To think workplaces are getting more and more insane

I work freelance in two connected industries. In both industries the people whose jobs are essential, as in, the industry would not exist if these people didn't do their work, are the part-timers with no job security and the lowest pay.

Both industries have layer upon layer of full-time management. At last count, in the tiny department I work for, there are eleven managers that I interact with, and another eight or more whose names get mentioned all the time. What do they do all day?

In an FE college, the man who operated the photo copier was pally with managers and promoted to director of media and public relations !!..they used him to downsize departments and get rid of several employees and then turned on him and he got booted !...He was very dim and we all saw it coming but he didnt.

I don’t see this at all, but I do think people who feel overlooked or haven’t landed roles feel resentful for those who have without maybe really understanding what leadership needs to look like or be like. I am a senior leader now but I used to be the same for sure

Yep my son is now looking elsewhere for an internal job rather than MSP - he is the go too for site visits too as he’s extremely personable and business minded not just tech minded, so it’s impossible for him to work in the way management are monitoring based on current practices.

You 're not having a dig at Andy Burnham are you. Apparently he's Labour's saviour 🤣 🤣 🤣

This is my daily life at work. Happy face when we do four easy cases in a day. Sad face if you do one hard one. Just bizarre.

Yeah people are generally stupider i agree

Totally - they are setting targets on number of tickets solved rather than realising the more senior guys ( my son is 1) need to pick up complex issues rather than quick 10 minutes- the new owners don’t seem to quite get that and consequently none of the level 1 juniors want to pick up any slightly more complex jobs -

Thing is, if it were actually a numbers game and they were good at playing it, they’d be running a profitable business and it wouldn’t be falling apart. This sounds like they’re looking at the wrong numbers.

See it depends op, I once commented on a post bitching about a coworker that I was struggling with the job and hated that coworkers had to give up their own time to help me out, although most laughed it off and told me I was fine, one in particular who was super at her job but definitely begrudged helping me, and had a few people on mn absolutely slam me and say I should quit instead of dragging everyone down.

I was trying really hard and was a really hard worker, I just couldn’t grasp a particular system but I was doing well in other aspects. People aren’t perfect and there’s some people who get things and hate people who can’t but it’s not that the person isn’t trying (I got there eventually but it wasn’t quick and I know the other colleague said I should leave the company)

Particularly if a mature woman. Damned if you do (speak out) and damned if you don’t.

My son saying exactly same at his company too after a US venture capital buyout - the old owners gave a shit but left with nice big payoffs- new people , itsall a numbers game and is going to shit - no pay rises , bizzare direction etc

It's so short-sighted to pay everyone at a grade the same amount.

Yes we had this at my work recently private sector. It’s really quite something spectacular.
Someone promoted to a role that was seconded to someone else. The secondment was excellent at job, but didn’t get it. The new person is so terrible they just don’t understand the role and is doing the admin parts and side stepping around the real responsibilities.

It’s a reporting position and the person recruited can’t use excel past using the sum function. The data being reported is wrong with obvious discrepancies. New person has already caused numerous regulatory breaches, has held up cashflow in a way that is costing the company big time. The lack of understanding is so extreme that they have no idea that they are bad at the job, mistakes seem to go over their head as they have no idea that it’s their responsibility.

The management style seems to be hold lots of fact finding meetings and hope that someone else will get fed up and take responsibility for what needs doing. And yet no one seems to be noticing what’s going on, the seconded member of staff is trying to find a job as she is terrified that she will be asked to clear up the mess that’s been created

Who do you work for @CurdinHenry? Or what industry?

i’ve been at the same company for 20-odd years and the culture is dreadful now. I’m starting to wonder if I can stay and also retain any sort of personal integrity…. Or not….

Im a civil servant and i think part of the issue was when pay increments were removed. Now there is no incentive to stay at a grade and hone skills / experience, or move sideways to broaden knowledge, as it isnt recognised in your pay. Everyone is just racing for the next promotion, which means managers / senior managers / deputy directors without a deep background of skills behind them. Such shortsightedness of the Treasury at the time.

I totally agree. I have been doing my job for nearly 25 years, and it has changed beyond recognition. There are staff being prompted to managerial positions 18 months post registration, which is insane! And thats the norm. My place of work is basically being run by predominantly young females under 30 with no life or work experience. And it shows. It feels unsafe.

In my job all the people who are promoted to the top have to be white, speak with an RP voice and have firmly middle class signifiers. They all have to be grabby pole climbers who don’t need the money but want everyone to see the letters after their names which they put prominently in their email signature and on LinkedIn where they love ‘reaching out’ to similarly positioned wankers who lack any self awareness or humility.

They’re all useless at the job but that doesn’t matter a jot apparently. 🙄

Definitely this.

Yanbu if you are referring to the nhs or education as it seems to be part of for the course

I don't think this is anything new.

Think of the Lions led by Donkeys, used to describe the army in the First World War.

Consult with them for £65 an hour or whatever would make you the same dosh. Fuck em!!!!!!

My tale of woe from my Public Sector 'outfit'
Two people brought to the office to give them a break from their department. They both decided they liked our department with the 'nice men and women' and even though they genuinely could not perform in the department fully because they need a degree of technology to DO THE WORK, the manager employed both of them instead of putting out an advert for someone who could actuality DO THE WORK. So now me and the other programmers do our work AND THEIR work. Literally because they cannot program and don't/can't work! Fucking incredible! I went through 2 vigorous interviews to get where I am, yet they 'drifted' in. So angry because the job was lovely before 😥

The trouble with that is it encourages men to be employed/promoted over women if employers think women are scared of the dark.

Where I work my line manager is actually paid less than one of the people she manages. She was fuming when she realised 😆