Vic Wasteland Thread - 15.0

[Birds]

Know those feels Odi

My boss has been out of character, overly nice to me for most of last week and especially today - am slightly paranoid that he's gotten wind of me considering other options or complaining about my working conditions to co workers - which, don't get me wrong, I do on purpose with all intention and knowledge it will eventually reach him.

For a male dominated workplace (management 100% male, only females are admin/data) we have an incredibly gossipy culture. Then again, he knows about this car club so could be reading these forums too. Hi mate!

I think it's the smartest way to handle stuff as an employee, even if it's a bit underhanded. Telling people straight is difficult when you don't know where you stand with the company, replaceable or not - gives them a chance to find someone else and make you replaceable. At least this way you can stay where you are and see no real repercussions if you don't venture elsewhere, because in the end their source is only workplace gossip. If anything, you might see a potential payrise to keep you happy if they do need you.

[Birds]

Ahhh the passive aggressive nature of lone wolf office warfare over the brutally honest comradery of the picket

[UNR33L]

What sort of role you interview for Simon? I left my last role after 4 months, was no structure with the work we got and severely understaffed got a better offer closer to home - no brainer.

[Odium]

Level 1 Tech at a Managed IT Services Company... effectively outsourced IT Department... Not totally sure it's what I want, I don't do amazing things under pressure, so having 100% chargeable hours may not be the best fit for me. Additionally they work with a lot of technologies which I've never touched in my current role so I can't claim to be an expert in them.

But at least its got room for career progression.

I'll see how my current job goes for a while, it'll either quickly get better or quickly get worse now that these steps have been taken.

[UNR33L]

Level 1 Tech at a Managed IT Services Company... effectively outsourced IT Department... Not totally sure it's what I want, I don't do amazing things under pressure, so having 100% chargeable hours may not be the best fit for me. Additionally they work with a lot of technologies which I've never touched in my current role so I can't claim to be an expert in them.

But at least its got room for career progression.

I'll see how my current job goes for a while, it'll either quickly get better or quickly get worse now that these steps have been taken.

Ah yeah, the one I left was a MSP don't worry too much about chargeable hours as long as you make them money they don't care from my experience (probably charging clients at like $200 a hour for your work)

I went to another MSP (started last week) seems like they have more structure and reasonable workload. I think they're looking for another guy soon.. so i'll keep you posted.

Edit: Was also bought on as a lvl 2/3 tech at my last role but realistically was lvl 1-3 doing all, what ever flew in you delt with basically, you'll definitely learn a lot at a MSP

Edited August 10, 2015 by UNR33L

[Rekin]

Know those feels Odi

My boss has been out of character, overly nice to me for most of last week and especially today - am slightly paranoid that he's gotten wind of me considering other options or complaining about my working conditions to co workers - which, don't get me wrong, I do on purpose with all intention and knowledge it will eventually reach him.

For a male dominated workplace (management 100% male, only females are admin/data) we have an incredibly gossipy culture. Then again, he knows about this car club so could be reading these forums too. Hi mate!

I think it's the smartest way to handle stuff as an employee, even if it's a bit underhanded. Telling people straight is difficult when you don't know where you stand with the company, replaceable or not - gives them a chance to find someone else and make you replaceable. At least this way you can stay where you are and see no real repercussions if you don't venture elsewhere, because in the end their source is only workplace gossip. If anything, you might see a potential payrise to keep you happy if they do need you.

Repercussions can be leaders not assigning you any high-profile projects, parking any upcoming promotions & placing you in auto-pilot until you hand in a letter.

Becomes quite bad if a job offer doesn't follow through because you've now been labelled as a flight-risk.

Everyone thinks that a passive-aggressive threat of moving on provides some form of leverage. Sadly, majority of the time, leverage only comes once you're holding another job offer.

However once you've received an offer, its most likely too late to be persuaded to stay because the dissatisfaction tends to be more than just low-pay.

Don't play games until you have an offer in hand because the ball is in their court until then.

I think the way around this, is to continually search jobs whilst you are still happy in your current workplace. That way if you progress through any interviews & come up with offers, you could leverage more money from current employee whilst still enjoying the environment.

People tend to start looking once they're dissatisfied by multiple issues & tend to accept the new role regardless if the current company matches pay.

[Birds]

Unless you're certain of your worth to the company or the job has demotivated you to the point of not caring if you lose it or not...

I don't believe that no positive can come from the passive aggression as long as they don't know you're doing it on purpose and simply discover you're dissatisfied - case in point, Simon.

Sometimes it's the catalyst you need to get things happening when you feel stuck in a rut.

I should point out too that my company has no HR personnel.

[alr33x]

I think your best bet if unhappy go to the source / boss gossiping and stuff makes for bad culture and undermines people.

