time In" listed on their timesheet and the actual time they scanned their card to get into the office. Curiosity got the best of me so i glanced at the paper several times before she realized she left it out and quickly put it away. Each day this person had listed a time at least 15 minutes prior to when they actually arrived. Our office is small and I sit near the door, so by process of elimination I narrowed it down and was pretty sure it was our receptionist who was lying on her timesheet. A few months go by and nothing happens so i figure she either got a warning or something and wasn't doing it anymore.
Yesterday my manager is working from home and asks me to scan and email her the pile of timesheets that's in her office, and in doing so, i looked at the receptionist's timesheets for the past two weeks and she is still fudging them. We're talking at least 15 minutes in the morning and up to 30 minutes at the end of the day. I know when she arrives and most days she is long gone by 5:00 but that's her "Time Out" every single day. Knowing roughly what she makes, she is stealing from our company around $100 a week. $5,200 a year. Not much, but its theft, and it ****es me off.
What do I do here? Obviously my manager is aware of it and is letting it occur, so how do I approach it with her, if at all? Do I go above her head? Do I sit back and say nothing and remain ****ed off that this is occurring? I'm at a loss...

 

[bigblue_dl]

Re: Grinding Away..Things that grind your gears, part three

People who lie on their timesheets. Being aware of someone lying on their timesheet. Thinking your manager is aware of what's going on, but apparently isn't doing anything about it.

So a few months ago, I was in my manager's office for a meeting, and she had left a legal pad out in the open on her desk right in front of me (she's pretty absent-minded sometimes), and on the paper was a list of dates and comparisons between an employee's "Time In" listed on their timesheet and the actual time they scanned their card to get into the office. Curiosity got the best of me so i glanced at the paper several times before she realized she left it out and quickly put it away. Each day this person had listed a time at least 15 minutes prior to when they actually arrived. Our office is small and I sit near the door, so by process of elimination I narrowed it down and was pretty sure it was our receptionist who was lying on her timesheet. A few months go by and nothing happens so i figure she either got a warning or something and wasn't doing it anymore.
Yesterday my manager is working from home and asks me to scan and email her the pile of timesheets that's in her office, and in doing so, i looked at the receptionist's timesheets for the past two weeks and she is still fudging them. We're talking at least 15 minutes in the morning and up to 30 minutes at the end of the day. I know when she arrives and most days she is long gone by 5:00 but that's her "Time Out" every single day. Knowing roughly what she makes, she is stealing from our company around $100 a week. $5,200 a year. Not much, but its theft, and it ****es me off.
What do I do here? Obviously my manager is aware of it and is letting it occur, so how do I approach it with her, if at all? Do I go above her head? Do I sit back and say nothing and remain ****ed off that this is occurring? I'm at a loss...

If your manager knows about it, I wouldn't even get involved. The right person knows it is going on, if you go above her head, you're just going to **** people off.

 

[goldy_331]

Re: Grinding Away..Things that grind your gears, part three

If your manager knows about it, I wouldn't even get involved. The right person knows it is going on, if you go above her head, you're just going to **** people off.

She also may have worked something out with the boss, say working through some lunches or at other times you are not aware of. Maybe she took it out in trade with the boss ifyouknowwhatImean. It's also possible that the boss realizes the person is atually underpaid for what she does so this is her work-around since she can't get her a raise.

If it continues to bother you, the best thing is to have a quiet, closed door discussion with your boss (not the next one up) and just say you couldn't help noticing since you were tasked to fax her the time sheets and you are wondering what's going on. I agree with bb_dl though, not the best thing to make waves about and you shouldn't go over your boss's head.

 

[johnnypohlfan]

Re: Grinding Away..Things that grind your gears, part three

If your manager knows about it, I wouldn't even get involved. The right person knows it is going on, if you go above her head, you're just going to **** people off.

I'd rather not get involved, but I can't stand knowing this has been going on for over two months with no action. There's a possibility that my manager just doesnt' care enough to fire this person or reprimand her. I'm serious. My dad runs a store and he hired a guy a few years ago who worked there for a month and was going to be the next big thing in their repair shop. My dad raved about him constantly. He found out after a month that the guy was fudging his timesheet and fired him on the spot. So that's sort of how I feel about it. Its theft from the company and there's no leeway and there certainly shouldn't be a long time span between discovery and consequences, IMHO.

 

[alfablue]

Re: Grinding Away..Things that grind your gears, part three

I'd rather not get involved, but I can't stand knowing this has been going on for over two months with no action. There's a possibility that my manager just doesnt' care enough to fire this person or reprimand her. I'm serious. My dad runs a store and he hired a guy a few years ago who worked there for a month and was going to be the next big thing in their repair shop. My dad raved about him constantly. He found out after a month that the guy was fudging his timesheet and fired him on the spot. So that's sort of how I feel about it. Its theft from the company and there's no leeway and there certainly shouldn't be a long time span between discovery and consequences, IMHO.

Do realize- in the past hour, you've posted twice to this board. AKA, not working. AKA- stealing time.

Unless you take the time off of your time sheet.

glass houses and all.