Page 2 | To say I don't want to progress at work

Littlebee76 · 2016-09-29T13:26:13+00:00

Is it that unbelievable that I don't want to be a manager at work? I'm 40 years old and as senior as i can get before I move to be a manager and quite frankly I'm happy as I am. In fact if anything I'd rather de-gress and go part time --if I could afford too. -- Yet constantly The work place is striving to get everyone to progress and shuns people who are less career minded! Is it just me that wants to focus more on my home life than work?

Topseyt · 29/09/2016 15:12

Same here.

I work to live, not the other way rou&hah way round.

witchhazelblue · 29/09/2016 15:13

I had an argument with our Head of Training last year about this very thing- our annual reviews are all geared towards progressing up the food chain and 'striving' to become managers i.e. taking on extra work for a tiny bit more pay (or none at all under the guise of 'gaining experience for your cv'). The majority of staff at my workplace (in the lower-middle levels at least) are happy doing what they're doing right now but it's frowned upon to admit to that. It's very unhealthy.

The whole 'where do you see yourself in 5 years' section of our annual review drives me potty. I really want to be able to say 'doing exactly this thanks'.

DixieWishbone · 29/09/2016 15:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BarbaraofSeville · 29/09/2016 15:21

I'm exactly the same and have no desire to go into management - I would be hopeless at it too.

My work is very varied, so less likely to get bored, but there aren't enough posts for managers anyway, so I don't know why they're always pushing for people to progress. A lot of the time there isn't anywhere to progress to, until someone retires or leaves, and that can be a rare event. If everyone was pushing to be a manager, there would be a lot of frustrated bored people around.

EssentialHummus · 29/09/2016 15:31

I'm similar, and I believe strongly in the Peter Principle*. It's tough, though. I'm a lawyer (though transitioning out). Saying that you don't want to progress is akin to admitting you eat puppies for breakfast.

*The Peter Principle is an observation that the tendency in most organizational hierarchies, such as that of a corporation, is for every employee to rise in the hierarchy through promotion until they reach the levels of their respective incompetence.

ButteredToastAndStrawberryJam · 29/09/2016 15:32

Logically, there has to be an endpoint to this where you are happy with your situation, otherwise you are just on a never-ending treadmill of perpetually wanting more/better.

There is a lot of truth in the old saying that happiness comes from wanting what you have...

I agree. That's a good saying too, very true.

feebeecat · 29/09/2016 15:36

YANBU.
Same where I work, with added fun of it being deemed "unacceptable" and inefficiency action threaten if you are not seen to be bouncing around trying to 'get ahead'. I'm good at my job, but apparently that is not enough - I'm waiting to see what form this 'inefficiency' action takes - was threatened last year, but withdrawn at last minute. Can't wait for our end of year chat this year

ChickenVindaloo · 29/09/2016 15:43

I agree with you OP.
I'm happy to do a fair day's work then go home to my cat and boxsets (I don't have DCs).

If I absolutely loved my work I might feel differently.

PJBanana · 29/09/2016 15:47

I agree. I'm with Topseyt, work to live, not live to work!

I have an 'ok' job. I'd be happy to go up a level to 'senior', but I'd hate to be a manager. DP feels the same.

His company are currently asking him to take a managerial role and he's not keen. We have a lovely life where we're financially comfortable, both get home by 5.30pm each night and can leave our work in the office. I wouldn't want to sacrifice that for an extra £10k per year.

WankersHacksandThieves · 29/09/2016 15:51

I work in a specialist role - i quite like it, I don't manage people. I've been putting on my "personal development" paperwork that I don't want to people manage or do a management role for the last 15 years. I've had about 10 different managers over that time - some redundant, some left, some made to leave, some promoted. It's been fine with all of them. I still get bonuses and pay rises (when they are available). I haven't been penalised and in fact I think I get greater respect for the job I do. I think it's great to do a job that you are good at rather than being promoted to the point of incompetency :o

It's a great level to work at - senior enough to have your opinion respected but your head is just below the parapet in terms of being judged accountable or superfluous.

pocketsaviour · 29/09/2016 15:52

I manage a small team and I constantly butt heads with my company's expectations about this.

2 of my team members want to progress and having had a bit of coaching and development from me they are enjoying taking on more responsibility and have the potential to move into more senior positions within the next year.

2 others are not interested in development at all - they just want to come to work, do a good job, and go home again. Fine with me. It means they are dependable and reliable and as they don't need much "maintenance" it gives me more time to spend with the ones who do want my attention.

I have defiantly written "no development plan required" on their 121s and then been called out for it, but have refused to change it. I'm not going to force square pegs into round holes just because some senior HR wonk thinks that because they read a magazine that said people generally feel more motivated if given chances to develop, that that applies boilerplate to literally every employee in the company.

gillybeanz · 29/09/2016 15:52

YANBU.

I have something similar going on with min wage pt job interview tomorrow.

I have a degree and extensive experience in Customer service, have even taught it to HND level before now.