Without knowing all the facts I'm sure your gripes are legitimate but better results come from being direct I think

[UNR33L]

I think your best bet if unhappy go to the source / boss gossiping and stuff makes for bad culture and undermines people.

Without knowing all the facts I'm sure your gripes are legitimate but better results come from being direct I think

Did this before, basically got told if someone higher up left and I wanted to go in their role he wouldn't put me in it anyway (after almost 3 years service). Bang, that was the answer I needed within a month got another role and handed in my notice.

[Rekin]

Unless you're certain of your worth to the company or the job has demotivated you to the point of not caring if you lose it or not...

I don't believe that no positive can come from the passive aggression as long as they don't know you're doing it on purpose and simply discover you're dissatisfied - case in point, Simon.

Sometimes it's the catalyst you need to get things happening when you feel stuck in a rut.

I should point out too that my company has no HR personnel.

from my experience I've never seen someone turn from demotivated to motivated through an over-due pay rise.

Once you've reached the point of demotivation I feel there isn't any turning back other than a role-change/new boss.

[alr33x]

That's alright least you knew where you stood.

I'm thankful my type of work doesn't have these issues at all

[UNR33L]

Yeah Birds I reckon just find a job elsewhere if de-motivated, easier said than done I know but possible and will solve your problem.

Looking back at it I hate that I stayed so long at the other joint when I was unhappy, it basically took my boss telling me to my face (essentially) that I'm staying where I am.

Edited August 10, 2015 by UNR33L

[Rekin]

Yeah Birds I reckon just find a job elsewhere if de-motivated, easier said than done I know but possible and will solve your problem.

Looking back at it I hate that I stayed so long at the other joint when I was unhappy, it basically took my boss telling me to my face (essentially) that I'm staying where I am.

Better than the boss stringing you along with promises of promotions only to offer the position to someone else.

At least you had a direct answer & could cut-ties & move on.

[Birds]

I think your best bet if unhappy go to the source / boss gossiping and stuff makes for bad culture and undermines people.

Without knowing all the facts I'm sure your gripes are legitimate but better results come from being direct I think

Shitty boss also makes for bad culture and undermines people! Also when your boss is a problem but is too arrogant too ever think that he could be...or be convinced of it...going directly to the source can sometimes do you more harm than good. Obviously differs from situation to situation, but the whole reason we have HR departments is for a buffer between employee and employer. It's a formalised version of the office gossip.

[Birds]

from my experience I've never seen someone turn from demotivated to motivated through an over-due pay rise.

Once you've reached the point of demotivation I feel there isn't any turning back other than a role-change/new boss.

I agree with this for most cases where there is an underlying issue (boredom with tasks, crappy boss etc., though money can be a good compensator in the short term or until times change), but what about cases where pay and pay rises are actually the cause of the demotivation?

[UNR33L]

eating left over chicken pasta from thursday for lunch today, living life dangerously

[Birds]

Yeah Birds I reckon just find a job elsewhere if de-motivated, easier said than done I know but possible and will solve your problem.

Looking back at it I hate that I stayed so long at the other joint when I was unhappy, it basically took my boss telling me to my face (essentially) that I'm staying where I am.

I am on the lookout for anything appealing and have updated CV and all that, but a decent enough payrise I think would reinvigorate spirit in working where I am for now. We have pay reviews soon, so there is no better time to be picking up potential offers from other places.

Patrick isn't totally wrong though, if my boss was as nice all the time as he has been recently, that would almost be enough to remotivate on its own. I swear he is bipolar and the therefore bipolar nature of working for him makes it difficult to enact change - it's an excellent company and not really a position I want to give up (tough to get marketing gigs in multinationals), but I can't stand the shit I cop from him forever either!

[Birds]

I should also point out here that everyone complains about my boss (including his boss), but not everyone works directly under him, so they have the benefit of escaping / avoiding it.

[Odium]

Think the boss is a bit scared that I'm about to walk out the door (the day before he leaves for a 6 week trip, and I'm the only IT guy... who custom wrote the entire Distributor Ordering System that runs the company)...

And I know it's not a massive roadblock if they do want to get rid of me, but also $20+k worth of AL & LSL (hit 10 years last month) to be paid out on the final day...

My issue now, they're suddenly concerned that if I do leave they have no continuation plan... don't even have anyone here who knows what skills the IT Manager requires, so.... I've. Just. Been. Asked. To. Write. A. Job. Ad. For. My. Own. Position.

uw0tm8

[Birds]

Fkn lol

Unless he's playing mind games with you...

Sounds more like he wants a definitive answer whether you're planning on staying or going, in the form of you writing or not writing a letter haha