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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Cant stop crying, boss will kill me

52 replies

LadyFailure · 24/09/2014 00:29

Im working on a task that should have been done by 5pm when I left the office. has to be done by morning at the latest and i cant do it. It isn't part of my regular job, using a skill I just don't have, so I'm really slow and so exhausted and am in serious shit if I don't produce the work finished. I estimate I need another ten hours and it needs to be in for 9.

Dunno what to do, I love my job but this kind of shit is awful.

OP posts:

FishWithABicycle · 24/09/2014 06:59

A boss who puts an employee in this situation is a bad boss with poor management skills. If this turns into a disciplinary issue then your boss is the one at fault who should be disciplined.

Icelollycraving · 24/09/2014 07:05

I know that feeling. I had this in a role last year,it felt completely overwhelming. What took others took me maybe 3-4 times as long. Stressful & I felt completely out of my depth. It was awful. I told my line managers,they did train me v basically but I started at the busiest time. Awful. When I walked past there recently all the feelings came whooshing back.
Sorry,went off a tangent there!
How much time did they give you to complete the task? Was it more than someone who is suited to the task? Did you flag up your concerns? Hope you got some sleep.

Pilgit · 24/09/2014 07:10

A very wise and lovely man I worked with (who was very senior in a FTSE 100) once told me that employees only fail because we (I.e. management) did not train them well enough or did not support them well enough. This is a mantra as a boss and senior that I now live by in my work. My immediate advice though is to be honest and try (I know it will be hard) not to be too emotional or whiny (I live in a glass house on that one so this is bitter experience talking). Stay factual and don't minimise. You are amazing for taking on and doing something you aren't trained for and is out if your comfort zone.

Original poster

LadyFailure · 24/09/2014 08:26

Thank you so much for all the support.

I'm nearly finished, another hour should do it, it will be 30 mins late but that should be just about ok. I am so tired I'm going to make a coffee before I finishe the rest, hence being on MN.

They knew I didn't have the skills, but I am expected to pick it up on the job. However I really could not go any quicker, I just couldn't.

OP posts:

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 24/09/2014 08:29

Well done, you star

Hopefully it will get easier

ithoughtofitfirst · 24/09/2014 08:31

Say no next time though

ajandjjmum · 24/09/2014 08:33

Well done for doing it!

BreadForBrains · 24/09/2014 08:36

Well done, you are a star.
If I had seen this earlier, I would have suggested not busting a gut to do it as this gives your employed the notion that it was easy enough to do, that you coped and pushed yourself, and worry that you've been taken advantage of once, now they will do it again in future?
Sorry, not wanting to try and bring you down, whatever you've done is well above and beyond your job, but would hate for this to mean that they don't know how hard your found doing something that isn't even your job.

wohmum · 24/09/2014 08:40

Well done for completing it, but make sure your boss knows that you worked all night to do so.

Still worth having the conversation about why was it given to you/ why so late/ how about 2 days in lieu ?

seasavage · 24/09/2014 08:44

You have learned a new skill. So well done. Please stick it on your CV and search around for somewhere that encourages growth and development. Not that forces it without any support. Ffs there could be timesaving ways noone has shown you OR everyone is busting their asses and the manager has no idea of the time these tasks should take

CocktailQueen · 24/09/2014 08:49

Well done on finishing it!

But seriously, this is well out of order - when were you given the job? did your boss know you couldn't do it? Am sure it wouldn't be the cause of a written warning if you didn't do a task that (a) isn't part of your normal job role, (b) you have no training in, (c) your boss knows this, and (d) you are given a very short period of time to do it. It's just not fair.

I'd arrange a meeting with your boss and tell him honestly how long you've spent on this work and how unfair it is. Ask for training in doing it in future (and for someone to do some of your regular jobs) or can you say you don;t want to do this?

KnackeredMuchly · 24/09/2014 08:50

Well done OP! but don't let yourself get into that situation again, please

ChippingInLatteLover · 24/09/2014 08:53

Let us know how you get on, don't take any crap.

scarletforya · 24/09/2014 08:54

Wow. Well done Op, have you been up all night!?

MissPenelopeLumawoo · 24/09/2014 08:57

I'm nearly finished, another hour should do it, it will be 30 mins late but that should be just about ok

Have you had any sleep? Have you now got to do a days work after being up all night? This is shocking OP, what a shitty way for your boss to behave!

Walkingwounded · 24/09/2014 08:57

Well done for gettingit in.
I suggest you accompany the submission with an email saying: please note that I have completed this task even though it is a new skill for me, and I was not given any training or support. The deadline was also unfeasible, and I have only managed to produce the required work by working through the night.

In future, I would be grateful if appropriate training could be provided in cases where I am required to work outside my skillet, and if deadines could be adjusted appropriately.

You need to set up some boundaries, op, since as said unthread, this could well happen again. Meanwhile, you also need a written record (the email) of what happened - just in case you need to call on it in future.

BIWI · 24/09/2014 08:59

Phew!

Now that you've done it, is it something that you could easily do next time?

Is it a skill that you should have had/your bosses thought (or assumed) that you had?

As I see it you now have two options - you keep quiet about how long it's taken you because now you know you can do it in the future (and hopefully more easily/quickly) or you have a frank conversation with your boss about this task and the unnecessary pressure it put you under.

Only you can decide which of these is the best course of action

However, given your worry over being given a written warning if you didn't complete this task, I'd seriously suggest that you go for the second option, as it sounds like a place where you have to state your own case very forcibly.

Good luck today, I hope the work is well received and that you manage to stay awake!

notaflamingclue · 24/09/2014 09:13

Well done for getting it done.

I am so angry for you though. I think you should have that frank conversation that BIWI mentioned above. This is just not on.

Also sorry for saying this but you need to stand up for yourself a bit more. There is no way on earth I would take something on if I didn't think I could do it.

whoopsadazy · 24/09/2014 09:29

OP, I'm glad this task is nearly boxed off, but you do need to learn from this.

In future, you need to speak up as soon as you realise that you are in danger of not completing the task - whatever the reason. I looked at the timing of your first post and I just thought that your boss would much sooner have had you come to them yesterday morning when there was still an option to make alternative arrangements rather than have you flog yourself into the ground overnight risking your health, the quality of the project and the actual completion of the project.

Be open - bosses can only help with problems they know about - even if they caused them!

Hope you get some rest today.

emotionsecho · 24/09/2014 09:40

Well done for completing the task OP.

However, please have a frank conversation with your boss as suggested by BIWI , make it perfectly clear what you had to do in order to achieve it. If you don't you will be taken advantage of.

I also suspect your work today could well suffer due to your lack of sleep so you need to ensure your boss knows why you are not at your best.

Don't put yourself in an untenable position by not speaking up for yourself.

Good luck.

BiddyPop · 24/09/2014 10:13

Well done OP on getting through it. But PLEASE make it clear to your boss that you don't yet have the skills to do it, and that you did have to work through the night to get it done.

Icelollycraving · 24/09/2014 11:00

Good god,well done!! You do need to discuss your skill set & what it took for you to complete this task.

Balaboosta · 24/09/2014 11:53

Well done! Now take off the rest of the day in lieu!

AlpacaMyBags · 24/09/2014 12:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

FishWithABicycle · 24/09/2014 12:17

Wow! Well done. You deserve two days off in lieu after a marathon like that and should point this out if it isn't already offered.

I would also consider lodging a formal complaint against the person who put you in such an unreasonable position.

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