The thing is the hours are great and no expenses to come out of it, so all profit.
I'm 50 and don't want responsibility a better wage and the pound of flesh an employer would want for the higher pay.
friends keep telling me I'm over qualified and should look for better, but there's a lot to say about being happy with your hours.

wasonthelist · 29/09/2016 15:58

YANBU I am always being told what a marvellous manager I'd make, what with my affable manner and laid-back style.

The fact is I tried managing people in the past and it was a fucking nightmare for them and me. No more.

What people don't realise is that the reason I am largely unstressed as I don't have to try to manage all the competing demands of "my" employees and people higher up the chain.

It is a shame people aren't valued for knowing their own strengths and playing to them.

MsRinky · 29/09/2016 16:01

No, it's fine. When I got to the grade that challenges me enough to be interesting without stressing me out, I made it clear I didn't want further promotion. When we paid the mortgage off I went part-time. Recently my boss left and her boss pleaded with me to apply for her job, but I said no.

MrRinky has also said no to promotion - he's an engineer and wants to do engineer stuff, not managing other engineers which is the only progression route.

There's a certain amount of playing the game - just because you don't want promotion doesn't mean that you can fossilise, and so you have to set personal objectives and engage with ongoing development etc, but my objectives are always about doing this job even better rather than looking for another one...

ProfYaffle · 29/09/2016 16:07

Similar to pp. My dh is a software engineer. He's been asked to move into management many times but always refuses. He enjoys programming, people are too unpredictable

BigSandyBalls2015 · 29/09/2016 16:10

I had a similar thread to this last year. I work in the public sector and we're made to feel very unambitious and stagnant if we aren't seen to be striving for the next grade. Pisses me right off.

Our annual reports grade us from 1-3, which 1 being outstanding, 2 doing well/ok and 3 requiring improvement. We were told that there is no way of obtaining a 1 unless you are consistently working at a level above your own, despite not being paid for it. Why would I want to do that?

The amount of people here who are stressed out is unbelievable.

All bollocks and the sooner I can win the lottery and leave, the better.

PJBanana · 29/09/2016 16:16

Our annual reports grade us from 1-3, which 1 being outstanding, 2 doing well/ok and 3 requiring improvement. We were told that there is no way of obtaining a 1 unless you are consistently working at a level above your own, despite not being paid for it. Why would I want to do that?

Similar situation to my company. We have a grading system from 1-4. We're told that the people who get the highest grade are working above their current skillset and exhibiting 'behaviours' to show they can progress to management level.

I was graded 'good' (one below outstanding). My manager told me that I was graded amongst a really tough group of employees, and I might have got the highest grade had one of them not been in my grading group

No idea how that's supposed to encourage me. They've basically admitted its all luck of the draw. I'm happy to do my job to the best of my ability, but I won't be doing any more than that!

RumbleMum · 29/09/2016 16:16

I'm with you, and it was a large part of my decision to go freelance. No pressure to advance up the ranks, and no more sodding appraisals!

Oblomov16 · 29/09/2016 16:16

This is very interesting. I too agree that the minimal pay increase is not worth the added extras and stress that comes with it.
But it makes sense to the business, because it's in their interests, because the margins are minimal to them.

WankersHacksandThieves · 29/09/2016 16:19

There's a certain amount of playing the game - just because you don't want promotion doesn't mean that you can fossilise, and so you have to set personal objectives and engage with ongoing development etc, but my objectives are always about doing this job even better rather than looking for another one...

Absolutely! My personal favourite is setting objectives for stuff I've already done :o

girlwithamoonandstaronherhead · 29/09/2016 16:22

Oh I feel the same. I'm having interviews at the moment as trying to return after a career break. When I get asked about long term career plans I want to say that I dont want a career, just a job and I enjoy and that I can do well!

wheatchief · 29/09/2016 16:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Doobigetta · 29/09/2016 16:31

More money and more authority is one thing, I'd be happy with that. But managing people is a ball-ache I have no particular interest in doing more of. You just get more stressed worrying about your team, more pressure from above to toe the party line, and fuck all reward.

twinjocks · 29/09/2016 16:35

YANBU. A friend once described me as being "utterly ruthless about going down the career ladder"! I spent the first half of my career, such as it is, starting off at admin level, then being promoted, then getting burnt out, changing to a different industry at entry level, getting promoted, etc. 16 years ago I got a job as a school secretary - and there I still am, as there is nowhere higher to go there. I am very good at what I do, and they appreciate it. I'm probably wasted at this job, as I am capable of so much more - but I don't want to. I am perfectly content.

Essentialhummus - Peter's Principle - love it!

Atenco · 29/09/2016 16:37

I can totally identify with this, OP. Many years ago I had a part-time job that I loved and a small dd who I adored. Everything was close to perfect, but our bloody boss kept on giving us pep talks about ambition, which just sounded like never-ending dissatisfaction to me.

Isn't it the Peter principle where people get promoted until they reach a job they can't do and then stay there?